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Quick Start: Build Your First Agent

This guide walks you through creating a working AI voice agent in about 5 minutes. By the end, you will have an agent that can hold a real conversation and you will have tested it live.

Video Walkthrough

Watch: Quick Overview: Build Your First AI Voice Agent in Minutes — 0:00–2:43

Step 1: Create Your Agent​

From the Agents page, click Create Agent. Give it a name (for example, "Front Desk" or "Lead Qualifier") and select the agent type that matches your use case.

The name is internal — your customers will not see it. Pick something that helps your team identify what this agent does.

Step 2: Write a System Prompt​

The system prompt tells your agent who it is, how it should behave, and what it knows. A good system prompt covers four areas:

  • Identity — Who is the agent? ("You are Sarah, a receptionist at Acme Dental.")
  • Style — How should it sound? (Friendly, professional, concise.)
  • Guidelines — What should it do and not do? (Always confirm the spelling of a name. Never provide medical advice.)
  • FAQs — What questions will callers ask? (Office hours, pricing, location, services offered.)

Start simple. You can refine the prompt later as you test and learn what callers actually ask.

Step 3: Pick an AI Model​

Choose the language model that powers your agent's reasoning. For most use cases, GPT-4.1 Mini is the best starting point — it is fast, cost-effective, and handles typical business conversations well.

If your agent needs to handle complex multi-step tasks or nuanced conversations, you can upgrade to a larger model later.

Step 4: Select a Voice​

Pick the voice your agent will use when speaking to callers. Votel supports voices from three providers:

  • Cartesia — Low-latency voices optimized for real-time conversation.
  • OpenAI — High-quality voices with natural intonation.
  • ElevenLabs — A large library of voices with fine-grained customization.

Preview a few options and choose one that fits your brand. You can change the voice at any time without affecting anything else.

Step 5: Test It Live​

Click the Test button to open the built-in test panel. This lets you have a live conversation with your agent right in the browser — no phone number required.

Try a few scenarios:

  • Ask a question your customers commonly ask.
  • Give a vague or unexpected response to see how the agent handles it.
  • Test edge cases like asking to speak to a human.

If something does not sound right, go back and adjust your system prompt, then test again.

Next Steps​