Crafting Perfect Instructions
Learn how to write effective instructions that transform your AI agent into a professional assistant. Master both general and special instructions for any business scenario.
The Power of Well-Crafted Instructions
While the instructions section might look like a simple document editor, it's incredibly powerful. Your instructions are the foundation of your AI agent's behavior, determining how it interacts with customers, handles requests, and represents your business across all channels.
This guide will teach you how to craft instructions that create natural, effective conversations while maintaining your brand voice and meeting your specific business needs.
Instruction Editor Interface
A powerful yet simple interface for crafting your AI agent's behavior
Agent Instructions
Define how your AI agent behaves and responds
Core Principles for Effective Instructions
Write Like You're Training a Human
Your AI agent has reasoning capabilities. Write instructions as if you're training a skilled assistant, not programming a robot.
"When someone asks about pricing, explain our packages clearly and mention any current promotions."
Keep Instructions Focused
Include only essential behavioral guidelines. Move detailed product info, FAQs, and reference materials to the knowledge base.
"Handle scheduling, basic inquiries, and route technical issues to the appropriate team."
Set Clear Boundaries
Define what your agent should handle directly, when to escalate, and what topics to avoid. This ensures consistent service quality.
"For legal or medical advice, politely explain you cannot provide this and offer to connect them with a specialist."
Enable Smart Actions
Use special instructions to trigger automated workflows, integrations, and follow-up actions based on conversation context.
"After scheduling appointments, send confirmation emails and update the CRM automatically."
Iterate Based on Data
Review conversation logs regularly and refine instructions based on real interactions and customer feedback.
"Monitor common questions and update instructions to handle them more effectively."
Maintain Brand Voice
Ensure your AI agent reflects your company's personality and values in every interaction across all channels.
"Use a friendly, professional tone that matches our brand guidelines. Be helpful but not overly casual."
Instructions vs. Knowledge Base
Remember that instructions always take precedence over information in the knowledge base. Use this hierarchy strategically:
✅ Put in Instructions:
- • Core behavior and personality
- • Service boundaries and escalation rules
- • Workflow triggers and automation
- • Critical business policies
- • Response style and tone
📚 Put in Knowledge Base:
- • Product specifications and details
- • Frequently asked questions
- • Company history and background
- • Detailed procedures and guides
- • Reference information and data
Advanced Features & Automation
Post-Interaction Automation
Automate follow-up actions after interactions end to maintain excellent service and keep your team informed.
Email Notifications
"After each interaction, send a summary to the relevant team or department email"
Configure email tool →CRM Integration
"Log all customer interactions, requests, and outcomes in the CRM system"
Learn about CRM features →Automated Follow-ups
"Send confirmation messages, appointment reminders, or satisfaction surveys"
Set up SMS notifications →Real-time Data Integration
Personalize interactions by fetching customer information in real-time. Create context-aware conversations that feel natural and informed.
Example Implementations:
"Before responding, check our database for the customer's history. If they're an existing customer, acknowledge their status and reference relevant account information."
• Pull order history for support inquiries
• Check appointment availability in real-time
• Verify account status for personalized service
• Access inventory levels for product questions
Legacy: Key Press Actions (Voice Only)
While you can configure specific key press actions for voice calls, we recommend using natural language instructions instead. Key presses are mainly useful as a fallback for compatibility with older systems.
💡 Tip: Instead of "Press 0 for operator", simply instruct: "When someone asks for an operator or human support, transfer them immediately."
Test Your Agent
Testing is crucial for ensuring your agent performs exactly as intended. Use our built-in testing tools to validate instructions before going live.
Test Your Agent
Try out your instructions in real-time
AI Agent:
Hello! I'm your AI assistant. How can I help you today?
💡 Testing Best Practices:
- • Test common customer scenarios first
- • Try edge cases and unexpected questions
- • Verify tool usage works as expected
- • Check response tone matches your brand
Chat Testing
Test text-based interactions instantly to see how your agent responds
Voice Testing
Make test calls to experience your agent's voice interactions firsthand
Testing Checklist
Essential Tests:
- ✓ Basic greeting and introduction
- ✓ Common customer questions
- ✓ Tool usage (email, SMS, appointments)
- ✓ Escalation scenarios
- ✓ Error handling
Advanced Tests:
- ✓ Multi-step workflows
- ✓ Language switching
- ✓ Edge cases and unusual requests
- ✓ Integration with external systems
- ✓ Performance under various conditions
Quick Reference: Instruction Best Practices
Do's ✅
- • Write conversationally, as if training a human
- • Keep instructions concise and action-oriented
- • Test with real-world scenarios
- • Use the knowledge base for detailed information
- • Set clear service boundaries
- • Enable automation for efficiency
Don'ts ❌
- • Don't overload with unnecessary details
- • Don't use technical jargon or complex language
- • Don't forget to define escalation paths
- • Don't neglect brand voice consistency
- • Don't skip testing edge cases
- • Don't ignore customer feedback
Ready to Create Amazing Instructions?
Your AI agent has advanced reasoning and logic capabilities. With well-crafted instructions, it can handle complex scenarios while maintaining your brand voice across all customer touchpoints.