Upfirst’s AI receptionist works well out of the box: it greets callers, collects name/number/email, takes messages, and keeps conversations on track.
But the real power comes from customizing it—adding your own instructions so it can answer questions, qualify leads, schedule appointments, and transfer calls intelligently.
This guide explains how to structure your instructions, where each type of information should go, and the common mistakes to avoid.
The main ways you can customize your agent
Each part of the app serves a different purpose. Adding the right information in the right place helps your agent stay consistent and accurate.
Greeting and Goodbye | Tell the receptionist exactly what to say when it answers and before it ends a call. |
Knowledge Base | Add answers to FAQs and any instructions you want the agent to follow. |
Ask Questions | Tell the receptionist what questions to ask callers and when to ask them. |
Call Transfer Rules | Define when to transfer calls, who to transfer them to, and during which hours transfers are allowed. |
Text Messages | Write text messages your receptionist can send and explain when to send them. |
Calendar Connections | Connect calendars so your receptionist can check availability and book appointments. |
General tips
Use capitalized text for emphasis.
Capitalizing important rules helps the model follow them reliably.
Bullets over paragraphs
Clear, short bullets outperform long paragraphs.
Write instructions and info, not scripts
You don’t need word-for-word dialogue. Give instructions and information. The agent generates the natural language.
Use clear labels
In your knowledge base, use clear, labeled sections in your agent can find information easily. Keep each section focused on one thing.
Examples of good titles:
Pricing
Service areas
Insurance accepted / not accepted
Cancellation policy
New patient intake requirements
How to qualify leads
Don’t worry about “trigger phrases"
Modern LLMs understand meaning, not just phrases. A single, clear instruction like:
“If someone wants a quote, collect their address and details about the project.” is enough. You don’t need to pad it with variations or synonyms.
The main ways to customize your agent
Your agent follows instructions based on where you put them. Each section of the app has a specific purpose.
1. Greeting & Goodbye
Write word-for-word phrasing. Keep it concise. Long openings increase hang-ups. Consider telling your callers what the agent is capable of.
Example:
Thanks for calling ABC Corp. I’m a virtual receptionist who can answer most questions and book appointments. How can I help you today?
2. Knowledge Base
Use the Knowledge Base for things the agent needs to know or follow. Keep each entry focused on a single topic to make it easy for the receptionist to find the right info while on a call. Avoid dumping everything into one giant page.
Good labels for knowledge base entries include:
FAQs
Policies
Service descriptions
Pricing
Intake requirements
What to do in specific scenarios
3. Ask Questions
Use this when you want the agent to collect specific information from callers.
Important: The Information Needed field is not a full question. It should be a short label describing the data you want.
Examples:
Address
Invoice number
Inspection type needed
Current or new customer
Service requested
Then use the Additional Instructions field to explain when and how to ask the question.
Examples:
“When someone is calling for accounts payable, collect their invoice number.”
“If the caller wants pest control, ask which type: cockroaches, ants, rodents, or something else.”
4. Call Transfer Rules
Add transfer rules when you want the receptionist to send calls to a specific person or number.
Use this section for:
Who to transfer to
Under what conditions
What times of day transfers are allowed
5. Text Messages
Your agent can send prewritten text messages during a call.
These messages are static.
They cannot dynamically insert caller names, appointment types, dates, etc.
Good uses:
A link to your scheduling page
A link to pricing
A link to new patient forms
Your office address
A service-area map
Don’t write instructions like:
“Send a confirmation text with the caller’s name.”
The system won’t personalize texts. (Coming soon!)
6. Calendar Connections
Connect your calendar so your agent can:
Check availability
Book appointments
Offer time slots
If your business uses multiple calendars (e.g., different technicians or stylists), make sure they’re shared with the account you connect to Upfirst.
Adjusting how knowledgeable or “expert” the agent sounds
Some businesses prefer a receptionist that keeps things simple. Others want it to sound like an experienced team member who understands industry specifics.
You can set this by adding a knowledge entry called “Your Role.”
Example:
As a seasoned home inspection coordinator, you serve as a knowledgeable first point of contact. You understand the inspection process, industry standards, and the types of services we offer. Your primary goal is to help callers book the correct inspection for their needs.
You can tailor this to match your industry, tone, and comfort level with how authoritative the receptionist should sound.
What happens when the agent doesn’t know something?
If a caller asks about something that isn’t in your Knowledge Base, the agent will:
Offer to connect the caller with someone who can help
Collect their info for follow-up
If this happens often, add a new Knowledge Base entry for that topic.
What if I have different scenarios that require different questions?
If you have a large number of questions—or different sets of questions for different situations—it may feel cumbersome to add every single one under Ask Questions. That’s normal.
Here’s the trade-off:
Using Ask Questions:
Your questions show up as neatly labeled fields at the top of call summaries.
These fields can be passed to other apps through Zapier (if enabled).
This is the best option when you need structured data.
Using the Knowledge Base:
Gives you more flexibility when you have lots of questions or complex scenarios.
You can group questions by topic or workflow instead of adding them one by one.
The agent will still ask them, as long as you give clear instructions.
Example:
Create a Knowledge Base entry named “Questions to ask new leads” and simply list the questions you want the agent to ask:
“What’s your address?”
“Which service do you need?”
“How did you hear about us?”