Overview

By default, a new AI agent is not active on any channel. You must explicitly enable it per channel so you stay in control of where the agent responds.

Each agent has its own independent channel configuration — so you can run different agents on different channels, each with their own instructions, tone, and knowledge base.

Supported Channels

• WhatsApp — replies to inbound WhatsApp messages
• Instagram — replies to Instagram Direct Messages
• Messenger — replies to Facebook Messenger conversations
• Email — replies to incoming emails
• Website Chat — handles live chat on your website
• Returnless — replies to return conversations from the Returnless portal

Enabling a Channel

1. Open your agent and click Channels in the sidebar.
2. You'll see all channels connected to your Bugalou account.
3. Toggle a channel on to activate the agent for that channel.

Channels that are not yet connected show a "Not connected →" badge linking directly to the channel setup page.

How It Works

When the agent is active on a channel, it automatically replies to every new inbound message on that channel — unless a handoff trigger fires or a team member takes over the conversation.

The agent only responds on channels you have explicitly enabled. If a channel is toggled off, the AI stays silent and messages go straight to your inbox for manual handling.

Using Different Agents per Channel

You can create multiple agents and assign each to a different set of channels. For example:

• A WhatsApp agent with a broad customer service scope
• A Returnless agent with specific return policy instructions and a more direct tone

To set this up, create a second agent under AI Agents, configure its instructions, and then enable only the desired channels on its Channels tab.

Tips

• If you want the agent to only reply outside business hours, configure that under Settings.
• For email, you can specify which mailboxes the agent monitors when you have multiple email accounts connected.
• For Returnless, the agent replies as a note in the return portal — customers see the reply when they open their return.