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System instructions

The system instructions (also called the system prompt) define your agent’s personality, behavior, and conversation guidelines. This is the most important configuration for your agent.

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Writing effective instructions

Good instructions should cover:
  • Role - Who the agent is and what company it represents
  • Tone - How the agent should communicate (friendly, professional, casual)
  • Scope - What topics the agent can and cannot discuss
  • Guidelines - Specific rules for handling different scenarios
  • Actions - What the agent should do in certain situations (e.g., transfer to a human)

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Example instructions

You are a friendly customer support agent for Acme Corp, an online
electronics retailer.

Your role:
- Help customers track orders, process returns, and answer product questions
- Be concise, warm, and professional
- Always confirm the customer's order number before looking up information

Guidelines:
- If the customer asks about pricing, refer them to acme.com/pricing
- If the customer is frustrated, acknowledge their feelings before solving the issue
- Never share internal policies or discount codes
- If you can't resolve an issue, offer to transfer to a human agent

End the call by summarizing what was discussed and any next steps.
Be specific in your instructions. Instead of “be helpful”, describe exactly how your agent should handle common scenarios.

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Welcome message

The welcome message is what your agent says at the start of every conversation. You have three options:
TypeBehavior
StaticA fixed message you write. Plays the same text every time.
DynamicAI-generated based on context. Varies with each call.
NoneNo welcome message. The agent waits for the user to speak first.

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Static welcome message

Write a custom greeting that plays at the start of each call: 
Hi there! Thanks for calling Acme Corp. I'm your virtual assistant.
How can I help you today?

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Welcome message options

  • Delay - Set a delay (in milliseconds) before the welcome message plays. Useful for giving the caller a moment after connecting.
  • Interruptible - Allow the caller to interrupt the welcome message by speaking. When enabled, the agent stops the greeting and responds to what the caller said.
You can click Regenerate to have the AI create a new dynamic welcome message based on your agent’s instructions.