Triggers

Triggers are the conditions that activate your automations. When the AI detects a trigger during an interview, it pauses the conversation and executes your configured actions.

There are two types of triggers: topic-based and sentiment-based.

Topic-based triggers#

Topic triggers fire when the respondent mentions or discusses a specific subject.

Available topic triggers:

Pricing too expensive: Customer indicates your pricing is too high or outside their budget.

Discount request: Customer explicitly asks for a discount, promo code, or special pricing.

Bug spotted: Customer reports a bug, error, or something that isn't working correctly.

Feature missing: Customer mentions a feature they need that you don't have yet.

Integration issue: Customer has trouble with a third-party integration or wants an integration you don't offer.

Account access issue: Customer can't log in, forgot password, or is locked out.

Billing issue: Customer has a problem with invoices, charges, or payment processing.

Delivery issue: Customer reports problems with delivery, shipping, or receiving your product/service.

Compliance or security concern: Customer asks about security, data privacy, GDPR, SOC 2, or compliance.

Return or refund request: Customer wants to return the product or request a refund.

Product quality concern: Customer is unhappy with product quality, reliability, or performance.

Inventory or stock issue: Customer encounters out-of-stock items or availability problems.

Partnership or reseller interest: Customer asks about becoming a partner, reseller, or affiliate.

Sentiment-based triggers#

Sentiment triggers fire when the respondent expresses a specific emotional state.

Available sentiment triggers:

Angry / churn risk: Customer is frustrated, upset, or showing signs they might leave. Tone is negative and intense.

Confused / stuck: Customer is lost, unclear about how something works, or struggling to understand.

Skeptical / price sensitive: Customer is hesitant, questioning value, or very focused on cost vs. benefit.

Urgent buying intent: Customer shows strong interest in purchasing soon. They're past evaluation and moving toward a decision.

Delighted fan: Customer loves your product, shares positive experiences, or expresses strong satisfaction.

How detection works#

The AI uses semantic understanding to detect triggers. It doesn't rely on keyword matching.

This means:

• The customer doesn't need to say exact phrases
• The AI understands context and nuance
• Detection works naturally as part of the conversation flow

For example, these all trigger "Pricing too expensive":

• "That's way out of my budget"
• "I was hoping for something cheaper"
• "Your competitor charges half that price"
• "I can't afford the Pro plan"

The AI interprets meaning, not just keywords.

One trigger per automation#

Each automation has exactly one trigger. You can't combine multiple triggers like "pricing too expensive OR feature missing" in a single automation.

If you need to handle multiple scenarios, create separate automations (up to your plan limit).

Triggers fire once per conversation#

Once a trigger fires in an interview, it won't fire again in that same conversation.

This prevents repetitive automation executions if the customer mentions the trigger topic multiple times.

If a conversation could match multiple automations, only the first detected trigger fires.

Choosing the right trigger#

When creating an automation, think about:

What customer behavior matters most? Prioritize triggers that represent high-value moments — hot leads, churn risks, or feature requests.

What can you realistically respond to? Don't set up a "book a meeting" automation if no one monitors the calendar. Match triggers to actions you can deliver on.

What aligns with your goals? Revenue-focused? Use buying intent and pricing triggers. Product development? Use feature missing and bug spotted. Customer success? Use churn risk and confusion.

Start with 1-2 automations for your highest-priority scenarios. You can always add more as you learn what works.

Next steps#

Now that you understand triggers, learn about Actions — what happens when a trigger fires.

Or jump straight to Examples & Recipes to see complete automation setups for common scenarios.