The Assistant instructions field on the Assistant page is a short description of your receptionist, written in plain language. It is where you influence most of how the assistant sounds and behaves. It works best when you know what belongs in the field and what Leadoro fills in by itself.
What is filled in automatically
In every call the assistant receives on its own:
- Business name, industry, description and website from Settings → Business profile.
- The list of active services from Services & Resources.
- Today's date.
- The caller's phone number, if known. The assistant therefore doesn't ask for it again.
- Basic rules of behaviour: speak naturally and briefly (it is a phone call, not a chat), speak the caller's language, ask about only one thing at a time, never make anything up (information, prices, availability or promises) and always end the call with a clear next step.
You don't need to write any of that. Repeating it doesn't help; it only takes up space that is better spent on what makes your business different.
What belongs in the instructions
Imagine writing to a new receptionist on their first day, once they already know the basics. Good instructions usually contain:
| Belongs here | Example |
|---|---|
| Tone of voice | "Friendly and relaxed, not too formal." or "Calm and matter-of-fact, our customers are often stressed." |
| What to handle first | "Always first ask what the problem is and whether it is urgent." |
| Your business rules | "Never give an exact price over the phone. Say a technician needs to look at it first." |
| How to handle exceptions | "If someone asks about a service we don't offer, say so politely and don't improvise." |
| When to pass on | "If a customer wants a custom quote for more than 3 rooms, don't create a booking, create an enquiry." |
| What never to promise | "Never confirm a same-day appointment. Say we will try to arrange it and confirm soon." |
What doesn't belong in the instructions
- Facts about your business (address, services, opening hours, description). They belong in Settings and Services & Resources. If you write them here too, you get two sources of truth that drift apart over time.
- General politeness ("be polite", "speak clearly"). The basic rules above already cover that.
- Text to read word for word. The instructions work as guidance the assistant reasons with, not as a script. For an exact opening sentence use the Greeting message field, which is spoken word for word.
- Passwords, payment details and anything sensitive. They don't belong here, and callers shouldn't be asked for such things over the phone at all.
A short example
Speak in a calm, professional tone. This is a dental practice and many callers are nervous. Always first ask whether it is an urgent case (severe pain, swelling, injury). If so, offer the nearest free appointment regardless of the type of visit. For a routine check-up, check whether the patient has a preferred dentist. Never state the price of treatment over the phone; say the dentist has to assess it first. If a caller asks about an insurer that can't be verified over the phone, create an enquiry with their question so reception can call back.
Notice what is missing: the name of the practice, the address, the opening hours and the list of treatments. The assistant receives all of that from your business profile and services.
How to keep the instructions in good shape
The length is not limited, but short, specific instructions work more reliably than long, generic ones. When the assistant handles a situation badly on real calls, it usually helps to add one clear rule for exactly that. Don't rewrite the whole text. From time to time read real transcripts in Conversations to see how the instructions work in practice, and try changes through a Test call.