Guides and go-live checklist

Say it in the first breath. Tell callers they are speaking with an automated assistant and, if you record, that the call is recorded. Rules differ by country and by call type, so check yours with a qualified professional; this guide covers wording, not law.

Hi, this is the automated assistant for [business].
This call may be recorded to help improve the service.
How can I help you today?

Callers should never feel trapped. Offer a person when they ask, when the agent fails twice in a row, or when the topic is sensitive. Always plan the case where nobody is available: take a message and promise a callback window you can keep.

Of course. Let me connect you to a person.
[if no one is free]
Nobody is free right now. May I take your number and a short message?

Endpointing decides when the caller has finished. Too short and the agent cuts people off mid-number. Too long and every turn feels slow. Use a longer wait after questions that expect digits or dates. For true silence, re-ask once with a different wording, then offer help, then end.

[5 s of silence]  Are you still there?
[5 s of silence]  I can't hear you. I'll let you go. Please call back any time.

Callers talk over agents. Stop speaking quickly when you detect real speech, but ignore coughs and "mm-hm". Keep agent sentences short so there is less to cut. Test with the barge-in toggle in the Pause Player to feel how it sounds.

Agent:  Your appointment is on Thursday at ten, and you'll need to
Caller: Wait, not Thursday.
Agent:  Sorry. Which day works better?

Speech recognition mishears names, numbers and dates. Read back anything that matters, one item at a time, and accept a simple yes or no. If the answer is no, ask for only that item again.

I have Friday the 14th at 3 PM. Is that right?
[no]  Which part should I change, the day or the time?

Log enough to debug: timestamps per stage, transcripts you are allowed to keep, and the reason each call ended. Skip what you don't need, set a retention period and never ask callers to read out card numbers or passwords. Your own privacy duties depend on your location and use case.

Short sentences. One question at a time. No lists, no symbols, no long numbers in one breath. Put the key word last so it lands. Read every line aloud before it goes live, or generate a draft with the Call Script Writer and edit it.