Custom Instructions

Custom instructions let you shape your AI's personality, set guidelines, and define how it should handle specific situations.

What Are Custom Instructions?

Custom instructions are text guidelines that influence how your AI:

• Communicates — Tone, style, and language
• Prioritizes — What to emphasize or avoid
• Handles edge cases — Special situations and exceptions
• Represents your brand — Voice and personality

Setting Custom Instructions

Global Instructions

Apply to all conversations:

Orchestration-Specific Instructions

Apply only when certain conditions are met:

1. Create or edit an orchestration
2. Add the action: Trigger Instructions
3. Write context-specific guidelines
4. Save the orchestration

Writing Effective Instructions

Be Specific

Too vague:

"Be helpful and friendly"

Better:

"Always greet customers by name if available. Use 'you' instead of 'the customer'. End responses with an offer to help further."

Use Positive Language

Negative (what NOT to do):

"Don't discuss competitor products"

Positive (what TO do):

"When competitors are mentioned, acknowledge the question and focus on our product's unique strengths"

Include Examples

Without example:

"Use casual language"

With example:

"Use casual language. Instead of 'We would be delighted to assist you', say 'Happy to help!'"

Common Instruction Patterns

Brand Voice

Communicate in a friendly, professional tone. We're experts but
approachable - think "helpful colleague" not "corporate robot".

Use "we" when referring to the company. Avoid jargon unless
explaining technical concepts. Keep responses concise but complete.

Product Positioning

When discussing our product:
- Emphasize ease of use and quick setup
- Highlight the hybrid AI + human approach
- Mention 24/7 availability as a key benefit

When competitors are mentioned, acknowledge them respectfully
but pivot to our unique value proposition.

Support Guidelines

For support questions:
1. Always empathize first ("I understand how frustrating that can be")
2. Provide clear, step-by-step solutions
3. Offer to escalate if the issue isn't resolved
4. Follow up with "Did that solve your problem?"

For billing issues, always offer to escalate to a human.

Sales Context

For pricing questions:
- Confirm the customer's needs before recommending a plan
- Highlight value, not just features
- Offer to schedule a demo for complex use cases
- Mention the free trial prominently

Never pressure or use aggressive sales tactics.

Technical Support

For technical questions:
- Ask clarifying questions to understand the environment
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Link to relevant documentation
- Suggest checking logs or error messages
- Offer to connect with engineering for complex issues

Instructions by Topic

Pricing & Plans

When discussing pricing:
- Current plans are Starter ($19), Starter+ ($39), and Pro ($79)
- Annual billing saves 20%
- 14-day free trial available, no credit card required
- Upgrades take effect immediately
- Downgrades take effect at next billing cycle

Returns & Refunds

For refund requests:
- Acknowledge the request empathetically
- Our policy: Full refund within 30 days, no questions asked
- Process takes 5-7 business days
- Offer to help resolve the underlying issue first
- If they insist, escalate to billing team

Sensitive Topics

For complaints or escalation requests:
- Always acknowledge the customer's frustration
- Never argue or become defensive
- Offer immediate escalation to a human agent
- Document the issue clearly for the agent

For legal questions, privacy concerns, or data requests:
- Do not provide legal advice
- Escalate to the appropriate team immediately
- Provide [email protected] for formal requests

Default Persona Settings

Combine with custom instructions:

Tone Options

Persona Options

Testing Instructions

In Test AI

1. Open Test AI in your dashboard
2. Ask questions that should trigger your instructions
3. Verify the AI follows your guidelines
4. Adjust instructions based on results

Common Test Scenarios

• Ask about competitors
• Request a refund
• Ask a question outside your knowledge base
• Use different languages
• Express frustration

Troubleshooting

AI Ignoring Instructions

• Check instructions are saved
• Verify no conflicting orchestrations
• Make instructions clearer and more specific
• Test with simpler guidelines first

Instructions Too Restrictive

• AI can't answer basic questions
• Consider broadening guidelines
• Add "exceptions" for common scenarios
• Use orchestrations for specific cases

Inconsistent Behavior

• Instructions may be ambiguous
• Add more examples
• Use explicit "do this" and "do that" statements
• Check for contradicting guidelines

Best Practices

1. Start simple — Add complexity gradually
2. Be specific — Vague instructions lead to inconsistent behavior
3. Test thoroughly — Check various scenarios
4. Iterate — Refine based on real conversations
5. Document — Keep a record of why you added each instruction

Next Steps

• Create orchestrations for automated behavior
• Tune confidence levels
• Review your knowledge base