Overview
Owner: Phoebe Price, VP Customer Operations
Last Updated: June 7, 2026
Purpose: How to request a Lyra reply draft and what to expect
What Lyra Does
Lyra drafts merchant-facing support replies. You ask Lyra to draft — you review and send. Lyra never sends directly.
Lyra doesn't just write on command. She first assesses the full context of the ticket before drafting — and will ask you a clarifying question if she needs more information.
How to Request a Draft
Tag Lyra in the relevant Slack channel or thread and provide:
- Merchant name
- Zendesk ticket ID
- What you need — a reply to the merchant, a status update, a holding response, etc.
Example: @lyra draft a reply for Kavanaugh Restaurant Supply, ticket #91805 — AutoPay issue, no resolution yet, been open 26 days
What Lyra Does Automatically
Before drafting, Lyra will:
- Pull the Zendesk ticket and read the full thread
- Check if the merchant is VIP, Top 10, or Top 30 (from account data)
- Assess merchant sentiment — is there frustration, escalation, or a long wait?
- Check linked Jira/PHD tickets for engineering status if relevant
- Decide whether she has enough to draft — or ask you a clarifying question first
Lyra's Clarifying Questions
Lyra may respond with a question before drafting. Examples:
- [LYRA: I can see this is a BTR issue but I don't have the resolution status from Engineering yet. Do you have an update from the PHD ticket before I draft?]
- [LYRA: This merchant is in our Top 10 accounts. Should this reply be escalated to Phoebe or Mario for review before sending?]
- [LYRA: The merchant has been waiting 8 days and sounds frustrated. Is there a resolution or update I can include, or should I draft a holding reply with a specific callback date?]
Answer the question and Lyra will proceed with the draft.
Agent Flags in Drafts
Lyra adds [AGENT: ...] notes directly in drafts when she needs your input. Common flags:
| Flag | What to do |
|---|---|
| [AGENT: please confirm timeline before sending] | Get the resolution date from Engineering before sending |
| [AGENT: verify with Engineering before including this] | Confirm root cause is accurate |
| [AGENT: provider name removed per guidelines] | No action needed — Lyra already cleaned it |
| [AGENT: this is a VIP / Top 10 merchant — consider Phoebe or Mario review] | Route to Phoebe or Mario before sending |
| [AGENT: merchant tone is elevated — recommend a call or Phoebe review] | Consider a call or escalation before replying |
| [AGENT: confirm this exception has been approved before sending] | Get manager approval for any goodwill exception |
Do not remove flags without addressing them. They are there to protect you and the merchant relationship.
Communication Rules Lyra Follows
Every draft follows the Merchant Communication Guidelines. Key rules Lyra enforces:
- No provider names (Vantiv, Stripe, Airwallex, CPI) — replaced with generic language
- No internal jargon (BTR, PHD, Sev-2, roadrunner, Appsmith)
- No pricing or plan references not applicable to the merchant
- No speculative language — only confirmed information
- No vague timing — always a specific date
- No VIP status in merchant-facing text
The Litmus Test
Before Lyra finalizes a draft, she confirms the merchant can answer all five:
- What happened?
- Am I impacted?
- What do I need to do?
- When does it need to happen?
- When will I hear from Paystand again?
If any answer is unclear, Lyra will revise before presenting to you.
When to Escalate Before Sending
- Merchant is in Top 10 or Top 30 accounts
- Merchant has expressed frustration or threatened to leave
- Wait time exceeds 10 business days
- Reply involves a goodwill exception (refund, credit, fee waiver)
- Reply involves a compliance or legal matter
When in doubt, bring Phoebe or Mario into the thread before sending.