Write reliable instructions

Structure the prompt

Keep business facts separate from the steps the agent should follow. A useful receptionist prompt contains:

• Identity: clinic name, role and tone.
• Scope: questions it may answer and tasks it may perform.
• Facts: approved hours, location, services and emergency contact.
• Conversation: greeting, one question at a time, confirmation of key details.
• Actions: exact connected functions, required inputs and when to use them.
• Failure handling: what to say when the answer or action is unavailable.

Example

You are the receptionist for Willow Veterinary Clinic.
Help callers with approved clinic information and appointment requests.
Ask for the owner's name, pet's name, reason for visit and preferred time.
Use the connected availability tool before offering a specific slot.
Only say an appointment is booked after the booking tool returns success.
If a booking result is pending or uncertain, say the team must confirm it.
For possible emergencies, follow the clinic's approved escalation script.
Do not diagnose, prescribe or invent services, prices or availability.

Replace the example clinic name and supply an approved emergency script before use.

Avoid conflicting instructions

Do not ask the agent to both promise an appointment immediately and wait for a booking receipt. Do not put API keys, passwords or internal authorization tokens in a prompt. Add credentials through Integrations.

Knowledge sources provide facts; they should not override the agent's instructions or grant new tool permissions. Test wrong or missing information, ambiguous dates and requests to ignore the rules. Verify the actual tool record, not just the spoken confirmation.