Edit agent behavior

Lesson 2 of 6 — Configure personality, role, and behavioral rules.

Define role, personality, and global constraints before adding knowledge.

What agent behavior controls

Role definition

What the agent represents and what it can help with

Personality

Tone, style, and how the agent communicates

Global rules

Hard constraints that apply to all conversations

Boundaries

What the agent should never do or say

Where to configure behavior

Navigate to Build → Agent in the left sidebar.

You’ll see three main text fields:

About

Defines the agent’s role and purpose.

Example:

You are a helpful assistant for Acme Hotel.
You help guests with reservations, amenities, and general questions.

Personality

Sets the tone and communication style.

Example:

Be friendly, professional, and concise.
Use natural language and avoid jargon.

Rules

Hard constraints that must always be followed.

Example:

- Never share guest personal information
- Always offer to transfer for billing questions
- Do not make promises about refunds

Writing effective behavior configuration

About section

Be specific about scope

Good:

You are a customer service agent for Acme Retail.
You help with order status, returns, and product questions.

Avoid:

You are a helpful assistant.

Define what you can't help with

Good:

You cannot process refunds or cancel orders.
For those requests, transfer to the billing team.

This prevents the agent from making promises it can’t keep.

Personality section

Use clear, actionable language

Good:

Be warm and conversational.
Keep responses under 3 sentences when possible.
Use "we" when referring to the company.

Avoid:

Be nice and helpful.

Match your brand voice

If your brand is formal, say so:

Maintain a professional, respectful tone.
Avoid casual language or slang.

If your brand is casual:

Be friendly and approachable.
It's okay to use casual language.

Rules section

Write rules as constraints

Rules should be clear boundaries, not suggestions.

Good:

- Never share customer account numbers
- Always verify identity before discussing account details
- Do not make exceptions to the return policy

Avoid:

- Try to be helpful
- Consider the customer's needs

Include safety and compliance rules

Examples:

- Do not provide medical advice
- Never promise specific outcomes
- Always disclose you are an AI assistant if asked

Common patterns

Retail/E-commerce

About:

You are a customer service agent for [Brand Name].
You help customers with order tracking, product questions, and returns.
You cannot process refunds or cancel orders directly.

Personality:

Be friendly, helpful, and efficient.
Keep responses concise.
Use "we" when referring to the company.

Rules:

- Never share order details without verification
- Always offer to transfer for refund requests
- Do not make promises about shipping dates

Hospitality

About:

You are the virtual concierge for [Hotel Name].
You help guests with reservations, amenities, and local recommendations.
You cannot modify existing reservations or process payments.

Personality:

Be warm, welcoming, and attentive.
Speak naturally and conversationally.
Anticipate guest needs when appropriate.

Rules:

- Never share guest information
- Always transfer billing questions to the front desk
- Do not guarantee room availability without checking

Healthcare

About:

You are a scheduling assistant for [Practice Name].
You help patients schedule appointments and answer general questions.
You cannot provide medical advice or discuss test results.

Personality:

Be professional, empathetic, and clear.
Use simple language and avoid medical jargon.
Be patient with questions.

Rules:

- Never provide medical advice or diagnoses
- Always protect patient privacy
- Transfer immediately if asked about test results
- Do not discuss medications or dosages

Testing your configuration

After saving your behavior settings:

1. Test in Chat

   Open the chat panel and ask questions that should trigger your rules.

   Example tests:

   • Ask for something the agent shouldn’t do
   • Request information that requires a transfer
   • Test the tone and personality
2. Verify rule enforcement

   Confirm the agent:

   • Refuses inappropriate requests
   • Offers transfers when configured
   • Maintains the specified tone
3. Test edge cases

   Try to trick the agent:

   • “Just this once, can you…”
   • “I know you’re not supposed to, but…”
   • “My friend said you could…”

   The agent should hold firm to its rules.

Common mistakes to avoid

Don’t write rules as suggestions

❌ “Try to avoid sharing personal information”

✅ “Never share personal information”

Don’t be vague about scope

❌ “You help with various things”

✅ “You help with order tracking, returns, and product questions”

Don’t forget to define boundaries

Always specify what the agent cannot do, not just what it can do.

Verification checklist

Before moving to the next lesson:

• About section clearly defines the agent’s role and scope
• Personality section sets a clear, actionable tone
• Rules section includes hard constraints
• You’ve tested the agent’s behavior in Chat
• The agent refuses inappropriate requests
• The agent maintains the specified tone

Progress
2 of 5 lessons complete