The Gourmet Animal AI Support
Automated customer support for premium LA meal prep service, implementing AI agent that achieved 50% resolution rate with goal of reaching 80%.
Project Snapshot
The Gourmet Animal
Food Service
July 2025 - August 2025
AI Automation Consultant
Intercom, Fin AI, Shopify, Appstle, n8n
AI Strategy, Customer Support Automation, Platform Integration, Process Optimization
Solo consulting engagement with The Gourmet Animal founder
What It Was
The Gourmet Animal, a high-end Los Angeles meal prep service, was struggling with overwhelming customer support demands across multiple channels. Founder Chris was constantly pulled into handling customer inquiries via text, Shopify inbox, email, and phone calls about subscription management, dietary preferences, and order modifications.
The business needed to streamline customer support to allow the founder to focus on cooking and business growth while maintaining their premium customer experience standards.
What I Did
- Conducted build vs. buy analysis comparing AI automation platforms including Richpanel and Intercom
- Evaluated Richpanel initially for native Shopify integration but discovered limitations in actual AI capabilities
- Implemented Intercom with Fin AI agent, integrating website URL as training data for instant setup
- Configured Shopify-Intercom integration enabling Fin to access real-time order information for logged-in users
- Optimized Fin's training content and response accuracy through iterative testing and refinement
What Came Out of It
- Achieved immediate 50% customer support resolution rate through AI automation
- Reduced founder's time spent on routine customer inquiries by eliminating multi-channel support chaos
- Enabled customers to get instant answers about subscriptions, orders, and dietary modifications 24/7
- Created scalable foundation for business growth without proportional increase in support overhead
- Established clear path to 80% resolution rate through planned workflow enhancements and Fin Tasks integration
What I Learned
The importance of thorough platform evaluation: Richpanel's promised AI features were actually just co-pilot tools, not true automation. Sometimes the right solution becomes clear only after hands-on testing. Intercom's Fin demonstrated how intuitive UX design for AI agents can make non-deterministic software accessible to business owners, which is crucial for enterprise AI adoption.
Need AI Customer Support Automation?
Looking to streamline customer service with intelligent automation while maintaining premium experience standards?