Best practices for using instructions and custom tone of voice to influence AI agent responses

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">Instructionsandcustom tone of voicelet you control AI agent behavior in ways beyond the default persona options. This article discusses best practices for creating effective instructions and custom tone of voice, and gives you examples of good and bad instructions.</p>
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<p class="p"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749291290" target="_blank">Instructions</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658" target="_blank">custom tone of voice</a> let you control AI agent behavior in
ways beyond the default persona options. This article discusses best practices for
creating effective instructions and custom tone of voice, and gives you examples of good
and bad instructions. </p>
<p class="p">The following video gives you an overview of creating instructions and custom tone of
voice:</p>
<p class="p"></p>
<div class="non-responsive"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="iframe embed-responsive-item" controls="controls" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F0hLj4kEHxQ" width="640"></iframe></div>
<p class="p"><em class="ph i">Deploying instructions and custom tone of voice for AI agents (3:57)</em></p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="adv_instructions_tone_best_practices__ul_ayk_4zn_nhc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_p3p_zyn_nhc">Best practices for creating effective instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_zdm_bzn_nhc">Examples of good and bad instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_sd5_czn_nhc">Best practices for customizing a tone of voice</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ztl_dzn_nhc">Example of a custom tone of voice</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_p3p_zyn_nhc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Best practices for creating effective instructions</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">To get the best results from your instructions, keep the following best practices in
mind: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_p3p_zyn_nhc__ul_brl_nzn_nhc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ugh_g14_nhc">Be clear and direct</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_j2w_g14_nhc">Use capitalization for emphasis</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_tbr_j14_nhc">Create one instruction per directive</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_yrg_k14_nhc">Avoid conflicting instructions</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ajz_l14_nhc">Use existing features appropriately</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_evv_m14_nhc">Always test your instructions</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ugh_g14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title3">Be clear and direct</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When crafting instructions, clarity is key. Use straightforward language and
direct commands. </p>
<p class="p">For example, instead of saying: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ugh_g14_nhc__ul_zxc_t14_nhc">
<li class="li">"I want the AI to always use our brand name." </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Say this instead: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ugh_g14_nhc__ul_d33_t14_nhc">
<li class="li">"ALWAYS use 'Acme Labs™' instead of 'Acme.'" </li>
</ul>
<p class="p">A direct approach helps the agent AI understand and implement your instructions
more effectively. </p>
<p class="p">That said, expect your instructions and tone of voice settings to be interpreted
as strong guidance rather than rigid commands. Due to the way generative AI
works, your AI agents might not execute every instruction perfectly every time,
so it’s important to maintain realistic expectations about their performance.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_j2w_g14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Use capitalization for emphasis</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When you want to stress certain behaviors in your instructions, using
capitalization can be effective. </p>
<p class="p">For example, instructing the AI agent to "ALWAYS include a link" will highlight
the importance of that directive.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_tbr_j14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Create one instruction per directive</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Instead of including multiple directives in a single instruction, break them down
into separate instructions. Ensure that each instruction contains no more than a
single directive. This approach: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_tbr_j14_nhc__ul_ufj_514_nhc">
<li class="li">Enhances the likelihood that the AI agent will respect your instructions. </li>
<li class="li">Makes it easier for you to edit and manage instructions over time. </li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_yrg_k14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Avoid conflicting instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Ensure that your instructions don’t contradict each other. For example, don’t
write an instruction that says to end all messages with a smiley face if you
have another instruction that says not to use emojis. </p>
<p class="p">Also, make sure your instructions don’t conflict with your chosen tone of voice.
For example, if you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658" target="_blank">configured the AI agent’s tone of
voice</a> to be friendly and casual, avoid instructions that suggest
overly formal or abrupt responses. Consistency in messaging is crucial for a
seamless customer experience. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ajz_l14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Use existing features appropriately</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Remember that instructions are not a substitute for other features. For specific
tasks like configuring the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756557594" target="_blank">welcome message</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658#topic_hps_snf_52c" target="_blank">persona</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658#topic_kzp_tnf_52c" target="_blank">tone of voice</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658#topic_qt2_5nf_52c" target="_blank">pronoun formality</a>, or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756604186" target="_blank">escalation flows</a>, use the designated
features instead of relying on instructions. </p>
<p class="p">In particular, take full advantage of the available persona and tone of voice
settings. These features help define how your AI agent interacts with customers,
enhancing the overall user experience. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested2" id="topic_evv_m14_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title8">Always test your instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Before making any instruction active, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749291290-Using-instructions-to-influence-AI-agent-responses-EAP-Ultimate#h_01J9PBB7EYNE7C3J8FS4E49ERM:~:text=To%20test%20an%20individual%20instruction" target="_blank">test the individual instruction</a> and
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749291290-Using-instructions-to-influence-AI-agent-responses-EAP-Ultimate#h_01J9PBB7EYNE7C3J8FS4E49ERM:~:text=To%20test%20multiple%20instructions%20together" target="_blank">test all your instructions together</a> to
see how the AI agent responds. Testing helps you identify any issues with
wording or clarity. If an instruction doesn’t yield the expected outcome, try
rephrasing it. The wording of an instruction plays a significant role in
determining how an AI agent responds. </p>
<p class="p">After deploying your AI agent, continue to monitor its interactions with end
users. If certain instructions aren’t performing as expected, revisit and tweak
them. The AI agent’s effectiveness can improve over time with careful
adjustments based on real-world usage.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested1" id="topic_zdm_bzn_nhc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title9">Examples of good and bad instructions</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Below are examples of instructions, some good and some bad. Each example also
includes an analysis of how following or ignoring the best practices above impact
the instruction’s effectiveness.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title10" class="topic nested2" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title10">Good instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc__ul_bqb_tb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: If the user asks any questions about how we are regulated,
then send the following response verbatim: “Thank you for reaching out to
us. Please see our regulatory information at
https://help-centre-link.com/regulation.” <ul class="ul" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc__ul_rxf_vb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Clear and direct. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: ALWAYS say “Enjoy your flight!” at the end of your message
<ul class="ul" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc__ul_e2r_vb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Uses capitalization for emphasis. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: When your answer is a list of step-by-step instructions,
always list them as 1, 2, 3 regardless of the formatting of the source. <ul class="ul" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc__ul_awz_vb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Clear and direct. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: At FinanceCo, we cannot offer any financial advice ever.
Make sure you NEVER give the user financial advice of any kind. If you think
an answer could be construed as financial advice, make sure to add a
disclaimer at the beginning that says “Please note, we cannot provide
financial advice.” followed by a new paragraph. <ul class="ul" id="topic_qgf_qb4_nhc__ul_rlj_wb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s good</strong>: Uses capitalization for emphasis. Though note
that, as mentioned above, instructions cannot be 100% foolproof, so
expect some potential instances of the AI agent not including the
disclaimer when you might want it to. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title11" class="topic nested2" id="topic_pjq_qb4_nhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title11">Bad instructions</h3>
<div class="body">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_pjq_qb4_nhc__ul_zbz_wb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: You can use emojis, but only if they are more likely to be
appropriate than not. Decide yourself. <ul class="ul" id="topic_pjq_qb4_nhc__ul_q5t_xb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: The language is too vague and leaves too much
up to interpretation. </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: Always welcome the user. <ul class="ul" id="topic_pjq_qb4_nhc__ul_ccd_yb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: This conflicts with the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756557594" target="_blank">welcome message feature</a>.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: Always escalate to an agent if the user mentions being
hacked. <ul class="ul" id="topic_pjq_qb4_nhc__ul_x5l_yb4_nhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Why it’s bad</strong>: Instructions cannot trigger escalations. This
should be handled via a <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041901679130" target="_blank">use case</a> instead.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title12" class="topic nested1" id="topic_sd5_czn_nhc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title12">Best practices for customizing a tone of voice</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can also consider a custom tone of voice to be a kind of instruction, just
directed at one specific aspect of your AI agent. You'll see best results if your
custom tone of voice is as descriptive as possible, potentially with suggestions of
the types of phrases or emojis that the AI agent should use. </p>
<p class="p">As with instructions, be direct about what the AI agent should do. Consider a wide
range of scenarios and whether the tone of voice will suit them all. For example, an
AI agent that has been instructed to always be cheery and lighthearted might not
provide the best answer to a user who is complaining they've been doxxed.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title13" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ztl_dzn_nhc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title13">Example of a custom tone of voice</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Below is an example of a custom tone of voice that is descriptive and contains
examples of specific phrases and emojis. </p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">Example</strong>: Respond to the user like Cher from the movie Clueless. Be super
bubbly, confident, and a total valley girl. Use phrases like “As if!”, “Whatever!”,
and “Totally!” Give responses in a fun, sassy, and fashionable way, with lots of
enthusiasm and charm! Use one or two emojis per message. <img class="image" id="topic_ztl_dzn_nhc__image_ztv_gc4_nhc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/emoji_manicure.png"><img class="image" id="topic_ztl_dzn_nhc__image_wn2_hc4_nhc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/emoji_smile_closed.png"></p>
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