Best Practices
Tips for Building Affective, Reliable AI Agents.
1. Clarify Your Agent’s Purpose
Identify the main tasks or questions your agent will handle (e.g., answering FAQs, guiding users through a process).
Keep the scope focused to ensure quick, accurate responses.
2. Prepare Your Content
Gather all relevant resources (website pages, PDF manuals, FAQ lists) into one place.
Organize content by category or topic so your agent can find answers more easily.
3. Write Clear Prompts
Give your agent a concise, friendly introduction
e.g., “You are a helpful and friendly support agent for a fitness company. You help users understand our services, guide them through the platform, and answer questions politely and clearly.”
Use simple, direct language to set expectations
e.g., “I’m sorry, I don’t have that information right now. Check our help center at help.example.com or email support@example.com.”
4. Keep Knowledge Up-to-Date
Regularly review and update your source documents, especially FAQs or policy pages.
Schedule periodic checks (monthly or quarterly) to add new content or remove outdated information.
5. Provide Fallback Guidance
Decide what your agent should say when it cannot find an answer
e.g., “I’m not sure, please contact support at support@example.com.”
Include links to helpful pages or contact channels.
6. Test with Real Users
Share a draft version with a small group of customers or team members.
Collect feedback on answer accuracy, tone, and clarity.
Use this feedback to refine prompts and update content.
7. Monitor Performance Metrics
Track simple metrics like number of answered questions, common unanswered topics, and user ratings.
Use ‘conversations history’ in dashboard to spot trends and improve your agent over time.
8. Keep It User-Friendly
Maintain a polite, helpful tone in all responses.
Avoid jargon, write in the same style you’d use in customer emails.
9. Plan for Growth
As new features or products launch, update your agent’s content and prompts accordingly.
Consider gradually adding automation (e.g., form submissions or basic transactions) once your conversational foundation is solid.
By following these steps, you’ll create a clear, reliable AI agent that helps your customers find the information they need with confidence and ease.