Model Routing For Support Bots Cheap First Faq Handling

A support bot needs an explicit quality check before deciding that a cheap model's answer should reach a customer. OpenRouter's support-routing tutorial separates this decision from error recovery: a request can succeed technically while returning an incorrect policy answer. The application must check that answer and, when justified, request a stronger model. The comparison must count both attempts, including the discarded draft, and the extra delay. Escalation earns its cost when it repairs answers that would otherwise fail the support requirements.