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Creating an Agent

The agent builder is where you configure everything about your AI assistant -- from its name and personality to the model it uses and the channels it operates on. You can have a working agent ready in minutes.

Video Walkthrough

Watch: Quick Overview: Build Your First AI Voice Agent in Minutes — 0:41–2:00

Opening the Agent Builder​

Opening the Agent Builder

Navigate to the Agents tab in your Votel dashboard and click Create Agent. This opens the agent builder, where you will walk through each configuration step.

Naming Your Agent​

Naming Your Agent

Give your agent a clear, descriptive name. This name is used internally to identify the agent across your dashboard, logs, and activity feed. Choose something that reflects the agent's role, such as "Sales Assistant" or "Support Line."

Selecting an Agent Type​

Choose the type that matches your use case:

  • Inbound -- for answering incoming calls and messages
  • Outbound -- for making calls and running campaigns
  • Support -- for handling customer service conversations
  • Sales -- for qualifying leads and booking appointments

Writing the System Prompt​

The system prompt is the most important part of your agent. It tells the AI who it is, how to behave, and what to do. The prompt editor is divided into four sections:

Identity​

Define who your agent is. Include the agent's name, role, company, and what it does. This is the foundation that shapes every response.

Example: "You are Sarah, a customer support specialist at Acme Corp. You help customers with billing questions, account changes, and product information."

Style​

Set how the agent communicates. Specify tone (friendly, professional, casual), sentence length, and any language preferences.

Example: "Speak in a warm, professional tone. Keep responses concise. Avoid jargon."

Guidelines​

Establish rules and boundaries. Define what the agent should and should not do, how to handle edge cases, and when to escalate to a human.

Example: "Never discuss competitor products. If the customer asks about pricing above the Enterprise tier, transfer to a human agent."

FAQs​

Add common questions and their correct answers. This gives the agent ready-made responses for frequent topics, improving accuracy and consistency.

Example: "Q: What are your business hours? A: We are open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern."

Using Templates​

If you want a head start, browse the template gallery. Templates provide pre-built system prompts for common use cases like appointment booking, lead qualification, and customer support. Select a template, then customize it to fit your business.

Saving and Publishing​

Saving and Publishing

Once your agent is configured:

  1. Click Save to store your changes as a draft
  2. Review all settings across each tab (prompt, model, voice, channels)
  3. Click Publish to make the agent live

Published agents are immediately active on their assigned channels. You can edit and republish at any time without downtime.

Next Steps​