Planning Your UC Voice AI Assistant

• Main business answering point
• Support queue
• Sales department
• Billing department
• Any other specialized group

Writing clear, thoughtful instructions for your UC AI Voice Assist agent is the single most important factor in how well it performs on your calls. Think of it like onboarding a new receptionist; the more context and guidance you provide upfront, the more confidently and accurately your agent will handle every interaction.

Give Your Agent a Clear Identity and Purpose

Start with the basics: who you are, what you do, your hours, and the types of calls your agent should expect. A well-grounded agent handles unexpected questions far more gracefully than one working with vague instructions.

Instead of: "Answer calls for my office."

Try something like: "You are the front desk receptionist for Harborview Medical Clinic, a family practice open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Most callers will be existing patients booking or rescheduling appointments, or asking about referrals and test results."

The same approach works for any business type. A law firm might write: "You are the intake coordinator for Caldwell & Associates, a personal injury law firm. Most callers are individuals seeking a free initial consultation following an accident or injury." A hotel might write: "You are the reservations agent for The Elmwood Inn, a boutique property in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Most callers are inquiring about room availability, packages, or event bookings."

Always Ask Callers to Spell Out Email Addresses

Speech-to-text technology is reliable for everyday conversation, but it frequently stumbles on email addresses. Unusual word combinations, numbers, and symbols make them easy to mishear and difficult to confirm.

Always instruct your agent to ask callers to spell out their email address letter by letter, and to repeat it back for confirmation before moving on.

Add a line like this to your agent instructions:

When collecting an email address, always ask the caller to spell it out letter by letter. Once they have spelled it, repeat the full address back to the caller and ask them to confirm it is correct before continuing.

This simple step prevents frustrating follow-up calls and ensures your team has accurate contact information.

Define What Your Agent Should NOT Do

It is just as important to set boundaries as it is to define responsibilities. Be specific about topics your agent should avoid, commitments it should never make, and situations where it should hand the call off to a real person instead of attempting to resolve it independently.

Healthcare example: "Do not provide medical advice or interpret test results. Do not confirm or deny diagnoses. If a caller describes a potential emergency, direct them to call 911 immediately."

Legal example: "Do not provide legal advice or opinions on the strength of a caller's case. Do not quote fees or retainer amounts. If a caller becomes upset or explicitly requests to speak with a lawyer, transfer the call immediately."

Hospitality example: "Do not guarantee specific room types or views unless confirmed in a booking. Do not approve special rate requests — take a message and advise that the reservations manager will follow up."

Set Up Call Transfers with Clear, Consistent Rules

When your agent needs to route a call, it should never have to guess. Use a straightforward format that maps what the caller wants to exactly where they should go.

If the caller is a new patient booking an appointment, transfer to ext. 101. If the caller has a billing question, transfer to ext. 104. If the caller is requesting a prescription refill, transfer to ext. 106. If you are unsure where to send the call, take a detailed message instead.

This works equally well for a law firm (intake vs. existing clients vs. accounts) or a hotel (reservations vs. concierge vs. events). Clear routing rules mean fewer misdirected calls and a better experience for everyone.

Write Instructions the Way You Would Talk to a New Employee

Your UC AI Voice Assist agent processes instructions using a language model — not a set of programmed rules. That means natural, conversational language works far better than technical formatting, numbered logic trees, or computer-style syntax.

Imagine you are briefing a new receptionist on their first day. Explain things clearly, give them context, and use plain language. That is exactly the tone that produces the best results.

Always Include a Fallback Plan

Not every call will fit neatly into your expected scenarios. A caller might ask something your agent was not prepared for, or have a need that falls outside its scope. A good fallback keeps the experience professional and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

A simple fallback instruction might look like this:

If you do not know the answer to a question, say: "That is a great question. Let me have someone from our team reach out to you with the details." Then collect the caller's name, phone number, and a brief description of their question before ending the call.

For a medical clinic, this could also include: "If the question relates to a patient's personal health information, do not attempt to answer. Take a message and let them know a staff member will call back within one business day."

Keep Your Greeting Short and Genuine

Long, formal greetings feel robotic and slow down the call. Your agent should identify themselves and your business, then get straight to helping the caller.

Good: "Thanks for calling The Elmwood Inn. This is Claire. How can I help you today?"

Avoid: "Thank you for contacting The Elmwood Inn, an award-winning boutique hotel and spa destination. My name is Claire, and I am a virtual assistant here to assist you with reservations, event inquiries, gift packages, and more."

The second example might feel thorough on paper, but to a caller, it sounds like a hold message. Keep it warm, brief, and human.

Use Phonetic Spelling for Names and Tricky Words

Your agent pronounces words based on how they are written. Business names, physician names, street names, and specialized terms can easily be mispronounced if you do not provide a guide.

Add a pronunciation section to your instructions wherever it is needed:

The clinic name is Beauséjour (pronounced "BOH-say-zhoor") Medical Centre. Dr. Thi Nguyen's name is pronounced "Tee Win." Our address is on Dalhousie Street — pronounced "dal-HOO-zee."

Or include the phonetic spelling inline:

You are the receptionist for Giesbrecht (GEESE-brecht) Law, located at 1140 Portage (POR-tij) Avenue.

After making any changes to pronunciation, use the Test Agent feature to confirm the agent is saying things the way you expect. Different voice models may interpret phonetic hints slightly differently.

Add an FAQ Section for Information Not on Your Website

Your agent can reference your website via the Knowledgebase Links field, but many of the questions callers actually ask aren't answered there. Things like parking, cancellation policies, insurance acceptance, check-in procedures, and internal processes are all fair game for a well-built FAQ section inside your agent instructions.

Here is an example for a medical clinic:

Q: Where do I park? A: We have a free patient parking lot directly behind the building, accessible from Oak Street. Accessible parking stalls are available near the main entrance.

Q: Do you accept walk-ins? A: We accept walk-in appointments on Tuesday and Thursday mornings on a first-come, first-served basis. All other times are by appointment only.

Q: What is your cancellation policy? A: We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations or no-shows may be subject to a $40 administrative fee.

Q: Do you accept my insurance plan? A: We accept most major extended health benefit plans. For provincial health coverage, we are fully enrolled in the provincial health plan. For specific plan questions, please have your insurance information ready and a staff member can verify your coverage.

For a hotel, similar FAQ items might cover check-in and check-out times, pet policies, parking fees, and included amenities. For a law firm, common topics might include what to bring to an initial consultation, how to securely send documents, and typical response times.

Review your call transcripts regularly and add new questions to your FAQ as patterns emerge. This is one of the most effective ways to continuously improve your agent.

Test Your Agent with Real-World Scenarios

Once your agent is set up, use the Test Agent feature to walk through common call situations before going live. Test the edge cases too — callers who are not sure what they need, callers who ramble, or callers who ask something unexpected.

Once your agent is live, review call transcripts regularly. Small adjustments to your wording can make a meaningful difference in how your agent handles real conversations. The most effective agents are built through continuous refinement, not a one-time setup.

Have questions about setting up UC AI Voice Assist? Contact your partner or reach out to our support team for assistance.