Recommendations for Better Call Outcomes
Based on our review of thousands of calls and agent settings, here’s what we’ve found leads to the best call outcomes.
Let callers know they're speaking to an AI
At this point we have call data from thousands of calls, and the evidence is very clear: having the AI announce it's an AI in the initial greeting leads to significantly better call outcomes.
While Hooroo AI is designed to sound natural, it's not a human. In some conversational situations, such as when a caller interrupts, the call flow can become unnatural and lead to frustration and a poor experience.
By letting callers know they're speaking with an AI, you set the right expectations from the start. This encourages callers to speak clearly and deliberately, which leads to smoother, more successful conversations. It also prevents the confusion that can arise when a caller believes they are speaking to a human but experiences an unnatural interaction.
Instead of disappointment if they realise it's not a human, they are pleasantly surprised by just how capable the AI is.
You can set this up in two ways:
In the Initial Greeting field, include a phrase like "Hi, you've called ACME Corporation, I'm the AI assistant around here - I can do most things a human can, how can I help you today?"
Set the "Should we reveal that we are an AI agent?" toggle to "Proactively reveal that you're an AI".
This will set the tone for the conversation, put callers in the right mindset, and generally lead to better call outcomes for everyone involved.
Remember: the "competition" to your AI agent is voicemail, and "press 1 for X, 2 for Y". Against those, it's a 10x improvement. While an AI will outshine a human in certain tasks (works around the clock, consistency etc.), it's not at human level for naturalness (yet). The best way around this, which callers appreciate, is to just be upfront about it.
Some objections you might have:
"Callers will just hang up if they know it's an AI"
We have data from thousands of calls, and overwhelmingly, this just doesn't happen. They do hang up a lot if they originally think it's a human, and then come to find out because they find out mid-call that it's an AI because there was some weirdness in the conversational flow. Announcing it's an AI actually significantly reduces the hang up rate.
"Callers will get frustrated the AI can't do what they need it to do"
This is a much worse problem if they think it's a human to begin with.
"Callers might immediately want to speak to a human"
Again, much worse if they think they have a human on the line to begin with. If they know it's an AI and they need to speak to a human, you can set up a call transfer so they actually do get what they need.
"This might make the company sound impersonal or robotic"
Remember, the competition here is voicemail, and "press 1 for X, 2 for Y". Against those, it's far less impersonal - as long as they don't feel duped.
Use each Agent Training section for it's own purpose
To ensure your Hooroo AI is set up correctly, use each section for its specific purpose.
For example, the AI uses "FAQs" to answer questions, and "Message Questions" to know what information to gather when it's taking a message to pass on.
If you want a specific action to happen, like transferring a call or sending a text link, you must use the relevant section, like Call Transfers or Text Links. For example, don't put "Sure, I'll transfer you" as an answer in the FAQs section, even if it is technically an answer to a question. The AI will say it, but the transfer won't happen since it's not in the transfers section.
Be detailed but concise
Keeping your content brief is crucial for two reasons:
A better caller experience: Callers don't want to listen to a long-winded AI. Short, direct answers are more efficient and less frustrating.
Faster AI performance: The less information the AI has to process, the sharper and more natural it sounds. Excess information creates unnecessary "brain load," which can cause lag and slow down the conversation.
The goal is to be as brief as possible while still including all the necessary details. This could show up as follows:
Business Descriptions: For example, don't include every customer review you've ever received. Instead, summarise them to capture the essence of your business. For example, "We have dozens of 5-star reviews and a great reputation for friendly staff and excellent customer service." Same idea, much less text.
FAQs: Keep answers short and to the point. Give the caller the information they need without unnecessary details.
Message Questions: Only ask for crucial information like a name and phone number. Asking too many questions can frustrate callers who just want a quick call back.
Following these recommendations helps you set up your Hooroo AI for the best possible results. By clearly identifying the AI, using each section for its specific purpose, and keeping your content concise, you ensure the AI works efficiently and provides a fast, natural, and helpful experience for every caller.
Last updated