Query Override Rules Overview

Query override rules let you control how Nobi responds to specific customer questions. When a customer's message matches a rule you've created, Nobi can redirect them to a relevant page, provide a specific response, or follow custom guidance, ensuring consistent, on-brand answers every time.

What Are Query Override Rules?

Query override rules are conditions you set up that intercept specific customer queries and override Nobi's default behavior. Instead of letting the AI decide how to respond, you define exactly what should happen when customers ask about certain topics.

Example: A customer asks "Where is your store located?" Instead of the AI attempting to answer, your query override rule immediately shows a preview card linking to your store locator page, getting them exactly where they need to go.

They work alongside Nobi's normal AI capabilities. When no rules match, Nobi responds as usual. When a rule does match, your specified action takes priority.

Use Cases For Query Overrides

Direct Customers to the Right Place

Some questions are better answered by a dedicated page:

"Where are your stores?" → Store locator page

"How do I return this?" → Returns portal

"Track my order" → Order tracking page

Instead of explaining in chat, redirect customers directly to the page that serves them best.

Handle Sensitive Topics Carefully

Some topics need special handling:

Legal questions → Disclaimer + redirect to terms

Medical/safety concerns → Appropriate disclaimers

Competitor comparisons → Brand-approved messaging

Query Rules ensure these topics are handled exactly as you specify.

Reduce Support Volume

By providing instant, accurate answers to common questions, Query Rules can deflect support tickets before they're created. Customers get what they need immediately.

Control Brand Voice

For topics where brand voice matters most, Query Rules let you craft the exact response rather than relying on AI-generated language.

How Query Rules Work

1. You Create Rules

In your dashboard, you define:

What triggers the rule - Keywords and/or intent descriptions

What action to take - Redirect, canned response, or guidance

2. Customer Sends a Message

When a customer chats with Nobi, their message is checked against your rules.

3. Matching Happens in Parallel

Nobi checks for matching rules at the same time as processing the normal AI response. This means:

No delay if rules don't match

Instant action if a rule does match

No performance penalty for having rules

4. Action Executes

If a rule matches:

Redirect: Customer sees a preview card with link to the destination page

Canned Response: Customer receives your pre-written response

Guidance: The AI follows your instructions when formulating its response

If no rule matches, Nobi responds normally.

Types of Query Rules

Redirect Rules

Send customers to a specific page when they ask about certain topics.

How it works:

Customer: "Where can I find a store near me?"

Rule matches on "store" keyword

Nobi shows a link preview card for your store locator

Customer clicks to visit the page

Best for:

Store locator queries

Order tracking requests

Returns/exchanges

Contact pages

Account management

Any question better served by a dedicated page

What customers see:

A styled preview card appears in the chat with:

Page title

Page description

Thumbnail image (if available)

Clickable link to the page

Canned Response Rules

Provide a specific, pre-written response to certain questions.

How it works:

Customer: "What's your return policy?"

Rule matches on "return policy" keyword

Nobi responds with your exact pre-written answer

Best for:

Policy questions (returns, shipping, warranty)

FAQ-style questions with definitive answers

Legal/compliance-required responses

Answers that must be word-for-word consistent

What customers see:

Your response appears as a normal Nobi message. Customers won't know it's a canned response—it looks like any other AI reply but without citations.

Guidance Rules

Give the AI special instructions for handling certain topics while it comes up with a final response to the query.

How it works:

Customer: "How does your product compare to [competitor]?"

Rule matches based on intent description

AI receives your guidance: "Focus on our unique benefits without mentioning competitors by name"

AI generates a response following your instructions

Best for:

Topics requiring brand-specific tone

Competitive questions

Complex topics needing guardrails

Subjects where AI needs additional context

What customers see:

A normal AI-generated response, but one that follows your guidelines. The response is still natural and conversational, just guided by your rules.

How Matching Works

Rules can match based on keywords, intent descriptions, or both.

Keyword Matching

Exact word matching, if the customer's message contains any of your trigger keywords and no intent description, the rule activates.

Example:

Trigger keywords: store, location, near me, find a store

Customer says: "Is there a store near me?" → Matches on "store" and "near me"

Best for:

Specific, predictable questions

Questions with consistent vocabulary

High-confidence matches

Tips:

Include variations (singular/plural, synonyms)

Think about how customers actually phrase questions

Don't make keywords too broad (e.g., "the" would match everything)

Intent Description Matching

Natural language description that the AI uses to determine if a query matches.

Example:

Intent description: "Customer is asking about physical retail store locations or where to buy products in person"

Customer says: "Can I see this in person before buying?" → Matches based on intent

Best for:

Questions phrased many different ways

Intent that's hard to capture with keywords alone

Broader topic coverage

Tips:

Describe the intent, not just keywords

Include examples of what should match

Be specific enough to avoid false matches

Using Both Together

Keywords help the system shortlist potential matches, keeping latency low, while intent descriptions can provide more context and nuanced matching.

Best Practices

Start with High-Impact Rules

Begin with rules for:

Your most common questions

Questions currently causing support tickets

Topics where consistency matters most

Pages you want to drive traffic to

Keep Responses Concise

For canned responses:

Get to the point quickly

Include the most important information first

Link to detailed pages for more info

Match your brand voice

Test Your Rules

After creating rules:

Try different phrasings of the question

Verify the right action triggers

Check that redirects go to working pages

Read canned responses from customer perspective

Don't Over-Rule

Too many rules can:

Make the experience feel robotic

Prevent helpful AI responses

Create maintenance burden

Use rules strategically for high-value scenarios, not every possible question.

Review Regularly

As your business changes:

Update canned responses with current info

Check that redirect URLs are still valid

Remove rules that are no longer relevant

Add rules for newly common questions

Getting Started

Step 1: Identify 2-3 high-impact questions or topics that need rules

Step 2: Decide the best action for each (redirect, canned response, or guidance)

Step 3: Create your rules in the dashboard

Step 4: Test by asking Nobi questions that should trigger your rules

Step 5: Monitor and refine based on customer interactions