DEV CommunityTuesday · June 9, 2026FREE

Using Additional Instructions to Handle Buying Intent in a Chatbot

While developing Fabio AI Chatbot, the team discovered that the Additional Instructions field—originally meant to adjust chatbot behavior—can also define reactions when the chatbot detects buying intent patterns. For example, if a visitor asks about implementation, the chatbot can indicate appointment booking; if a visitor compares plans, it can show pricing or software download options. This method leverages an existing configuration layer, avoiding the need for custom model training, extra API calls, or a separate intent classification service. Website owners retain full control over the chatbot's behavior. To facilitate experimentation, the team prepared 20 copy-paste buying intent templates that are intentionally generic and work across multiple use cases including SaaS, agencies, online courses, service websites, software downloads, and lead generation. The approach is designed to be simple and accessible, allowing developers to implement intent handling directly in the system prompt without additional infrastructure.