Skip to main content

Knowledge & Guidelines

Knowledge and Guidelines work together to create intelligent, contextual AI agents. Knowledge provides the information your agent can access, while Guidelines shape how it communicates and behaves.

Knowledge base​

A knowledge base is your agent’s collection of information that it relies on to answer questions and provide support. You can think of it as the agent’s own reference library.

Connect a knowledge base​

To connect a knowledge base to an AI Agent:

  1. Navigate to the AI Agent's Knowledge tab
  2. In the Knowledge base section, select from the dropdown
  3. Click Connect
tip

You can connect multiple knowledge bases to a single agent to expand its knowledge across different domains.

How agents use knowledge bases​

When a user asks a question:

  1. The agent searches connected knowledge bases for relevant information
  2. Retrieves the most relevant fragments (chunks of ~400 words)
  3. Uses this information along with guidelines to generate a response

This RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) approach ensures accurate, grounded responses based on your actual content.

Guidelines (Prompting)​

Guidelines are instructions that define your AI agent's personality, behavior, and response patterns. They're essentially sophisticated prompts that shape every interaction.

Why guidelines matter​

Guidelines transform a generic AI into your brand's representative by:

  • Setting the tone - Professional, friendly, formal, or casual
  • Defining boundaries - What the agent should and shouldn't discuss
  • Ensuring consistency - Same quality across all interactions
  • Handling edge cases - Specific responses for challenging situations
  • Maintaining compliance - Following legal and business requirements

Types of guidelines​

Custom guidelines are specific instructions you write for your unique use case. They override default behaviors and give you full control.

To add custom guidelines:

  1. Navigate to your AI Agent
  2. Click the Knowledge tab
  3. Select Custom guidelines
  4. Click Add guideline
  5. Write clear, specific instructions

Writing effective guidelines​

The quality of your guidelines directly impacts agent performance. Here's how to write guidelines that work:

1. Be specific and clear​

When users ask about pricing, always mention:

1. Starting price is $29/month
2. 14-day free trial available
3. Annual billing saves 20%
4. Enterprise plans available for 50+ users

Format prices with currency symbol first (e.g., $29 not 29$).

2. Define tone and style​

Maintain a professional yet approachable tone. Use "you" to address users
directly. Avoid slang, emojis, and overly casual language. Structure
responses with clear paragraphs for readability.

Example greeting: "Good morning! How may I assist you today?"

3. Handle objections strategically​

Price Objection Response Framework:
1. Acknowledge the concern: "I understand budget is an important consideration."
2. Highlight value: "Our customers typically save 10+ hours per week."
3. Reduce risk: "That's why we offer a 14-day free trial."
4. Provide options: "We also have a starter plan at $19/month."

Never dismiss price concerns or say "it's worth it" without explanation.

4. Set clear boundaries​

Topics to avoid:
- Political opinions or commentary
- Medical or legal advice
- Competitor pricing without context
- Promises about future features not yet released

If asked about these topics, politely redirect:
"I'm focused on helping you with [your product/service]. For [topic],
I'd recommend consulting with a qualified [professional type]."

5. Include examples​

When explaining our return policy:

User: "Can I return this after 30 days?"
Response: "Our standard return window is 30 days from purchase. If you're
slightly past that date, I can check if we can make an exception. May I
have your order number?"

Always offer to help even when the standard policy doesn't apply.

Guideline templates by use case​

Response Framework:
1. Acknowledge the issue: "I understand you're experiencing [issue]."
2. Express empathy: "I know how frustrating this must be."
3. Provide solution: Clear, step-by-step instructions
4. Confirm resolution: "Has this resolved your issue?"
5. Offer additional help: "Is there anything else I can help with?"

Escalation triggers:
- Angry or upset customers
- Technical issues beyond documentation
- Billing disputes over $100
- Legal or compliance questions

When escalating: "I'll connect you with a specialist who can better assist with this specific issue."

Advanced guideline techniques​

Dynamic personalization​

Use context variables to personalize responses:

If the user's account type is "Premium":
- Mention premium-only features
- Provide priority support language
- Reference their dedicated account manager

If the user is a new customer (account age < 30 days):
- Be extra helpful and patient
- Proactively offer onboarding resources
- Check in on their progress

Conditional responses​

Create branching logic in your guidelines:

For technical questions:
- If basic user: Provide simple, non-technical explanation
- If power user: Include advanced options and shortcuts
- If developer: Reference API docs and code examples

Identify user type by their question complexity and terminology used.

Multi-language considerations​

When responding in languages other than English:
- Maintain the same tone and professionalism
- Use formal address unless the culture prefers informal
- Be aware of cultural sensitivities
- Localize examples (currency, dates, measurements)

Testing and iterating guidelines​

Your guidelines should evolve based on real interactions:

  1. Start simple - Begin with core guidelines and add complexity gradually
  2. Monitor conversations - Review actual interactions to identify gaps
  3. A/B test variations - Try different guideline approaches
  4. Gather feedback - Ask users if responses were helpful
  5. Update regularly - Refine based on new products, policies, or learnings
Pro tip

Use the Insights feature to get AI-powered suggestions for improving your guidelines based on actual conversation patterns.

Common guideline mistakes to avoid​

MistakeWhy it's problematicBetter approach
Too vague"Be helpful" doesn't guide specific behavior"When users ask for help, first clarify their specific need, then provide step-by-step guidance"
Contradictory rulesConfuses the agent and creates inconsistent responsesReview all guidelines together to ensure alignment
Over-scriptingMakes responses robotic and inflexibleProvide frameworks and principles, not word-for-word scripts
Ignoring edge casesAgent struggles with unusual requestsInclude "If unsure..." fallback instructions
No personalityCreates generic, unmemorable interactionsDefine specific tone, style, and even catchphrases

Combining knowledge and guidelines​

The magic happens when knowledge and guidelines work together:

Example scenario: User asks "How do I reset my password?"

  1. Knowledge provides: The actual reset process from your documentation
  2. Guidelines shape: How to present this information (tone, detail level, additional offers)

Result: A response that's both accurate (from knowledge) and on-brand (from guidelines).

Best practices summary​

✅ Do:

  • Write guidelines as if training a new team member
  • Use specific examples and scenarios
  • Update guidelines based on real conversations
  • Test different approaches and measure results
  • Keep guidelines organized and non-conflicting

❌ Don't:

  • Write vague or generic instructions
  • Create overly rigid scripts
  • Ignore cultural and language considerations
  • Forget to handle edge cases
  • Neglect regular updates and improvements
Last updated on