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Phone calls

Smitline calls numbers in the US and Canada. You ask your agent in plain words; it turns that into a brief. A good brief is what makes a call succeed, so it helps to know what goes in one.

What makes a good brief

  • One clear objective. "Book a table for 4 at 7 pm on Friday", not "call the restaurant".
  • The questions you need answered. Each one gets an answer in the result.
  • What it may agree to. Without it, Smitline checks back rather than accept a different time or price.
  • What it must not share. Anything private that shouldn't be said, even if asked.
  • Context it may need. An order number, the name the booking is under, the model of the dishwasher.

Never put passwords, card numbers or other secrets in a brief: the voice may repeat anything it knows.

Example: a booking

{
  "channel": "phone",
  "to": "+14165550134",
  "objective": "Book a table for 4 on Friday at 7 pm.",
  "questions": ["If 7 pm is taken, what's the closest time before 8 pm?"],
  "mayAgreeTo": ["any time from 6:30 to 8 pm", "an inside table"],
  "mustNotShare": ["my home address"]
}

Example: getting a quote

{
  "channel": "phone",
  "to": "+14165550199",
  "objective": "Get a price for repairing a leaking kitchen faucet.",
  "questions": ["What would it cost?", "When could someone come?", "Is there a call-out fee?"],
  "context": "Single-handle faucet, about 8 years old, dripping from the spout.",
  "mayAgreeTo": [],
  "task": { "id": "faucet-quotes", "title": "Faucet repair quotes" }
}

The task ties calls to several plumbers together, so a later call can start with what the earlier ones said. After each call your agent can save a short note, such as "Apex: $180, Tuesday", for the next one.

Example: leaving a message

If nobody answers, Smitline leaves a short voicemail that says whom it's calling for and that it's an AI, with no private details. To make a message the whole point, say so in the objective: "Leave a message for Dr. Lee's office that Sam needs to move Tuesday's appointment, and ask them to call back at the number on file."

Practice on your own phone

A rehearsal calls your own verified phone instead ("rehearsal": true, no to). It's the easiest way to hear how a brief sounds before the real call. Ask your agent for "a practice call first".

Things to know

  • Smitline calls between 8 am and 9 pm in the other person's time zone. If they expect your call at another time, your agent can say so ("afterHours": true), but only for people who have agreed to that.
  • It can't press keypad options in phone menus yet.
  • It never calls emergency, crisis or premium-rate numbers.
  • A call ends after maxMinutes (your agent can set it), so a call can't run on.
  • Who you may call: Calling rules.