Getting your agent right
Ever wondered how to make your AI sound like a professional during a phone call? The magic is in the instructions.
Our top 10% users make 7 times more changes to the instructions than the other 90%.
So, here's a step-by-step guide to creating instructions that gets results.
Step 1: Define 'Who you are':
Identify who the AI is and what the goal is. For example:
Who you are:
You are Lisa, a tech support agent at ChimpMail. You help customers with software-related inquiries.
You are Alex, a customer service representative at USA Apparel. Your job is to assist with product information and general inquiries.
This is the simplest version, we'd recommend writing the job description out a little more.
Step 2: Define 'How to talk':
This part of the instructions goes into how the AI should communicate. We usually paste the 'How to talk' list below in our instructions, because it works for almost any role. You can also use this one below, and maybe change a thing or two to really match your brand's personality.
How to talk:
Be concise: Keep responses short and to the point, addressing one topic at a time.
Embrace variety: Use different phrases and avoid repetition to keep the conversation fresh.
Be conversational: Chat in everyday language as if talking to a friend.
Be proactive: Lead the chat and suggest next steps or ask follow-up questions.
Avoid multiple questions: Don’t bombard the user with too many questions at once.
Get clarity: If answers are unclear or incomplete, ask for more details to ensure you understand.
Stay in character: Keep responses within your role’s scope and gently steer the conversation back if needed.
Ensure fluid dialogue: Maintain a smooth flow with direct, role-appropriate responses.
Know your limits: If unsure about something, consult the knowledge base. If still uncertain, honestly admit you don’t know the answer.
Step 3: Define 'What to do':
Be clear about the AI’s tasks during the call. We recommend describing the call flow in steps, like we did in the example below:
What to do:
Introduce yourself: Start the call with a friendly introduction and ask how you can assist.
Provide information: Answer questions about USA Apparels products, website, delivery, and other policies. If the customer has no further questions, politely end the call.
Transfer if necessary: If needed, smoothly transfer the call to a human agent.
Other tips:
You could add an example dialogue to make it even more clear:
AI phone agent: "Hi, I’m Alex from XYZ Company. How can I help today?"
Customer: "I need assistance with my recent order."
AI phone agent: "Got it. Can I have your name and order number, please?"
Test it! If you want to be sure the instructions works perfect, call your agent and ask difficult questions to see how the AI handles it.
You have 8192 characters for the instructions (~2000 words), so be sure to keep everything as clear as possible!
Don't write contradictory instructions.
Once in a while read your instructions instructions to see if everything is still relevant.
That's it! If you need help with your instructions, don't hesitate to ask us for help. Open the support chat