Imagine your customer support team using Front, handling way more conversations than before without getting swamped, solving problems faster, and actually having time for those tricky, complex issues. That’s what AI promises for customer support, especially when you’re already using a platform like Front, which is basically the central spot for managing all those customer chats.
As customers expect quicker help and you see more and more tickets coming in, adding AI to your Front workflow isn’t just a nice extra anymore; it’s really becoming a must. But how do you actually bring AI into your Front customer support setup? Do you stick with the features Front is building into its own platform, or do you connect a specialized AI tool like eesel AI that’s built specifically for support teams?
This post will walk you through both options. We’ll look at what they offer, what they can do, and how they fit into the way you already work. By the time you finish reading, you should have a much clearer idea of which path makes the most sense for giving your Front customer support a boost.
Understanding your AI options for Front
Adding AI to your customer support process inside Front can seriously help your team get more done and keep customers happier. But what are your actual choices when you want to use artificial intelligence within the Front world?
Front’s built-in AI features
Front, the platform you use for talking with customers, is busy building and adding AI features right into its product. This includes things they’ve gained from buying companies like Idiomatic. They’re working on improving things like smart ways to route conversations, figuring out how customers are feeling (sentiment analysis), and giving you helpful insights directly in your Front inbox.
These features are designed to make your work smoother by using the information that’s already right there in Front. For example, Front recently bought Idiomatic, a company focused on understanding the “voice of the customer,” and they’re working on adding features like smart CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) tools. Front is also moving beyond just being a combined inbox to become more of a full customer support platform with features powered by AI.
eesel AI for Front
Think of eesel AI as a platform specifically made for plugging in AI support agents. It connects with the tools you’re already using, including Front, to set up AI Agents that can automate tasks and AI Assistants (sometimes called Copilots) that help out your human team members. The main idea is to give you advanced AI powers without making you switch platforms or rely only on what your helpdesk provider offers out-of-the-box. eesel AI is built to fit right into your current workflow, bringing powerful automation and help exactly where your team is working. You can find out more about eesel AI on our website.
Comparing Front’s AI and eesel AI
When you’re trying to figure out the best AI solution for your Front customer support team, it helps to look at the specific ways AI can make a difference. Here’s a breakdown comparing Front’s own AI features with what eesel AI brings to the table when you connect it.
Main AI features and automation
How do these two options handle taking care of routine tasks automatically and giving instant support?
| Category | Front’s Built-in AI | eesel AI for Front |
|---|---|---|
| Automation Tools | – Smart routing and tagging – Sentiment analysis – Inbox sorting |
– Automates first-level ticket resolution – Advanced routing and tagging – Runs custom API actions (e.g., refunds, account updates) |
| Insights & Assistance | – Conversation insights – Smart CSAT tools (via Idiomatic acquisition) |
– Drafts replies – Assists agents via browser extension – Pulls context from live ticket + docs |
| Platform Fit | – Natively integrated into Front – Uses data already inside Front |
– Connects to Front via API – Fits into current workflow without switching platforms |
| External System Support | – Limited to Front’s environment and integrations | – Pulls order info from platforms like Shopify or Magento – Connects with internal systems via API |
| Bot Flexibility | – One-size-fits-most logic tied to Front | – Supports multiple bots for different brands or use cases |
How they learn and use knowledge
Any smart AI agent relies heavily on the information it’s trained on.
| Category | Front’s Built-in AI | eesel AI for Front |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge Source | Uses only Front’s native knowledge base | Learns from 100+ sources (e.g., Google Docs, Confluence, PDFs, wikis, past tickets) |
| Training Scope | Limited to content stored inside Front | Includes internal docs, historical conversations, external wikis, and more |
| Content Syncing | Manual updates required | Automatic syncing keeps AI knowledge up to date |
| Scalability | Best if all support content is already in Front | Ideal for companies with scattered or multi-source knowledge |
| Gap Detection | No built-in content gap analysis | Identifies missing or outdated information to improve AI responses |
Helping out your agents (AI Copilot)
AI can also work side-by-side with your human agents to help them be more productive.
- Front’s built-in AI features:
- Might offer things like suggesting relevant articles from the knowledge base.
- Can give a quick summary of a conversation.
- Useful for agents who need fast access to information right within the Front screen.
- eesel AI for Front:
- Offers a dedicated AI Assistant (AI Copilot) that works through a browser extension.
- Helps agents write replies based on the conversation and your knowledge sources.
- Can find specific documents.
- Can chat about documents to help agents quickly understand complicated info.
- Gives suggestions that make sense for what the agent is currently working on.
How they fit in with your workflow and other tools
Front’s built-in AI features work smoothly within the platform since they’re developed in-house. If your whole support process already happens in Front, that built-in setup can feel pretty seamless. You get native access without extra tools or configurations.
But it can be limited outside of Front
When you need to connect to other systems or trigger more complex workflows, things get trickier. What’s possible depends on Front’s own API and how each AI feature is built. For anything advanced like syncing with databases or handling actions in external tools, you might need some custom coding.
eesel AI plugs directly into Front
eesel AI was made to work inside your existing helpdesk setup. It connects to Front using the API and takes care of the usual tasks like reading tickets, tagging, routing, and replying, all inside your Front inbox.
It also connects with your other tools
Beyond working with Front, eesel AI can trigger real-time actions using custom APIs. That means it can pull order data, update customer records, or talk to your internal systems without any platform switching. You can also run multiple bots for different teams or brands, without needing separate setups.
Customizing, controlling, and testing
Having control over how your AI behaves and being able to test it properly is super important for making sure it works well.
Front keeps it simple
With Front’s built-in AI, customization is tied to the platform’s general settings or whatever options are available in the AI setup menus. You might be able to adjust basic behavior, but there is limited room to fine-tune how the AI sounds or how it handles more complex situations. Testing tools are often minimal, which means you might not fully see how the AI will act until it is already live.
eesel AI gives you more control
eesel AI provides detailed customization through a dedicated prompt and actions tab. You can tell the AI exactly how to behave, what tone to use, and when it should pass a conversation to a human. It also lets you define specific responses for unique scenarios so the AI fits your support style more closely.
Testing is built in
With eesel AI, you can simulate conversations using your past tickets to see how the AI would respond in real situations. This helps you fine-tune answers and make adjustments before putting it into production. You can also roll it out slowly, starting with just a few agents or ticket types, so you can test in a controlled and low-risk way.
Pricing and what you get for the money
Understanding how each tool charges for AI can make a big difference, especially as your support team grows.
| Platform | Plan | Pricing | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | Starter | $19 per seat per month | No AI features |
| Front | Growth | $59 per seat per month | Basic AI features |
| Front | Scale | $99 per seat per month | AI Summarize, AI Compose |
| Front | Add-on | $0.70 per resolution | AI Answers for live chat |
| eesel AI | Team | $239 per month | Up to 1,000 AI interactions |
| eesel AI | Business | $639 per month | Up to 3,000 AI interactions |
| eesel AI | Custom | Contact sales | Unlimited interactions and advanced features |
Front’s built-in AI is bundled into its main platform pricing, which is seat-based. Plans start at $19 per seat per month (billed annually), but access to AI features requires at least the Growth plan at $59 per seat, and more advanced features like AI Summarize and AI Compose come in at the Scale tier at $99 per seat. On top of that, premium AI tools like AI Answers (automated replies via chat) are priced separately at $0.70 per resolution. So, while basic AI is included in some plans, total cost increases with each added user and feature, especially as usage scales.
eesel AI, on the other hand, uses an interaction-based pricing model. You’re not paying per agent, instead, you’re paying based on how often the AI is used. Plans start at $239/month for the Team plan (up to 1,000 interactions), $639/month for the Business plan (up to 3,000 interactions), and there’s a Custom plan with unlimited usage and more advanced features. This pricing makes eesel AI easier to scale without worrying about seat counts. Each plan includes integrations with help desks like Front, AI Assistants (Copilots), support for multiple bots, and access to ROI tracking tools that estimate how much time and money the AI is saving.
In short, Front’s pricing grows with your team, while eesel AI’s pricing grows with your automation level. If you have a small team but a high ticket volume, eesel AI can help reduce per-agent costs. If you’re already deep in the Front ecosystem and your support needs are simple, the built-in AI may be enough to start.
Picking the right AI for your Front workflow
Deciding whether to just use the AI features built into Front or to add a specialized platform like eesel AI really comes down to what you need and what you’re trying to achieve with customer support.
When Front’s built-in AI might be enough
If you mainly need basic help with sorting tickets, automatically adding tags, routing conversations based on simple rules, and using a knowledge base you already keep updated inside Front, then the AI features Front offers might be all you need. This is often a good starting point for teams just trying out AI or those who prefer to keep all their tech tools from one company, as long as the features included do what they need without needing lots of customization or connecting to outside systems. It’s an easy choice if your needs are pretty simple and everything you need is already within Front.
When eesel AI adds a lot of value to Front
If you’re looking for more advanced automation, like having the AI completely solve those first-level tickets, doing things through other systems (like looking up orders or processing refunds), training the AI on all sorts of knowledge sources outside of Front’s knowledge base (like old tickets or internal wikis), or if you need to really fine-tune how the AI acts and sounds, then adding eesel AI is probably a better fit. Its predictable pricing, based on interactions instead of per agent, is also a plus for teams that are growing or keeping a close eye on costs, since it avoids those per-agent fees you often see with AI add-ons from helpdesk companies. eesel AI’s strong testing tools also help you feel much more confident before you put the AI in front of live customers, making sure it works exactly how you expect within your Front customer support setup.
Give your Front customer support an AI upgrade
Adding AI to how you handle customer support in Front isn’t just a fancy extra anymore; it’s pretty much necessary if you want to be efficient and handle growth. Whether you start with the features Front has built-in or add a powerful platform like eesel AI, the main goal is the same: spend less time on repetitive stuff, help your agents work smarter, and give customers faster, more accurate answers.
While Front does offer some useful built-in AI tools, a dedicated platform like eesel AI brings deeper automation, can learn from more places, offers lots of customization, and has a pricing model that can be more cost-effective and grow with you. It fits right into your existing Front customer support setup and makes it even better.
Ready to see how eesel AI could change things for your Front customer support? You can book a demo to see eesel AI working inside Front, or start a free trial today – you don’t even need a credit card to get started!
