Skip to main content
An agent should be designed around a job, not around a generic personality. The best starting point is to answer one question clearly: What business task should this agent reliably help callers complete?

​
What an agent includes

Most agents combine a few layers:
  • a role and tone
  • business instructions
  • the information the agent should collect
  • the actions it may perform
  • handoff rules
You do not need a large design process to start. You do need clarity.

​
Good agent scope

Strong first agents usually have:
  • one main purpose
  • a small number of success paths
  • obvious handoff situations
  • only the actions they truly need
Examples of good early agent scope:
  • book or reschedule an appointment
  • answer common front-desk questions and route complex cases
  • qualify a caller before handing off to sales

​
Signs an agent is too broad

Your agent is probably trying to do too much if:
  • the instructions read like a policy manual
  • it needs many unrelated actions
  • different teams expect different behavior from the same agent
  • success is hard to define
In those cases, split the work into separate agents or narrow the first rollout.

​
What teams should define early

Before spending time on polishing, agree on:
  • the agent’s main job
  • the information that matters during the call
  • what actions count as success
  • when the call should be handed off
  • who will review early call quality