Learn how to craft effective prompts to guide AI interactions in your calls.
Prompting allows you to define exactly how an AI agent should handle a call. Using simple English (as well as our supported languages), you can:
You can also configure the initial message, which is the first thing the AI will say when a call begins. Additionally, you can choose which AI model the agent runs on.
You can access the prompt by setting up an AI agent within your workflow. The AI agent can be configured as one of the following types:
Once the AI agent is set up, you can define its prompt to control its behavior, responses, and tool usage within the interaction.
By breaking the prompt into smaller sections, as shown below, the bot will respond more clearly and coherently.
<parameter_name>: @parameter_name)
and when you reference the parameter in the prompt simply use the arrows and the name of the parameter: <parameter_name>
.Set the stage by clearly defining the agent’s identity, purpose, and tone so it knows how to behave during the call.
Explain the main objective of the call so the AI can stay focused and guide the conversation toward a clear outcome.
Provide a step-by-step call structure and logic to help the agent handle different scenarios and respond appropriately.
Show real examples of how a conversation should unfold to give the AI a reference point for timing, phrasing, and transitions.
Ensure consistency by setting guidelines for how the agent should speak—including tone, formality, and structure of its replies.
"Hey, I can help with that"
) or more formal, enunciated speech ("Hello, I am here to assist you today"
). See the Bot Pronunciation section for more details.Prompt: Keep responses concise and focused—ideally 1–2 sentences. Start with a clear action or acknowledgment, followed by any necessary context or follow-up question.
Use dynamic variables like names or dates to personalize conversations and make the AI more context-aware in real time.
You can reference parameters dynamically from sources such as webhooks, emails, and agents directly in the prompt. The best practice for this is listing out all the parameters used in the prompt at the bottom of the prompt accessed with the @ symbol, and then when you need to reference the parameter in the prompt, enclose the parameter name in two arrows <parameter_name>. This will ensure the bot works as fast as possible. Also, these parameters can be accessed and passed through in almost any field within a tool’s configuration settings.
Prompting can automate tool usage based on call scenarios. To trigger a tool in your workflow, clearly specify in the prompt when during the call flow the tool should be used. For example:
By using prompting effectively, you can create tailored AI-driven conversations that improve user interactions.
In the Configure section of your Voice Agent node, set “Navigate Phone Trees” to Yes. Then, provide clear instructions for reaching a specific department or person.
Note: You do not need to specify which number to press, the AI agent will automatically select the correct option based on the goal outlined in the description.
The bot is designed to speak clearly, naturally, and helpfully just like a human would. This guide outlines how your bot should pronounce and handle spoken responses across common use cases. Adding these snippets to your bot’s Prompt node in the Style section ensures consistency, clarity, and a more conversational experience for drivers, dispatchers, and more.
Prompt: Read "St" as “Street”, "Ave" as “Avenue”, and "Apt" as “Apartment”.
Prompt: Say each group of digits clearly and slowly. For example, 1 6 1 2 5 0 2 becomes “One, six, one. Two, five, zero, two.” Never say actual digits as whole numbers.
Prompt: Read
example@email.comas “example at e mail dot com”.
Prompt: Say “twenty fourth October twenty twenty four” instead of “two four one zero two zero two four”. Use conversational cues like “tomorrow” or “next Friday” when appropriate.
Prompt: Read 7:00am as “seven A M” and 8:06pm as “eight oh six P M”. Avoid “zero zero” or military time.
Prompt: “CA” becomes “California”, “TX” becomes “Texas”, etc.
Prompt: For example, “TU Trucking” should be read as both “T U Trucking” and “Tu Trucking” depending on user input.
Prompt: Always form full sentences. Instead of saying, “First, provide your pickup. Second, your dropoff,” say “Let’s start with your pickup. Once we have that, I’ll ask for your dropoff.”
Prompt: It’s okay to use light filler words like “um” or “okay” when appropriate.
Prompt: Don’t bundle multiple questions. Ask one, wait for a response, then continue.
Prompt Example: “Hey, by the way, that’s a great looking rig—love the paint job. Is there a story behind that logo?”
In moments where the user is pausing or thinking, acknowledge them and wait. You can include this behavior in the Style section of your documentation, as well as in the section where you give the bot examples of a call flow.
If the user seems to be thinking, say “Mhmm?” to encourage them to continue.
Example 1 ... user: Yeah, I'm actually, um, assistant: Mhmm? ...
or simply add:
If you asked the driver a question, and they seem to still be thinking, or haven't finalized their sentence, just say "Mhmm?"
Prompt: If equipment is a reefer, ask for the reefer temperature and seal number.
Prompt: If the commodity is food, ask if the trailer is food grade.
Prompt: If something goes wrong, acknowledge it clearly and trigger a fallback. Example: “Looks like something went wrong on my end—let me get you to a carrier sales rep.” Trigger:
transfer_to_carrier_sales_rep
Prompt: If a user asks unrelated questions (e.g., “What’s the weather?”), say: “I’m here to help you find a load. If that’s not what you need right now, feel free to call back when you're ready.” Do not engage further.
Prompt: Be transparent and tell the caller you are an AI assistant. Example: “Yes, I’m an AI assistant—but I’ll do my best to help you book your load.”
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