Voice Prompts
Voice prompts control how your AI assistant behaves in voice conversations. Access them from Admin > Voice Prompts in your admin panel. Available only upon request.
Overview
Voice prompts differ from text prompts in several ways:
| Aspect | Voice Prompts | Text Prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Single prompt | Multiple sections |
| Length | Concise (500-1000 words) | Can be longer |
| Style | Natural spoken language | Markdown formatting |
| Knowledge Base | Via search tool | Inline in prompt |
Configuration Components
Voice prompts include four main components:
- System Prompts - AI personality and behavior
- Tools - Actions the AI can perform
- Event Messages - Automated responses to events
- Timeouts - Conversation duration settings
System Prompts
The main prompt that defines your voice assistant's personality and behavior.
Key Sections to Include
Identity and Role:
You are [Name], a friendly voice assistant for [Company].
## Your Role
Help customers with:
- Product recommendations
- Questions about services
- Pricing and availability
Available Tools:
## Available Tools
1. **search_knowledge_base**: Search for product info and policies
2. **show_website_urls**: Display product pages to the user
3. **request_follow_up**: Request a callback for human help
Contact Information:
## Contact Information
Phone: 1-800-XXX-XXXX
Email: support@yourcompany.com
## Support Hours
AI Chat: 24/7
Phone: Mon-Fri 9 AM - 6 PM EST
Conversation Guidelines:
## Conversation Guidelines
- Be warm and enthusiastic
- Keep responses concise for voice
- Avoid long lists - summarize instead
- Ask one question at a time
Voice-Specific Tips
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Use short sentences | Write long paragraphs |
| Speak naturally | Use markdown formatting |
| Summarize lists | Read bullet points verbatim |
| Ask one question at a time | Ask multiple questions |
| Confirm understanding | Assume user heard everything |
Tools
Search Knowledge Base
Searches your knowledge base for relevant information.
When to Use:
- User asks about products, pricing, or policies
- User needs specific information
- User asks "do you have..." or "can you find..."
Show Website URLs
Displays clickable links in the chat interface while the voice conversation continues.
When to Use:
- User wants to see a product
- User asks for documentation links
- User wants to browse options
Best Practice: Limit to 3 URLs per call in voice conversations.
Request Follow-Up
Triggers a follow-up request form for the user to submit contact information.
When to Use:
- User explicitly asks to speak with someone
- User has complex needs requiring human expertise
- User wants custom solutions or enterprise pricing
- User wants to schedule a demo
Event Messages
Automated messages triggered at specific moments in the conversation.
New Chat Greeting
Triggered when a new voice conversation starts.
- Enabled - AI initiates the conversation
- Disabled - User must speak first
- Custom text - Specify exact greeting
- Auto-generate - AI creates greeting from system prompt
Resume Chat
Triggered when resuming an existing conversation after a brief disconnection.
Inactivity Timeout
Triggered after the user has been silent for a specified duration.
Example: "Are you still there? Let me know if you have any other questions."
Max Duration Timeout
Triggered when the conversation reaches the maximum duration.
Example: "We've been chatting for a while. Feel free to start a new conversation anytime!"
Timeout Settings
Inactivity Timeout
How long to wait before prompting an inactive user.
Recommended: 60-180 seconds depending on your use case.
Max Duration
Maximum conversation length before gracefully ending.
Recommended: 1800 seconds (30 minutes) for most use cases.
Editing Voice Prompts
- Go to Admin > Voice Prompts
- Edit the configuration
- Click Save
- Changes sync automatically to the voice service
Setup Wizard Integration
The Setup Wizard can generate voice prompts based on:
- Your business type
- Contact information
- AI personality settings
This provides a starting point you can customize later.
Best Practices
Keep Prompts Concise
Voice conversations need shorter, more focused prompts than text chat. Aim for 500-1000 words total.
Use Natural Language
Write prompts as you would speak:
- Avoid technical jargon
- Skip markdown formatting
- Don't use long lists
Test with Voice
Always test changes by having an actual voice conversation. What reads well may not sound natural when spoken.
Handle Interruptions
Users may interrupt mid-sentence. Write prompts that work even if the AI is cut off.
Limit URL Displays
Show 1-3 URLs at a time. More than that overwhelms users who can't easily scan while listening.
Provide Clear Handoffs
When the AI can't help, make it easy to connect with a human using the follow-up tool.
Voice vs Text Comparison
| Feature | Voice | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Response length | Short, conversational | Can be detailed |
| Lists | Summarize verbally | Bullet points OK |
| Links | Show 1-3 at a time | Can show more |
| Knowledge base | Searched via tool | Included inline |
| Formatting | Natural speech | Markdown supported |
Both configurations can coexist - text chat uses text prompts, voice chat uses voice prompts.
Related Pages
- Text Prompts - Configure text chat behavior
- App Config - Voice settings (ringtone, auto-close)
- Agent Voice - Voice persona settings