Smart Summaries
Get the gist of any ticket in seconds. AI-generated summaries give you a quick overview without reading the entire conversation.
What Are Smart Summaries?
Smart summaries are AI-generated 2-3 sentence overviews of tickets. They capture:
- The customer's main issue or request
- Key details and context
- Current status or what's needed
Example
Ticket subject: "Problem with my order"
Full conversation: 15 messages back and forth about shipping delay, tracking number issues, customer frustration, partial resolution...
AI Summary:
"Customer ordered a replacement battery (Order #45892) on Dec 5th but hasn't received it. Tracking shows stuck in transit since Dec 10th. Customer is frustrated as this is a gift and needs resolution before Dec 20th."
When Summaries Are Generated
Automatic Generation
Summaries are generated automatically:
- When a ticket is created
- When significant new information is added
- When the conversation context changes substantially
Manual Refresh
You can regenerate a summary:
- Click the refresh icon (🔄) next to the summary
- New summary generates based on latest content
- Takes 2-3 seconds
Where to Find Summaries
In the AI Sidebar
Open any ticket to see the summary in the right sidebar under "AI Insights."
In Ticket List (Hover)
Hover over a ticket in the list to see a preview including the summary.
In Email Notifications
When configured, summary is included in assignment notifications.
Summary Components
A good summary includes:
| Component | Example |
|---|---|
| Issue | "Customer cannot log in to their account" |
| Context | "After password reset three times" |
| Urgency | "Needs access before meeting tomorrow" |
| Status | "Waiting on verification from IT team" |
How Summaries Help
Faster Triage
- Scan summaries instead of reading full tickets
- Quickly identify urgent issues
- Route to right team member
Easier Handoffs
- New agent can understand context immediately
- Reduces "Let me read through this" time
- Preserves important details
Manager Oversight
- Review team workload at a glance
- Identify escalation needs
- Understand ticket complexity
Summary Quality
What Makes a Good Summary
- Accurate: Reflects actual ticket content
- Concise: 2-3 sentences, not paragraphs
- Complete: Captures key details
- Current: Reflects latest status
Factors That Improve Quality
- Clear customer messages: Better input = better summary
- Structured information: Order numbers, dates, etc.
- Complete conversations: More context helps
- Updated knowledge base: AI references your KB
Customizing Summaries
Organization Preferences
In Settings → AI, you can configure:
- Summary length preference
- Focus areas (technical, customer-focused, etc.)
- Language/tone
When to Regenerate
Regenerate summaries when:
- Major new information added
- Initial summary missed key points
- Conversation direction changed
Summary Accuracy
Generally Accurate
Summaries are highly accurate for:
- Clear, written communication
- Standard support requests
- Structured information
May Need Context
Summaries might miss nuance in:
- Highly technical discussions
- Emotional subtext
- Multi-issue tickets
Always Verify
For important decisions:
- Read the full conversation
- Don't rely solely on summaries
- Summaries are aids, not replacements
Using Summaries Effectively
During Triage
- Sort tickets by priority
- Scan summaries for urgent issues
- Assign based on summary content
- Flag anything that needs attention
During Handoffs
- Include summary in handoff note
- Highlight anything summary missed
- Add your own context
For Escalations
- Use summary as escalation intro
- Add technical details as needed
- Reference summary in escalation notes
Tips for Better Summaries
Help the AI
- Encourage customers to be specific
- Update ticket descriptions when needed
- Add internal notes with context
Use Effectively
- Read summary first, then dive deeper
- Trust but verify for complex issues
- Regenerate if significantly outdated
Troubleshooting
"Summary says 'Unable to generate'"
- Ticket may be too short
- Content may be unclear
- Try adding more context and regenerate
"Summary is inaccurate"
- Click regenerate for fresh analysis
- Check if conversation has new info
- Report persistent issues
"Summary is too generic"
- Ticket may lack specific details
- Add context via internal note
- Regenerate after updates
API Access
For developers, summaries are available via API:
const summary = await relay.ai.summarize(ticketId);
// Returns: { summary: "...", generatedAt: "...", confidence: 0.95 }
See API Documentation for details.