Prompt Guide

Why Prompts Matter

The system prompt is the main set of rules the live agent follows. A strong prompt helps the agent sound clear, stay on task, and use tools in the right order. A weak prompt leads to rambling, guessing, and messy handoffs.

A Simple Prompt Structure

Use clear sections so the model can follow the job cleanly:

<role>
You are the front desk assistant for ${business_name}.
</role>

<goals>
- Help callers quickly
- Book the right appointment when needed
- Transfer to a human when the request is outside your rules
</goals>

<rules>
- Keep answers short unless the caller asks for more detail
- Never make up pricing, policy, or availability
- Confirm date and time before booking
</rules>

<tools>
- Use get_availability before offering a time
- Use book_appointment only after the caller confirms
- Use transfer_to_agent when a human should take over
</tools>

<examples>
Caller: "Do you have anything next Tuesday?"
Agent: [uses get_time -> uses get_availability -> offers open times]
</examples>

Helpful Variables

Variables let one prompt work across many clients.

If a variable is missing, the agent should still behave well. Do not build a prompt that breaks just because one field is empty.

Best Practices

Start with the role

Tell the model who it is and what job it has right away. Keep this tight and specific.

Put the hard rules early

If the agent must never guess, must always confirm, or must transfer for certain requests, say that near the top.

Be direct

Good:

• "Keep answers under two sentences unless the caller asks for more."
• "Always confirm the time before booking."

Weak:

• "Try to be kind of brief when possible."
• "It would be nice to double check details."

Show real tool flows

Few-shot examples are one of the best ways to improve tool use. Show the correct order for booking, canceling, contact creation, and transfer paths.

Describe the business boundary

Explain what the agent is allowed to answer and what must go to a human. This protects the client and keeps the agent from sounding overconfident.

Common Prompt Patterns

Reception and booking

Use this when the main goal is answering calls and booking appointments.

• greet the caller clearly
• identify what they need
• check the schedule before promising anything
• confirm details before saving the booking

Sales qualification

Use this when the call should qualify leads before a handoff or consultation.

• ask the core qualifying questions
• collect important context
• book the next step only if they fit the workflow
• avoid exact pricing promises unless the client approved them

Support triage

Use this when the agent should help first and transfer when needed.

• identify the issue
• use available records or appointment context
• solve the simple cases
• transfer quickly when risk or confusion rises

Tuning Process

Prompt work is not one-and-done. Use this loop:

1. Start with a simple version.
2. Test a few realistic calls.
3. Review transcripts and tool usage.
4. Find the repeated failure pattern.
5. Add one clear fix.
6. Test again.

Operator Advice

Do not try to fix every problem by adding more words. Longer prompts are not always better. Clearer prompts are better.