Prompt Engineering Guide for AI Receptionist
Effective prompt engineering is crucial for creating an AI receptionist that delivers exceptional caller experiences. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic greeting setup to advanced conversation node configuration.Prerequisites
Before diving into prompt engineering, ensure you have:- A Welco account with an active AI receptionist
- Basic understanding of your business processes and common caller inquiries
- Access to the Welco dashboard and configuration panels
- Knowledge of your target audience and their communication preferences
Understanding AI Receptionist Prompting
Your AI receptionist uses several layers of prompts to deliver natural, helpful interactions: System-Level Prompts:
- Core behavior and personality instructions
- Global conversation guidelines
- Safety and compliance rules

- First impression messages
- Call initialization instructions
- Context-setting for the entire conversation

- Specific task instructions for workflow nodes
- Dynamic response generation guidelines
- Transition logic and condition evaluation
- How to use your knowledge base effectively
- Information retrieval and presentation guidelines
- Fact-checking and accuracy instructions
Greeting Configuration
Basic Greeting Structure
Your greeting is the first interaction callers have with your AI receptionist. Follow this proven structure:Greeting Best Practices
✅ Do’s:- Keep it under 25 seconds when spoken
- Include your business name clearly
- Set clear expectations about AI capabilities
- End with an open-ended question
- Use warm, professional language
- Match your brand voice and tone
- Don’t apologize for being an AI
- Avoid overly technical language
- Don’t list every possible service
- Skip generic phrases like “Your call is important to us”
- Don’t use industry jargon without explanation
Industry-Specific Greeting Examples
Healthcare Practice:Speaking Style Configuration
Tone and Personality Settings
Configure your AI’s personality to match your brand: Professional & Formal:Response Length Guidelines
Short & Concise (Recommended for most businesses):Conversation Node and AI Receptionist Prompting
Basic Conversation Node Structure
When creating conversation nodes, use this framework:Advanced Conversation Node Techniques
Conditional Logic Integration:Conversation Node Examples by Use Case
Lead Qualification Node:Knowledge Base Integration
Optimizing Knowledge Retrieval
Knowledge Query Instructions:Knowledge Base Best Practices
Content Organization:- Structure information hierarchically (general → specific)
- Use consistent formatting and terminology
- Include common variations and synonyms
- Update content regularly to maintain accuracy
Common Prompt Issues and Solutions
Issue 1: AI Being Too Verbose
Problem: AI provides overly long responses that lose caller attention. Solution:Issue 2: AI Not Understanding Context
Problem: AI loses track of conversation context or repeats information. Solution:Issue 3: Inconsistent Personality
Problem: AI switches between different tones or personalities mid-conversation. Solution:Issue 4: Poor Transition Handling
Problem: Awkward transitions between conversation topics or workflow nodes. Solution:Testing and Optimization
Real-World Testing:- Have team members call and role-play different scenarios
- Record interactions for analysis (with permission)
- Monitor for consistent personality and helpful responses
- Check that all required information is collected