This guide answers common questions about the knowledge base, rules, and assistant configuration.

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Knowledge base

Full page: Knowledge Base

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How should I structure a topic?

Each topic should have:

  • A clear name: Use short, descriptive titles like “Refund policy” or “Store hours.”

  • Example queries: Add 2–3 user questions to improve retrieval accuracy.

    • Example for Refund policy:

      • “How do I get a refund?”

      • “Can I return a product for a refund?”

  • Content and actions: Separate what the assistant says (content) from what it does (actions).

    • Example for Payment issues:

      • Content: “Did you use a credit card or PayPal?”

      • Action: Trigger SMS with billing team details.

For more, see how to set up actions.

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Should I use smaller or larger topics?

  • Larger topics: Better for assistants using newer LLM models, because they can handle more context.

  • Smaller topics: Easier for reporting and analysis, or for assistants using older models.

Balance scope and specificity based on your use case.

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How can I handle clarification questions?

Add a disambiguation prompt in the content.

  • Example:
    • Topic: “Booking issues”
    • Content: “Can you confirm if the booking was made online or over the phone?”

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How do I manage out-of-scope queries?

Create an “Out-of-scope” topic or add instructions in global rules.

  • Example response: “I’m sorry, I can’t help with that. Please contact support.”

For details, visit the FAQ page.

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Rules

Full page: Rules

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What are global rules?

Global rules set consistent assistant behavior across interactions. Use them for tone, scope, and task-specific instructions.

  • Examples:

    • “Always remain professional.”

    • “Only answer questions about <service>.”

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Should I include examples in global rules?

Yes. Examples clarify how the assistant should behave.

  • Example rule: “If the user asks for repetition, respond with: ‘Let me repeat that for you.’”

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How should I plan for risky scenarios?

Identify high-risk situations (like refunds or emergencies) and add clear rules or topics.

  • Example for refunds: “Route all refund-related queries to a support specialist.”

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Actions

Full page: Actions.

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What are actions?

Actions let the assistant perform tasks like sending SMS, calling functions, or triggering handoffs. They are defined in the knowledge base, directly under the content field of a knowledge base item.

  • Example use case: A user asks about refunds, and the assistant sends an SMS with a refund link.

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Can I combine multiple actions?

Yes. You can trigger multiple actions for a single topic, like sending an SMS and initiating a handoff.

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What happens if an action fails?

Set up fallback actions, like redirecting to a global FAQ or retrying with a different template.

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Personality and role

Full page: About the assistant.

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How do I set the assistant’s personality?

Avoid generic prompts like “You are a helpful assistant.” Use global rules or KB topics to set tone and boundaries.

  • Example: “Adopt a professional tone. Answer only questions about <service>.”

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Is defining a role necessary?

It’s helpful for clarity. Add this in the “About” section or as a global rule.

  • Example: “You are a virtual assistant for [Brand], focused on customer support.”
  • Example: “You are a helpful hotel concierge, focused on resolving customer problems and managing reservations.”

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Technical considerations

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Can prompting affect the way the assistant talks, or how it understands speech?

No. Prompts do not influence automatic speech recognition (ASR) or text-to-speech (TTS). These systems are independent.

If you need more help, check out our support page or reach out to our team!

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