Understanding the Base Prompt
The instructions below are for desktops and laptops only.
The Base Prompt is the default set of instructions used by your AI agent when responding to customers on your behalf. The Base Prompt is the foundation for how your AI agent should behave during conversations; it guides the tone, priorities, and the type of support it offers.
By customizing the Base Prompt, you can shape your AI agent’s behavior to align with your brand voice, support workflows, and business goals.
If you have multiple AI agents, you can use different prompts to tailor their responses for each channel.
This article will guide you through understanding and using the Base Prompt effectively.
What is the Base Prompt?
The Base Prompt is a block of text that tells your AI agent how to respond to incoming chats. It acts like a script behind the scenes, helping your AI agent understand how to:
Respond in the right tone and style
Decide when to ask follow-up questions
Guide conversations in a way that supports your objectives
For example, you might tell your AI agent to focus on lead generation, maintain a friendly and professional tone, or provide quick answers with minimal small talk.
Why customize the Base Prompt?
Customizing the Base Prompt helps you get the most value from your AI agent. Every business has different goals, whether you're offering customer support, driving sales, or collecting leads.
A well-written Base Prompt ensures your AI agent supports those goals in every conversation.
You can tailor your AI agent to:
Follow your specific support workflows
Ask the right questions at the right time
Match your brand’s tone and voice
Handle different situations appropriately
What can you achieve with the Base Prompt?
Here are some examples you can use the Base Prompt to guide your AI agent’s behavior:
Define your AI agent’s personality
"You are a friendly and helpful assistant for a tech support company."
Create a lead capture script
“If a customer is interested in our products/services, ask them the following questions: What are you looking for? What’s your budget? When do you plan to get started?”
Set a greeting
“Include this in your initial greeting: ‘Hi there! Thanks for reaching out. How can I help you today?’”
Influence different stages of the conversation
“If the customer expresses gratitude, reply with: ‘You're welcome! Let me know if there's anything else I can help with.’” or
“After answering the customer's initial query, ask if they need help with anything else.”
How to update your Base Prompt
3. Click Add-ons in the top menu.
4. Under AI Assist, click Settings.
5. Select your AI agent.
6. In the Settings tab, scroll down to Base Prompt.
For more information, see this guide:
Tips for writing a good Base Prompt
Be specific
The more detailed your instructions, the better your AI agent will perform.Use simple language
Avoid complex sentence structures and technical terms that your target audience (and your AI agent) might not understand.
Keep it conversational
Use natural language so your AI agent can better interpret your intent.
Avoid jargon
Jargon specific to your industry or technical fields can confuse both your visitors and your AI agent. Stick to commonly understood terms.
Provide specific examples
Examples grounded in real customer interactions are the most effective. Think about the common questions and requests you receive.
Test and refine
After setting your Base Prompt, test it thoroughly. Interact with your AI agent as a visitor would and adjust the prompt based on its performance. This is an ongoing process.
Using Suggested Messages in the Base Prompt
You can add “[option]” to your Base Prompt, followed by the relevant action, to offer customers suggested messages and guide the conversation. The suggested messages will appear as buttons in chats.
For example, if you have a prompt like this:
- When a customer starts a chat, say this
“Hello! How can we help you?
[option] Make an order
[option] Check my order status
[option] Return an item”
The suggested messages will appear as buttons in the conversation, like this:
This is a useful way to get your AI agent to guide the conversation toward a specific direction or goal.
To learn more about suggested messages, see these guides:
An introduction to suggested messages
Suggested Messages and AI Questions
Using Suggested Message and AI Assist to create scripted chat sequences
Troubleshooting common issues
AI agent isn't responding correctly
Review your Base Prompt for clarity. Are your instructions specific enough? Try rephrasing or adding more examples.
AI agent is giving generic answers
This usually means your Base Prompt is too broad. Add more specific instructions related to common customer queries.
AI agent is getting stuck in loops
Check for conflicting instructions or poorly defined "if-then" statements. Make sure there are no logical contradictions.
Changes aren't reflected
Ensure you're saving your changes after editing the Base Prompt. A browser refresh or clearing your cache might also be necessary.
Important considerations
Start simple
Begin with a basic Base Prompt and gradually add complexity.
Focus on key interactions
Prioritize the most common customer queries and tailor your Base Prompt accordingly.
Regularly review and update
As your business evolves, your Base Prompt should too. Test your prompt regularly and update it as your business needs change.
Update and maintain data sources
The Base Prompt is not a replacement for training or FAQs. It works best when paired with a well-maintained Knowledge Base and other data sources.
By understanding and effectively using the Base Prompt, you can create a helpful and engaging experience for your website visitors.
To learn more about the Base Prompt, see these guides:
Using Base Prompt instructions for escalation
Using Base Prompt instructions for lead capture
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