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 business owners are asking themselves the same question:
Should I hire a customer service representative, or can AI handle this more intelligently?
In our view, the answer is always: AI can handle this more effectively, but it does depend on the quality of your prompt.
A well-written AI customer service prompt determines whether your AI comes across as a junior agent who makes mistakes or as an experienced agent who professionally assists customers, answers questions, asks follow-up questions, and knows when to escalate an issue.
On this page, you’ll 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?
- How the AI assistant addresses customers
- Which questions it does and does not answer
- How it handles complaints, doubts, and frustration
- When to transfer a conversation to a human
Difference between a prompt and a first message
I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that.
A prompt is the instruction you give your smart assistant. Ideally, your customer won’t even notice this, as it ensures a natural conversation that reflects substantive knowledge.
In the prompt, you define how your smart assistant thinks and acts. An example might be:
You are Fred, a customer service representative at De Warme Bakker. You assist customers in a friendly manner, ask targeted questions, and resolve common issues. You cannot transfer calls directly, but you can create a callback request.
The First Post
Unlike a prompt, the customer hears the first message. This is, for example, the opening line when the smart assistant answers the phone or responds to a question via WhatsApp. Consider, for example:
"Good afternoon, this is Fred. How can I help you?"
The Essential Elements of a Good AI Customer Service Chatbot
Role and Responsibilities
Make it clear what the assistant is and what is expected of it. So instead of saying, “You are a helpful assistant,” say, “You are a professional customer service representative at De Warme Bakker, specializing in breads, allergens, and other bakery products.”
Conversational Style and Tone
Clearly specify how the assistant should come across. Consider phrases such as “Friendly and professional, clear language, no jargon unless the caller asks for it, brief and to the point.” You can also specify, “Don’t use ‘u’ and ‘uw,’ but rather ‘je’ and ‘jij.’”
Key Information
Make sure that information is easily accessible—either in the prompt or through a knowledge base. This includes details on services and packages, terms and conditions, business hours, and frequently asked questions. Avoid mentioning prices, as they may fluctuate; instead, refer users to the website, for example.
Rules of Conduct and Escalation
Establishing clear guidelines is essential for customer satisfaction. Ensure that the assistant asks follow-up questions when things are unclear, calls the caller back if they seem upset or frustrated, and that the assistant does not make any promises, assumptions, or come up with solutions on their own.
Dealing with Unfamiliar Questions
One of the most challenging aspects for an assistant is dealing with unfamiliar questions. In your prompt, clearly state that the assistant may only respond if they have a source for their answer based on the prompt or knowledge base. If something is unclear, the assistant may transfer the call or create a callback request.
Make sure to close it properly.
Make it clear that the assistant may end the call after a few seconds. Also, specify how this will be done, for example, by providing a one-sentence summary. Avoid automatically prompting the assistant to wish the caller a nice day, as this may not always be appropriate.
It’s important to maintain a clear structure in your prompt. Break down the various elements into sections—both for your assistant and for yourself. This will help you keep track of everything when you want to fine-tune it.
Below is an example of how to structure an AI prompt. You can then establish rules and guidelines for each section.
Role and Purpose
Core Knowledge
Conversation Rules
Response Patterns
Limitations
Common Mistakes in AI Customer Service Prompts
Writing an AI prompt isn't difficult, and with our simple drag-and-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.
- Being too general. Make sure to share specific knowledge and documentation with your smart assistant.
- Trying to spell everything out. This locks your assistant into a rigid framework. If your information, knowledge base, and website are well-organized, there’s plenty for the AI to draw from.
- Not including escalation rules.
- Never adjust the prompt. Make sure to monitor what your customers are encountering and refine the prompts accordingly—especially in the beginning.
A smart AI assistant works best when you keep optimizing it.
The best prompts don’t come from writing them down on paper, but from real-world experience. By reviewing and listening to conversations, analyzing where the assistant doesn’t immediately have the right answer, and monitoring which questions are still being transferred to another agent.
Also, ask customers for feedback; this will provide you with 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 the assistant can answer more questions, provide better answers, and reduce the need to transfer calls.
- Optimize the basic prompt based on steps two and three.
- Repeat this process continuously.
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