# Epic: Email & Operations

## DESCRIPTION
Email infrastructure (Zoho Mail Free) and operational tooling: founder email, customer support with AI auto-reply, transactional email, escalation to admin dashboard.

**POST-PIVOT (2026-02-14)**: Minor changes. Zoho Mail Free confirmed as provider (not Google Workspace). Transactional email moved to Phase 2 (Phase 1 has no accounts).

## RELATED DOCS
- docs/knowledge-base/email-operations.md
- docs/knowledge-base/zoho-mail-free-guide.md

## BACKLOG ITEMS

### EM-001: Zoho Mail Free Setup
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 2
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Set up Zoho Mail Free for LLMHosts.com domain. Create brendon@, support@, no-reply@ accounts (up to 5 users, 5GB each on free plan).
- **Acceptance**: All 3 email accounts functional, send/receive working, accessible via any mail client.
- **Dependencies**: Founder: GoDaddy DNS access
- **Action Required**: Founder DNS configuration per docs/guides/email-setup-steps.md

### EM-002: DNS Configuration (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 2
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Configure DNS records in GoDaddy for email authentication: MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC.
- **Acceptance**: Email passes SPF/DKIM/DMARC checks. Deliverability score >8/10.
- **Dependencies**: EM-001

### EM-003: Transactional Email Service
- **Priority**: P0
- **Phase**: 2
- **Status**: DONE (production key pending)
- **Description**: Resend integrated for system emails: signup verification, password reset, contact form. Sent from no-reply@llmhosts.com. See `frontend/src/lib/email/send.ts`.
- **Acceptance**: Signup triggers verification email when `RESEND_API_KEY` is set. Emails pass spam checks when domain verified in Resend.
- **Blocker**: Set `RESEND_API_KEY` in production env and verify domain (issue #187; steps in `docs/launch/NEED-FROM-YOU.md`).

### EM-004: AI Auto-Reply System (support@)
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 3
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Incoming support emails classified by AI. Auto-respond to FAQs and simple issues. Escalate unresolvable to admin dashboard.
- **Acceptance**: AI responds within 5 min for known issues. Unknown issues create ticket in admin panel.
- **Dependencies**: EM-001, FE-017 (admin panel)

### EM-005: Support Ticket Queue
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 3
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Admin dashboard view showing all support tickets: AI-handled, escalated, resolved.
- **Acceptance**: Admin sees ticket queue. Can respond from dashboard. Response sent via support@.
- **Dependencies**: EM-004, FE-017

### EM-006: Human-in-the-Loop Process Framework
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 3
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Framework for all processes requiring admin approval: support escalation, billing disputes, model recommendations.
- **Acceptance**: Unified approval queue in admin dashboard. AI recommendation + approve/reject/defer actions.
- **Dependencies**: FE-017

### EM-007: Email Templates
- **Priority**: P1
- **Phase**: 2
- **Status**: BACKLOG
- **Description**: Branded email templates: welcome, verification, password reset, billing receipt, weekly savings summary.
- **Acceptance**: Templates render correctly in Gmail/Outlook/Apple Mail. Mobile-responsive. Brand consistent.
- **Dependencies**: EM-003
