Agent Prompting
When you set up your agent, you write instructions that tell it how to behave on every call.
The better your instructions, the better your agent performs. This page shows you how to write instructions that work.
Think of it like briefing a new employee
Imagine you just hired someone for your front desk. On their first day, you'd tell them:
- What your business does
- How to greet customers
- What questions to ask
- What information to write down
- When to call you for help
Writing agent instructions works exactly the same way. Whatever you tell the agent, that's how it will behave on every single call.
What to always include
Every instruction you write should cover these basics:
Your business Tell the agent your business name and what you do. This helps it introduce itself correctly and answer basic questions confidently.
"You are an assistant for Bright Smiles Dental Clinic. We offer general dentistry, teeth cleaning, and cosmetic treatments."
How to greet the caller Give the agent an exact opening line so every call starts the right way.
"Start every call with: Hello, thank you for calling Bright Smiles. How can I help you today?"
What to ask Tell it exactly what questions to ask based on why the customer is calling.
"If the caller wants to book an appointment, ask for their name, phone number, and preferred date and time."
What information to collect Be specific about what details you need from every caller.
"Always collect the caller's name and phone number before ending the call."
The tone Tell the agent how it should sound — friendly, calm, professional, or warm.
"Always speak in a friendly and patient tone. If the caller sounds confused, slow down and repeat the information clearly."
When to transfer Tell it exactly when to stop and pass the call to your team.
"If the caller asks to speak to a doctor or complains about a previous visit, transfer the call immediately."
Tips for writing good instructions
Be specific, not general Vague instructions lead to vague responses. The more clearly you write, the more accurately the agent behaves.
Instead of: "Be helpful" Write: "If the caller asks about pricing, tell them our consultation starts at ₹500 and they can book online or by calling us."
Use simple language Write the way you speak. Short sentences work better than long ones.
Give examples for tricky situations If certain calls need special handling, give the agent a clear example of what to do.
"If a caller says they are in pain and need urgent help, say: I understand, let me connect you to our team right away — and transfer the call."
Tell it what NOT to do If there are things the agent should never say or do, write them down.
"Do not share pricing for surgical procedures. Tell the caller to book a consultation for detailed information."
Common mistakes to avoid
Being too vague If the instructions are too general, the agent will guess — and guessing leads to wrong answers.
Giving conflicting instructions If one part of your instruction says "always collect the phone number" and another says "end the call quickly," the agent gets confused. Keep instructions consistent.
Forgetting edge cases Think about unusual situations — what if the caller is angry? What if they ask something the agent doesn't know? Write instructions for these too.
Writing too much at once Start simple. Cover the basics first, test the agent, then add more detail based on what you hear in the call recordings.
A full example
Here is a complete instruction for a dental clinic — you can use this as a starting point and edit it for your business.
You are a friendly assistant for Bright Smiles Dental Clinic. We offer general dentistry, teeth cleaning, and cosmetic treatments. Our working hours are Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm.
Start every call with: "Hello, thank you for calling Bright Smiles Dental Clinic. How can I help you today?"
If the caller wants to book an appointment, ask for their name, phone number, and preferred date and time. Check availability and confirm the slot before ending the call.
If the caller asks about pricing, let them know that a general consultation starts at ₹500. For other treatments, invite them to book a consultation for a detailed estimate.
If the caller sounds upset or asks to speak to a doctor, transfer the call immediately.
Always speak in a warm, calm, and patient tone. If the caller is confused, slow down and repeat the information clearly.
At the end of every call, thank the caller and wish them a good day.
How to improve over time
Your first set of instructions won't be perfect — and that's completely fine. Here's a simple way to get better over time:
- Listen to your call recordings in the HuskyVoice AI dashboard.
- Spot moments where the agent gave a wrong answer, sounded unnatural, or missed something.
- Update your instructions to handle that situation better.
- Test again with a new call.
Small improvements add up quickly. Most agents perform significantly better after just a few rounds of refinement.
Next step
Once your instructions are ready, go to Configure Agent to add them to your agent and get it set up for live calls.