Virtual Assistant: Getting Started

Virtual Assistant: Getting Started 

We are excited for you to get started with implementing your virtual assistant!  The steps below will have your virtual assistant live on your website before you know it.

If your organization is NOT a standard college/university, use our Implementation Guidance for Non-Institutions article as a supplement as you move through implementation.

Training   

Training can be completed quickly through a combination of the articles and videos listed in the Virtual Assistant Training checklist.

Implementation Checklist   

Once training is complete, follow these simple steps to quickly get your virtual assistant up and running!

1. Complete the Variables
   • Variables are custom URLs and terms that flow throughout your entire Knowledge base, saving you hours of time with the customization process. Each department will have its own variables to complete.
     
     
     
2. Complete the Question Templates
   • Question Templates are questions that Ocelot recommends each institution customizes to ensure virtual assistant users are receiving effective responses. Each department will have its own templates available to complete. 
     
     
     
3. Test first, then customize as needed
   • During implementation, focus on testing each department's top FAQs. Once the virtual assistant is live, further customization can be completed based on actual student interactions.
   • For any responses that need to be customized, follow our Editing the Knowledge Base Best Practices to ensure AI compatibility. 
     
     
     
     
4. Embed the Virtual Assistant
   • Your webmaster will copy the code from the admin system and paste it into your web management system—no further IT required!

Post-Launch Checklist   

Maintain and grow your virtual assistant by following these recommended steps:

1. Promote your Service
   • Increase your web traffic and exposure to your service through promotions. Achieve gold-level usage by implementing each listed promotion.
2. Monitor the Virtual Assistant for Ongoing Success
   • Support your virtual assistant's continued growth through these best practices, primarily through just 30 min/week of monitoring the communication and customizing further as needed.

Need assistance?   

The following resources are available:

1. Ocelot Support's article knowledge base
   
2. Open a Support ticket for technical and/or product set-up assistance
3. Contact your Client Success Manager