AI Email Support Assistant

AI Email Support Assistant is a self-hosted PHP/MySQL application for businesses that want to process customer email more efficiently without handing the entire support workflow to a third-party SaaS dashboard.

The application is designed around a straightforward human-reviewed process:

1. Connect a compatible business mailbox.
2. Review an incoming customer message.
3. Generate or review a concise AI-assisted summary.
4. Prepare an AI-assisted reply draft.
5. Verify and edit the response.
6. Send the approved message through the configured email account.

The software assists the operator; it does not replace judgment. Customer commitments, refunds, pricing, legal matters, account details, and sensitive information should always be verified before a response is sent.

SERVER

- PHP 8.1 or newer
- MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB
- PDO MySQL extension
- PHP IMAP extension
- cURL extension
- HTTPS recommended
- Sufficient memory and execution time for the expected email volume

EMAIL

- A compatible mailbox with IMAP access
- SMTP access for outgoing messages
- Correct incoming and outgoing server names, ports, and encryption settings
- An application password or other provider-approved authentication when required

AI

- A supported AI provider account and API key for live summarization and reply drafting
- Outbound HTTPS access from the server to the configured AI endpoint

Hosting providers and mailbox providers may impose additional security, authentication, rate, or network restrictions.

1. Download and extract the product package.

2. Upload the application files to the intended directory on your hosting account.

3. Create a MySQL or MariaDB database and database user.

4. Grant the database user the permissions required by the application.

5. Import the included database schema when the installer does not perform that step automatically.

6. Update the application database configuration with the correct host, database name, username, and password.

7. Configure the administrator credentials and application URL.

8. Configure the mailbox and AI provider settings.

9. Visit the installer or application URL according to the included product package instructions.

10. After installation, remove, rename, or protect any installer file that should not remain publicly accessible.

11. Log in and test with a non-critical mailbox message before using the application for normal customer support.

The application requires a compatible email account with incoming IMAP and outgoing SMTP access.

COMMON SETTINGS

- Email address or mailbox username
- Mailbox password, application password, or provider-approved credential
- IMAP hostname
- IMAP port
- IMAP encryption mode
- SMTP hostname
- SMTP port
- SMTP encryption mode
- Sender name and sender address

SECURITY NOTES

Some providers disable basic password authentication or require an application password, OAuth configuration, multi-factor authentication, or an administrator policy change. Follow the current instructions from your mailbox provider.

TESTING

Use a dedicated test email first. Confirm that the application can access the mailbox and that outgoing test messages arrive with the expected sender name and address.

Live summarization and reply drafting require a supported AI provider API key.

GENERAL PROCESS

1. Create or sign in to the supported AI provider account.
2. Create an API key.
3. Store the key in the application configuration location specified by your release.
4. Select a supported model when the configuration provides a model option.
5. Save the settings.
6. Test with a non-sensitive sample message.

Protect the API key as a secret. Do not place it in public documentation, screenshots, browser-side JavaScript, or a publicly downloadable file. API charges and usage limits are controlled by the provider and are separate from the product purchase.

A recommended support workflow is:

1. Open the support dashboard.
2. Select an incoming customer email.
3. Read the original subject and message.
4. Review the generated summary for accuracy.
5. Identify the requested action, missing information, and urgency.
6. Generate a reply draft.
7. Compare the draft with the original message.
8. Correct names, dates, account details, prices, policies, and promises.
9. Add any business-specific instructions or next steps.
10. Send only after the response is accurate and appropriate.

The summary saves reading time, while the original email remains the authoritative source for what the customer actually wrote.

AI-generated summaries are intended to make a message easier to understand quickly. A useful summary should identify the customer, the main concern or request, important context, and any obvious next action.

CHECK THE SUMMARY FOR:

- The correct customer or company name
- The actual product, service, or order being discussed
- Dates, amounts, reference numbers, and deadlines
- Questions that still need an answer
- Emotional tone or urgency
- Attachments or information mentioned in the original email

Do not rely on the summary alone for complaints, refunds, legal notices, billing disputes, security concerns, or other high-impact matters. Review the complete original message.

The generated reply is a starting point for the operator.

BEFORE SENDING

- Confirm that the greeting and customer name are correct.
- Answer every important question in the original message.
- Remove unsupported assumptions.
- Verify prices, dates, policies, links, and instructions.
- Avoid promising work, refunds, credits, delivery dates, or outcomes that have not been approved.
- Add a clear next step when the customer needs to provide more information.
- Match the tone to the situation.
- Remove unnecessary AI-style wording or repetition.
- Add the appropriate signature.

A short, accurate, human-reviewed response is usually more valuable than a longer response that sounds polished but contains an incorrect detail.

Compatibility depends on whether the mailbox provider allows the type of IMAP and SMTP connection used by the installed release.

Potential providers include business Gmail or Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or Outlook, Zoho Mail, and private domain email hosting. Compatibility is not guaranteed merely because a provider offers email.

CHECK:

- IMAP is enabled for the mailbox.
- SMTP submission is permitted.
- The correct ports and encryption modes are used.
- The provider permits the authentication method used by the application.
- An application password is configured when required.
- The hosting server is not blocking outgoing email ports.
- Provider security alerts or account locks have been resolved.

Use the provider documentation for current connection requirements.

Customer email can contain names, addresses, account information, order details, private business information, and attachments. Treat the installation as a protected business system.

RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

- Use HTTPS throughout the application.
- Use a unique, strong administrator password.
- Protect configuration files from public web access.
- Restrict the dashboard to authorized staff.
- Keep mailbox and AI API credentials secret.
- Use prepared PDO statements for database operations.
- Use CSRF protection for state-changing actions.
- Escape output displayed in the browser.
- Keep PHP, database software, and the application updated.
- Review what information is sent to the AI provider.
- Follow applicable privacy, retention, and customer-data requirements.
- Do not expose detailed errors or credentials in production logs or public pages.

A complete backup plan should cover the application files, database, configuration, and any locally stored operational files or attachments. The mailbox itself remains subject to the backup and retention capabilities of the email provider.

RECOMMENDED ROUTINE

- Back up the database regularly.
- Back up application and configuration files.
- Store a protected copy of customized files before installing updates.
- Test restoration instead of assuming a backup is usable.
- Review PHP and application logs for repeated connection failures.
- Confirm that mailbox credentials and API keys have not expired or been revoked.
- Review AI provider usage and billing.
- Remove inactive administrator accounts.
- Apply updates after creating a current backup.

CANNOT CONNECT TO IMAP
Confirm the IMAP hostname, port, encryption mode, username, password, and whether IMAP is enabled. Check whether the provider requires an application password or another authentication method.

CANNOT SEND THROUGH SMTP
Confirm the SMTP hostname, port, encryption mode, authentication settings, and sender address. Check whether the hosting provider blocks the selected outgoing port.

AUTHENTICATION FAILED
Re-enter the credential, check for account security alerts, confirm multi-factor or application-password requirements, and verify that the mailbox has not been locked.

CONNECTION TIMEOUT
Check DNS, firewall rules, hosting outbound-network restrictions, and the provider service status.

MESSAGES DO NOT APPEAR
Confirm the selected mailbox or folder, synchronization behavior, and whether another rule or email client moved the message.

NO SUMMARY OR REPLY IS GENERATED
Confirm the API key, provider configuration, selected model, cURL support, outbound HTTPS access, and provider account status.

INVALID API KEY
Create or copy a valid key and ensure there are no extra spaces or missing characters.

RATE LIMIT OR QUOTA ERROR
Review provider usage limits, billing status, and request frequency.

RESPONSE IS INCOMPLETE OR INCORRECT
Retry only when appropriate, then compare the result with the original email. Provide a clearer instruction if the installed release supports prompt customization. Always correct the final draft manually.

SENSITIVE INFORMATION
Do not submit content to an AI provider unless doing so is permitted by your business policies, customer commitments, and applicable privacy requirements.

Use AI Email Support Assistant as a productivity tool with human accountability.

- Keep the original customer message visible while reviewing AI output.
- Prioritize accuracy over speed.
- Use concise, direct replies.
- Answer the customer question before adding promotional language.
- Never invent an order status, refund, policy, or completion date.
- Escalate legal, safety, security, harassment, payment-dispute, and highly sensitive messages to the appropriate person.
- Avoid placing secrets or unnecessary personal data in prompts.
- Test major configuration changes with a non-critical mailbox.
- Maintain backups before upgrades or customizations.
- Review customer-support policies regularly so staff can correct AI drafts consistently.

The best result is not fully automated email. It is faster, clearer support with a responsible human making the final decision.