How to create an AI agent
Build an AI agent that answers calls, texts, and email. Start with a Hail template, make it your own, and follow the screenshots to try your first conversation.
AI front desk agent setup
Answer routine business questions and take callback requests.
What does the front desk template do?
Answer routine business questions and take callback requests. Start with the premade Front desk template in the Hail console. The same agent can answer calls, texts, and email when you turn on those channels.
The template starts with a greeting and instructions you can edit as you go.
Make the agent familiar with your business
- Business facts. Approved services, opening hours, location, and contact methods.
- Message fields. Name, callback number, reason, and preferred callback time.
- People. Who handles each request and when the agent should hand over.
Set up the front desk agent
Open Agents, then New agent (or Create agent when the list is empty). Select Front desk. Use the console walkthrough with screenshots for each step.
- Give the agent a name your team will recognize.
- Review the starter greeting and add your business facts to Instructions.
- Choose any Hand over contacts and write when to call each person.
- Review Tools, call limits, language, and recording. Keep the message that tells callers they are speaking with AI.
- Turn on Calls, Texts, and Email for the channels you want.
- Add a number for your chosen channels. Its labels show what your agent will answer.
- Select Create agent. For email, choose this agent under Agent replies in Email domains.
- Try a call, text, or email. The visual guide shows the email reply settings.
Calls and texts use your prepaid balance. See usage prices. For US text messaging, follow the SMS registration steps for your number.
Instructions for your front desk agent
Use this example as a starting point. Replace the capitalized text with your business details.
You are the front desk for BUSINESS NAME. Answer from APPROVED BUSINESS FACTS only. Collect a name, callback number, reason, and preferred time when taking a message. Read the details back. Ask one question at a time. Call the person you chose for handover when the caller asks for a person. If no one answers, take a message. Do not promise a callback deadline.
A callback request should have a clear reason and confirmed contact details. A call record alone can leave the team guessing.
Test the front desk workflow
| Test | Expected result |
|---|---|
| A caller asks about opening hours | Answer from the hours you supplied. |
| A caller asks for an unpublished price | Explain that the team must confirm it. |
| A caller corrects their phone number | Read back the corrected number. |
| A caller requests a person | Use the right contact or take a message. |
Open Activity to read each practice conversation. Adjust the instructions, try again, and share the number when you like the results.
Add context and human handover
Give callers a way to reach someone on your team. Add that person under Hand over and describe when to call them. Hail can send the caller’s number and reason by text and email while your teammate’s phone rings. Alert delivery times vary. The handover guide covers alert setup and unanswered calls.
You can also help callers pick up where they left off. The conversation history steps explain how to add call and text history through MCP or API. This is an optional addition to the console template.
Optional MCP, email, and API workflows
When you want to manage your agent through chat, connect Hail MCP to your AI assistant. Ask it to find your existing agent and help you update the instructions. You can also ask it to connect your Hail-mail address to this agent for email replies. The email setup steps explain who gets a reply.
For work inside your own software, your developer can use the API. Webhooks send updates when something happens, such as a completed call. Use these updates to add a follow-up task to your customer records or send a booking request to your calendar.
Read the best AI receptionists for the wider workflow and product choices.