Building a Customer Support Portal with Strapi, GPT, and Node.js (3-part blog series)

[Eunit99]

What is your article idea?

This blog series will be a comprehensive guide to building a customer support portal using Strapi, GPT, and Node.js. It will walk readers through the entire development process, from setting up the backend with Strapi and Node.js, integrating GPT for AI-driven customer support, to implementing user authentication and managing customer queries. By the end of the series, readers will have a fully functional customer support portal capable of handling user queries, providing automated responses, and managing user authentication.

Below is an outline for each part of the series, ensuring that each article builds on the previous one and leads to a functional customer support portal by the end.

What are the objectives of your article?

Part 1: Setting up Strapi and Node.js for the backend

1. Introduction to Customer Support Portals

   • Importance of customer support in modern businesses
   • Benefits of using AI-driven solutions for customer support
   • Overview of the blog series

2. Setting up Strapi and Node.js for the Backend

   • Creating a new Strapi project
   • Configuring Strapi for customer support management
   • Setting up Node.js and connecting it with Strapi
   • Creating collection types for support tickets and responses
   • Defining fields for support tickets and responses
   • Creating and managing entries in Strapi
   • Testing the API endpoints

Part 2: Integrating GPT for AI-driven customer support

1. Introduction to AI-driven Customer Support

   • Overview of AI in customer support
   • Benefits of using GPT for automated responses

2. Integrating GPT with Strapi and Node.js

   • Setting up GPT for generating automated responses
   • Connecting GPT with Strapi to handle support ticket responses
   • Writing API endpoints in Node.js to integrate with GPT
   • Testing the integration with sample queries

3. Handling AI-generated Responses

   • Validating and moderating GPT-generated responses
   • Ensuring relevance and appropriateness of responses
   • Providing fallback mechanisms for unrecognized queries

Part 3: Implementing user authentication and managing customer queries

1. Introduction to User Authentication

   • Importance of secure user authentication in customer support
   • Overview of authentication methods and practices

2. Setting Up User Authentication in Strapi and Node.js

   • Configuring authentication in Strapi
   • Setting up user roles and permissions
   • Implementing authentication routes in Node.js
   • Creating login and registration forms
   • Securing API endpoints with authentication

3. Managing Customer Queries

   • Creating a user-friendly interface for submitting and viewing support tickets
   • Implementing features for tracking ticket status and history
   • Providing options for users to rate and provide feedback on responses
   • Ensuring data privacy and security in user interactions

What is your expertise as a developer or writer?

Intermediate

What type of post is this?

Tutorial

Terms & Conditions

• I have read the Write for the Community program guidelines.

[Eunit99]

@Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, please let me know what you think regarding this proposal.

Thank you.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99 ,

Thanks for your article idea. Are you trying to build a Chatbot?

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, thank you for the question.

The proposed topic "Building a Customer Support Portal with Strapi, GPT, and Node.js (3-part blog series)" is not solely a tutorial on building a chatbot. Below are my few explanations of the differences:

Scope of a Chatbot

A chatbot typically focuses on the following aspects:

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Understanding and processing user inputs in natural language.
2. Conversational Flow: Managing the flow of conversation and context over multiple interactions.
3. Response Generation: Generating appropriate responses, often using pre-defined scripts, machine learning models, or integrations with AI like GPT.

Scope of the Customer Support Portal

The customer support portal outlined in the article encompasses a broader set of functionalities beyond just a chatbot:

1. Backend Infrastructure:
   • Strapi Setup: Setting up a Strapi CMS to manage customer support data.
   • API Endpoints: Creating and managing RESTful API endpoints to handle support tickets and responses.
2. Integration with GPT:
   • AI-driven Support: Using GPT to assist in generating automated responses to customer queries.
   • Moderation: Implementing mechanisms to validate and moderate AI-generated responses.
3. User Authentication:
   • Authentication Setup: Configuring user authentication in Strapi and Node.js.
   • Role Management: Setting up user roles and permissions to secure access to different parts of the portal.
4. Support Ticket Management:
   • Ticket System: Implementing a system to submit, track, and manage customer support tickets.
   • User Interface: Developing a user-friendly interface for customers to interact with the support system.
   • Data Security: Ensuring the secure handling of customer data and interactions.

While the customer support portal includes a chatbot-like feature through the use of GPT for AI-driven responses, its scope is much broader. It covers full-stack development aspects, including backend setup, API creation, user authentication, and comprehensive support ticket management, making it more than just a chatbot tutorial.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99 ,

Your response seems to be full of AI.

I will appreciate it if can you give me a clear flow of what you want to build.

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, thank you for the follow-up question.

In a simpler explanation, this article will teach the reader how to build a customer support portal, that will have a chatbot with automated responses using GPT.
The aspect of the chatbot will be developed in a chat widget, while the customer support portal will be used to store each customer's tickets (conversations). Strapi will be used as our backend (database).

I have attached these images (screenshots) to drive home my points.

The chatbot in a chat widget:

The customer support portal:

@Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, please let me know if you need further clarification.

Thank you.

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, I am following up on this. Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Thank you!

Now I am a bit clear. One more thing though, what are we using Node.js for in this tutorial?

[Eunit99]

Nodejs will be used to connect Strapi with GPT

@Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, can I get started on this article?
Please let me know what your thoughts are.

Thank you.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Your app looks very interesting.

Please proceed. I would love it if this app is an advanced one. Be reminded that if the app doesn't meet expectation, I might have to reject the article.

Let's build a Customer Support portal 💪.

[Eunit99]

Thank you @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku . I will proceed with writing the article.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99,

One last thing. Could you please use Strapi 5?

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku , I can use Strapi 5.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Thank you!

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99 👋,

May I please know the status of this article?

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku, thank you for following up. This article is in progress.

[Eunit99]

Hello @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku , I wanted to let you know that the first part of the article is ready for your review:
Link on HackMD

I am excited to hear your feedback.
Thank you.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99,

Could you please provide the remaining parts. The guideline is that you provide all the whole parts before we can start review.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99,

Please may I know the status of this article?

[Eunit99]

Thank you for following up @Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku. I am almost done with part two of the series. I will let you you as soon as I finalize.

Thank you for your patience.

[Theodore-Kelechukwu-Onyejiaku]

Hi @Eunit99, I hope you are doing great! Could you please share an update on when this will be ready? Do you anticipate it being completed this week, or should we look to next week? It’s been pending for a while now and would be great to wrap it up.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Eunit99]

Hello Theodore, I look forward to this article being completed in 2 weeks. Thank you for your patience.

…

On Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 6:46 PM Theodore Kelechukwu Onyejiaku < ***@***.***> wrote: Hi @Eunit99 <https://github.com/Eunit99>, I hope you are doing great! Could you please share an update on when this will be ready? Do you anticipate it being completed this week, or should we look to next week? It’s been pending for a while now and would be great to wrap it up. Thanks so much for your help! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1490 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AF5RVUAYHBPAMN2ZASMPYZD2BN2N5AVCNFSM6AAAAABKEIWA2OVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDIOBWGM3DKMBVHE> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>