What you will accomplish

You will open the AI Assistant, ask a question by voice or keyboard, read the answer carefully, and know what to do next—including when to start a new chat or open a dashboard page.

When to use this guide

Use this guide for everyday assistant sessions: lookups, schedule questions, parking checks, and follow-up questions about the same customer or vehicle.

If the assistant shows proposal cards with Confirm All, switch to Review AI proposals before you save anything.

Before you start

• Sign in with a staff account (not a customer portal login).
• Confirm you have permission for the area you are asking about.
• Have one useful detail ready: customer name, vehicle, date, spot number, or invoice number.
• Start New Chat when the topic is new (see Manage your assistant chats).

Open the AI Assistant

1. Open from the dashboard

   From Dashboard, click AI Assistant in the left sidebar.

   You can also bookmark AI Assistant.

2. Pick voice or typing
   • Microphone — tap the large round button and speak. Your browser may ask for microphone permission the first time.
   • Type instead — click Type instead under the microphone (or the keyboard icon during a chat) to use the keyboard.

   Expected result: You see the start screen with suggested questions such as What's on the schedule today? and How many spots are available?

   Why typing helps: Customer names, email addresses, and VINs must be spelled correctly. Most staff click Type instead for those details.

Ask one clear question

Clear questions help the assistant find the right record the first time.

1. Click Type instead (optional)

   If you are typing exact names or email addresses, click Type instead so you can see what you are entering.

2. Enter your question

   Type or paste your question, then press Enter or tap the send arrow.

   Why this matters: Spelling counts for customer names, email addresses, and license plates.

Use this simple pattern:

1. Say what you need.
2. Add the most specific name, date, or number you know.
3. Say what should happen next, if there is a next step.

Good examples:

• Look up Alex Morgan's cars.
• What's on the schedule today?
• How many parking spots are available?
• Where is the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan parked?
• Draft a short pickup reminder for Sam Rivera, but do not send it yet.

Avoid vague examples:

• Find the car.
• What's going on tomorrow?
• Tell the customer.

Those requests often miss the detail the assistant needs.

Expected result: The assistant opens a conversation and shows your question at the top of the chat.

Read the answer before you act

Check:

• Customer name — is it the person you meant?
• Vehicle — year, make, model, color, VIN, or plate.
• Date and time — especially for “tomorrow” or “next week.”
• Parking spot — matches your floor plan.
• Money — invoice or quote amounts need extra care.

Follow up in the same chat

You can ask another question about the same customer or task:

• Show me Alex's other cars.
• Does that car have an appointment this week?
• Take me to the car page.

Expected result: The assistant uses context from the same thread.

Start a new chat when the topic changes

Click New Chat in the left sidebar when you switch to a different customer, vehicle, or unrelated task.

Expected result: The old conversation stays in your history, but the assistant will not mix up two customers in one thread.

When the assistant offers to open a page

After some answers, a bar may appear at the bottom of the chat:

• A short countdown (for example, Navigating 5s)
• Go now — open the page right away
• Cancel — stay in the chat

1. Read where you are going

   The bar usually names the page, such as a customer or car record.

2. Choose Go now or Cancel

   Go now opens the dashboard page. Cancel keeps you in the assistant.

   Why this matters: The assistant does not open pages without your choice. You stay in control.

Expected result: When you choose Go now, you reach the correct dashboard page. When you choose Cancel, you stay in the chat.

Stop a long answer

If the assistant is still writing and you need to stop:

1. Look for the stop control

   While the assistant shows Thinking..., a stop button (small square icon) may appear near the microphone area at the bottom of the page.

2. Click stop

   The answer stops generating. You can send a clearer follow-up message.

Draft a customer message (do not send yet)

You can ask the assistant to word a text or email while you stay in control of sending.

1. Start New Chat

   Open AI Assistant and click New Chat so the message is not mixed with another customer.

2. Ask for a draft only

   Example: Draft a short pickup reminder for Alex Morgan for Friday at 2pm. Do not send it yet.

   Why this matters: Saying do not send keeps the assistant in draft mode. You review the words before anything goes to the customer.

3. Copy or open Inbox

   Read the draft in the chat. When it looks right, open Inbox, find the customer's thread, paste or retype the message, and send from there.

   Expected result: The customer receives only what your team approved in Inbox—not an automatic send from the assistant.

If the assistant asks for more information

1. Read what is missing

   The assistant may ask for an email, VIN, exact date, or vehicle model.

2. Reply with the detail

   Type the missing information in the same chat.

3. Check manually if needed

   Open the related dashboard page if you are unsure.

Troubleshooting

I do not see AI Assistant in the sidebar

You must be signed in as staff. Customer portal logins do not include the staff sidebar.

The microphone does not work

Click Type instead, or allow microphone access in your browser settings. Some shared computers block the mic for privacy.

The answer found the wrong person or car

Do not continue. Reply with the full name, email, VIN, or license plate. Or search in Contacts or Cars.

The assistant says it does not have permission

Ask a team admin to update your role in Settings > Team.

The answer looks incomplete

Open the record in the dashboard. The assistant helps you move faster; the record page is the official source.

The page opened before I was ready

That can happen if you tapped Go now during navigation. Use your browser Back button to return to the assistant, or open AI Assistant again from the sidebar.

What to do next

• Ask about schedule, parking, and records for common lookup questions.
• Prepare work with the AI Assistant when you need proposal cards for new records.
• Review AI proposals before you select Confirm All.