# Automated customer support with OpenAI: n8n workflow template

> Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Drive and Pinecone. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents...

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-customer-support-with-openai (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Customer support](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Customer+support#library)

# Automated customer support with OpenAI

Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Drive and Pinecone. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 16 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fautomated-customer-support-with-openai)

**16 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**3** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 2 Model 10 Logic 1 Service 3

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 2 **Embeddings OpenAI** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Google Drive Trigger** Google Drive trigger *Starts it*
- 4 **Recursive Character Text Splitter** Text Splitter Recursive Character Text Splitter *Model*
- 5 **Embeddings OpenAI1** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 6 **Gmail Trigger** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 7 **OpenAI Chat Model1** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 8 **Text Classifier** Text Classifier *Model*
- 9 **knowledgebase** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 10 **Download file** Google Drive *Service*
- 11 **Default Data Loader** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 12 **Pinecone Vector Store** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 13 **AI Agent** Agent *Model*
- 14 **No Operation, do nothing** No Op *Logic*
- 15 **Add label to message** Gmail *Service*
- 16 **Reply to a message** Gmail *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An arriving email
- **Steps:** 16
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail, Google Drive, Pinecone
- **Model:** OpenAI
- **Retrieval:** Answers are drawn from documents you supply, not from the model alone

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail, Google Drive and Pinecone accounts, and a key for OpenAI. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an arriving email.

Does it use AI?

Yes. It calls OpenAI. Its answers draw on documents you give it, not on the model alone. Model calls are billed by the provider, not by n8n.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 16 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 16 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fautomated-customer-support-with-openai)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)[Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)[Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Pinecone#library)

## Workflows like it

Also customer support, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Answer customer questions and book jobs with OpenAI RAG** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/answer-customer-questions-and-book-jobs-with-openai-rag)
- [**Answer customer questions and book jobs with OpenAI RAG** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/answer-customer-questions-and-book-jobs-with-openai-rag-2)
- [**Automate IT support: Convert emails to Jira tickets** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Jira](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-it-support-convert-emails-to-jira-tickets)
- [**Book beauty appointments and answer FAQs with OpenAI** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/book-beauty-appointments-and-answer-faqs-with-openai)
- [**Build a support knowledge base from historical Gmail emails** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Postgres](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-a-support-knowledge-base-from-historical-gmail-emails)
- [**Classify Gmail support emails with a local model and Postgres** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Postgres](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/classify-gmail-support-emails-with-a-local-model-and-postgre)