How to write the best prompt for AI customer service
Tips and tricks to help you write the best prompt for your smart AI assistant.
More and more entrepreneurs are asking themselves the same question:
Should I hire a customer service representative or can AI solve this more intelligently?
In our view, the answer is always: AI can solve this more intelligently, but it does depend on the quality of your prompt .
A well written AI customer service prompt determines whether your AI feels like a junior making mistakes or an experienced employee who helps customers professionally, answers questions, probes further, and knows when to transfer the call.
On this page, you will learn how to write the best prompt for AI customer service , specifically for companies that want to operate efficiently, scalably, and cost-effectively.
What is an AI customer service prompt?
An AI customer service prompt is essentially nothing more than the set of instructions that determines:
- How the AI assistant addresses customers
- Which questions it does and does not answer
- How it deals with complaints, doubts, and frustration
- When it transfers a conversation to a human
View it as the job profile, onboarding program, and protocol of your AI assistant all in one. Without a clear prompt: Answers are vague Customers become frustrated AI makes assumptions With a good prompt: Conversations flow naturally Customers are helped faster You save time and labor costs
Since Fred has been answering our phone and WhatsApp, customers are extremely satisfied. They can always call us, never have to wait, and are usually helped quickly and well!
Maikel
Marketing agency
How does that sound?
Curious how a good AI assistant sounds? Try it out in a conversation of up to three minutes with our assistant Fred.
Difference between a prompt & first message
Prompt
A prompt is the instruction you give to your smart assistant. This is something that your customer - ideally - does not receive, as it ensures a natural conversation with substantive knowledge.
In the prompt, you specify how your smart assistant thinks and acts. An example could be:
You are Fred, customer service representative of De Warme Bakker. You help customers kindly, ask targeted questions, solve common problems. You cannot directly transfer calls, but you can create a callback request.
The first message
Unlike a prompt, the customer hears the first message. This is, for example, the opening when the smart assistant answers the phone or responds to a question via WhatsApp. Think of it this way:
Good afternoon, you are speaking with Fred. How can I help you?
The 5 essential components of a good AI customer service prompt
Role and responsibility
Clearly state what the assistant is and what it should do. So do not use "You are a helpful assistant.", but "You are a professional customer service representative of De Warme Bakker, specializing in breads, allergens, and other bakery products."
Conversation style and tone
Clearly indicate how the assistant should come across. Think of "Friendly and professional, clear language, no jargon unless the caller asks for it, brief and to the point." You can also specify "do not use you and your, but use you and thou."
Core information
Ensure that the knowledge information is readily available. In the prompt or via a knowledge base. Think of services and packages, terms and conditions, opening hours, and frequently asked questions. Avoid using prices, as they may fluctuate, instead refer to the website.
Rules of conduct and escalation
Essential for customer satisfaction is setting good frameworks. Ensure that the assistant follows up if things are unclear, is called back if the caller is upset or frustrated, that the assistant makes no commitments and does not make assumptions or come up with solutions on their own.
Dealing with unknown questions
One of the hardest points for an assistant is dealing with unknown questions. Make it clear in your prompt that the assistant may only answer if he has a source for his answer based on the prompt or knowledge base. That in case of uncertainty, the assistant may escalate or create a callback request.
Finish neatly
Make it clear that the assistant may end the conversation after a number of seconds. Also indicate how, for example by providing a one-sentence summary. Do not simply include that the assistant wishes the caller a nice day, as that doesn't always come across well.
Structure of a proven AI customer service prompt
It is important to maintain a good structure in your prompt. Ensure a division of various elements, both for your assistant and for yourself. This way, you keep an overview when you want to fine-tune.
Below you will find an example for a layout of an AI prompt. For each section, you can then establish rules and guidelines.
Role and purpose
Core knowledge
Conversation rules
Response patterns
LimitationsCommon mistakes in AI customer service prompts
Writing an AI prompt is not difficult, and with our simple drag & drop builder, it’s a piece of cake. Still, it’s good to be aware of common mistakes when creating a prompt for a smart assistant.
- Staying too general. Make sure to share specific knowledge and documentation with your smart assistant.
- Trying to write everything out. This locks your assistant. If your information, knowledge base, and website are in order, there's enough for AI to pull information from.
- Not including escalation rules.
- Never adjusting the prompt. Make sure to monitor what your customers are encountering and refine the prompts. Especially in the beginning.
A smart AI assistant works best when you continue to optimize.
Prompt optimization based on real conversations
The best prompts are not created on paper, but in practice. By rereading and listening to conversations, analyzing where the assistant did not provide the correct answer immediately, and monitoring which questions are still being forwarded.
Also ask customers for feedback, as this provides valuable information that you can incorporate into the prompt for your assistant.
Our approach is as follows.
- Write a basic prompt and let the assistant handle conversations
- Ask customers for feedback and ensure you receive summaries of the conversations
- Analyze where improvements can be made so that the assistant can answer more questions, provide better responses, and connect fewer calls
- Optimize the basic prompt based on steps two and three
- Continuously repeat this process
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" Fred's smart assistant works perfectly. I clearly notice a difference in the number of calls, and customers are exceptionally satisfied! "
Fokko
door Ontwikkelaars, voor Iedereen
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