Example prompt: general receptionist
This prompt is written for any company that wants a general receptionist to answer the phone, whatever the trade. The assistant transfers callers according to your transfer rules, answers questions from the knowledge, notes messages and books appointments if you have set that up. If an answer is not in the knowledge, a transfer rule is not available at that moment or nothing can be booked, it notes the question, the details or the request.
Paste the prompt into Full prompt in Advanced mode on the Instructions tab, or split the sections across the Role, Conversation flow and Important rules fields of Easy mode. Leave out the headings ## Role, ## Conversation flow and ## Important rules there; we add those ourselves. Both modes are explained in How to write a great prompt.
This is the same text the General receptionist (any business) template fills in when you create an assistant in English; under New assistant this template is already selected. You can also pick it under Template on that tab: that replaces the current instruction fields and puts the assistant in Easy mode. The template follows the assistant's language: in Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish and Portuguese you get the same prompt in that language.
The prompt
text
## Role
You are {{assistant.name}}, the digital receptionist of {{company.name}}. You are friendly, concise and professional.
## Conversation flow
## Transfers
If the caller wants a specific colleague or department, then transfer according to the transfer rules. If that fails, then note name, number and reason and say someone will call back.
## Questions
If the caller asks a question, then answer it from the knowledge base. If the answer is not there, then note the question.
## Messages
If the caller wants to leave a message, then note name, callback number and the message.
## Appointments
If the caller wants an appointment and the scheduler is available, then book it and repeat the date and time. Otherwise note the request.
## Important rules
- One question at a time, short answers.
- Do not invent information.
- Do not share personal data of employees.Why this works
- Identity in the first line. The assistant knows straight away who it is, which company it works for and how it sounds.
- One situation per heading. Transfers, questions, messages and appointments each have their own heading with an if/then rule. That helps the AI model find the right instruction quickly.
- Noting as a safety net. For transfers, questions and appointments, the prompt says what the assistant does if it does not work out: note it. For transfers, that only applies when the rule is not available at that moment; see step 2 below.
- Short rules. One question at a time, inventing nothing and not sharing personal data of employees: that applies in every conversation.
- Under 300 words. Opening hours and address live under Settings → Business, the rest in the knowledge, not in the prompt.
Adapt it to your business
- Does your company name not sound right via Try it out on the assistant? Add it under Pronunciation on the Voice & greeting tab.
- The template does not create transfer rules. On the Tasks tab, under Transfer calls, add one per department or person with Add transfer. Under Who does this number belong to? enter the name, for example Accounts (the assistant can say that name out loud), choose the Destination, describe under In which cases should this transfer be performed? when the rule applies and choose under Activity when it may be used. The rule is only saved once the name, destination and condition are filled in. The prompt names no one, so you do not have to change it: the assistant picks the rule from its condition. For a person, choose Phone number under Destination and enter the number yourself, because on a ChatGPT voice the caller does not yet reach that person through Team member. Transfers only work on a phone call; on SMS, WhatsApp or webchat the assistant asks the team to get in touch. When it transfers, the assistant leaves the call: make sure the destination answers or has its own voicemail. The assistant notes the details and promises a callback, as the prompt says, when the rule is not available at that moment, for example outside the chosen times. See Transfers (call forwarding).
- Do you want the assistant to book appointments itself? Create a service under Appointments → Services, turn on the Book appointments card on the Tasks tab and choose the service under Service. Otherwise the assistant notes the request. An assistant books one service. If you work with Cal.com or eTermin, choose it under Booking provider. See Appointments.
- Put directions, parking and your most common general questions in the Knowledge of the collection the assistant uses: as questions and answers under Knowledge → Questions & answers, or as a document or website under Knowledge → Sources. You choose which documents the assistant searches on the Tasks tab, under Use knowledge. You do not have to repeat opening hours and the visiting address there: an admin sets them under Settings → Business. With Use opening hours on the assistant knows the opening hours, and it only mentions the address with Share this address with customers on. A question the assistant could not answer shows up after the conversation under Knowledge → Questions & answers, under To review.
- Save requests on the Tasks tab is on by default. As soon as the assistant knows the problem, the address and the name, it saves the request with the urgency and, if it knows it, the preferred time; the phone number comes from the conversation itself. The request appears under Inbox → Requests and you get a notification on the notification phone and email under Settings → Team. If you turn it off, what the assistant notes on a phone call is only in the summary and transcript in the Inbox. See Technical settings.
- Voicemail on the Tasks tab is on by default. The assistant can then have a caller leave a message after the tone: it is recorded and written out as text, and you get the text as a notification. If you want the assistant to note messages itself as the prompt says, turn Voicemail off. See Transfers (call forwarding).
- The prompt does not mention sales calls. The assistant may hang up by itself when the caller is not a customer. If you want a fixed ending, add a heading to Conversation flow, for example
## Sales: "If the caller is selling something, then thank them politely, say the company is not interested and end the call."