Custom instructions let you tell your AI agent specific things it should do, say, or remember during calls — beyond what the Personality Traits and Knowledge Base already handle. It's a free-form field, so you write in plain language, and the agent will factor those instructions into every conversation.
Where to find it
Go to AI Agent → Personality → Advanced. The Custom Instructions card is below the Temperature section.
What to use it for
Think of custom instructions as a private briefing you give your agent before it takes a call. Common uses include:
- Promoting specific items or services — "Always mention our weekend brunch menu if a customer asks about available times."
- Reinforcing your brand values — "Emphasise our commitment to locally sourced ingredients when relevant."
- Guiding how the agent handles certain situations — "If a customer sounds frustrated, acknowledge their concern before moving on."
- Reminding the agent of things not in the Knowledge Base — "We don't accept walk-ins on weekends. Always let customers know."
- Setting soft rules for the agent's behaviour — "Keep responses friendly but concise. Avoid recommending specific staff members by name."
You can add as many instructions as you like. Write them as bullet points, short sentences, or a brief paragraph — whatever is clearest.
💡 Tip: Be specific. "Be friendly" is less useful than "If a caller seems unsure, gently suggest our most popular service." The more concrete the instruction, the more reliably the agent applies it.
⚠️ Important: Custom instructions do not override confirmed business information in your Knowledge Base. If there's a conflict between the two, the Knowledge Base takes precedence. Use custom instructions for behavioural guidance, not as a replacement for properly maintained knowledge entries.
What to avoid
- Contradicting your Knowledge Base — if your hours say you close at 6pm, don't write an instruction saying "Tell customers we're open until 7pm." Fix the Knowledge Base entry instead.
- Overly long or complex instructions — keep each instruction clear and purposeful. Very long briefs can dilute their effect because the agent processes them on every call.
- Technical or system-style commands — write as if you're briefing a human staff member, not configuring software. Plain, natural language works best.
Saving your changes
After updating the instructions, the Save your changes? banner will appear at the bottom of the screen. Select Save Changes to apply. All personality settings — traits, tone, response style, temperature, and custom instructions — save together in one action.