What Are Prompts?
Think of prompts as the training manual you give to a new receptionist on their first day. They define everything about how your receptionist behaves — from personality and tone to boundaries and language rules. A prompt tells your receptionist:- Who they are — their role, personality, and character
- What they should do — their purpose and goals
- What they shouldn’t do — hard boundaries and restrictions
- How they should communicate — tone, format, and style
Prompts do NOT contain facts. Restaurant hours, room types, spa prices, and hotel policies belong in your Training Materials. The prompt only defines behavior — how your receptionist communicates, not what it knows. This is the most important concept in prompt engineering.
Two Separate Prompts, Two Different Worlds
Your receptionist has two different personalities — one for text chat and one for voice calls. This isn’t a limitation; it’s intentional. Written and spoken communication follow fundamentally different rules, and the best experience requires different approaches for each.Chat — 'How they should chat'
The “How they should chat” field on your Conversation Agent page. Controls how your receptionist writes in text conversations.
- Can use formatting (bold, lists, links)
- Can share detailed, multi-paragraph answers
- Guest reads at their own speed
- Responses can be 2-4 sentences
Voice — 'How they should talk'
The “How they should talk” field on your Voice Agent page. Controls how your receptionist speaks during phone calls.
- No formatting — only spoken words
- Must be concise (2-3 sentences max)
- Guest processes in real time
- Must fill silence with natural phrases
Why They Must Be Different
| Aspect | Chat (Text) | Voice (Call) |
|---|---|---|
| Response length | 2-4 sentences, can be longer when asked | 2-3 sentences maximum, always |
| Formatting | Bold, bullet points, numbered lists | Plain speech only |
| Lists | Can list all 5 restaurants with hours | Must summarize: “We have 5 restaurants, the most popular is…” |
| Contact info | Write: reservations@hotel.com | Say: “reservations at hotel dot com” |
| Silence | Guest can wait while typing | 3 seconds of silence feels broken |
| Re-reading | Guest scrolls back to check details | Guest can’t “replay” what was said |
Example showing the difference: When asked “What restaurants do you have?”Chat response: “We have four restaurants: Terrace Bistro (Mediterranean, 07:00-23:00), Blue Lagoon (seafood, 18:00-22:00), Sakura (Japanese, 19:00-22:00), and the Beach Bar (casual, 10:00-sunset). Would you like to know more about any of them?”Voice response: “We have four restaurants — Mediterranean, seafood, Japanese, and a casual beach bar. Our most popular is the Mediterranean terrace restaurant. Would you like to hear more about any of them?”Same information, completely different delivery.
The 5 Golden Rules of Prompting
These principles apply to both chat and voice prompts. Master these before diving into the specific guides.Behavior in the prompt, facts in Training Materials
This is the most important rule. Your prompt should define how your receptionist communicates. Your Training Materials provide the facts it references.
- Prompt: “Be professional, warm, and concise. Use bold for key details.”
- Training Materials: “Breakfast is served 07:00-10:30 in the Main Restaurant.”
Be specific, never vague
Vague instructions like “be helpful” or “respond appropriately” don’t mean anything to your receptionist. Always give concrete, actionable instructions.
- Vague: “Respond appropriately” → Specific: “Keep responses to 2-4 sentences for simple questions”
- Vague: “Be smart about it” → Specific: “If unsure, ask a clarifying question with 2-3 options”
NEVER rules for critical boundaries
For your most important rules, use the word “NEVER” explicitly. Research shows that NEVER rules are followed significantly more consistently than softer phrasing.
- Weak: “Try not to make up information” (~70% followed)
- Strong: “NEVER make up information” (~95% followed)
- Strongest: “NEVER make up information. If unsure, provide our contact number instead.” (~99% followed)
Every restriction needs an alternative
When you tell your receptionist what NOT to do, always tell it what to do INSTEAD. Otherwise, it’s left guessing.
- Incomplete: “Don’t say ‘contact reception’”
- Complete: “Don’t say ‘contact reception.’ Always provide the specific number: +90 212 XXX XXXX”
Critical rules go at the top
Your receptionist’s AI engine focuses most intensely on instructions that appear at the beginning of the prompt. This isn’t a design choice — it’s a fundamental property of how the technology processes text. Place your most important policies (guest safety, NEVER rules, core personality) at the beginning for maximum impact.
Where to Go Next
Write 'How they should chat'
Complete guide to writing your chat personality — structure, personality, formatting, boundaries, and a full template.
Write 'How they should talk'
Complete guide to writing your voice personality — speaking style, character normalization, Training Materials usage, and a full template.
Advanced Tips
Field-tested techniques: clarification rules, NEVER rules, temperature settings, handling mixed-concept hotels, and more.
Prepare Your Training Materials
Before writing prompts, make sure your Training Materials are ready. The quality of your documents is just as important as the quality of your prompts.