Figures reported for the project
The original project page reported the following operating figures. They refer to the configuration built for this call center; they are not performance guarantees for every voice agent.
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| About 30 seconds | From an online enquiry to the start of the first call. |
| 5–8 calls | Conversations handled at the same time. |
| More than 1,000 contacts | Contacts handled in production. |
| −70% | Reduction in screening work for operators, as reported by Yempik. |
A clear sales task before handing over to an operator
The starting point was someone who had submitted an enquiry through an online campaign. The team needed to call them back, check whether they were still interested, and collect the information needed for the next step.
The project involved more than placing a call. During the first contact, people might ask about products or prices, or raise sales objections. The agent had to address those questions while staying consistent with the offer and the purpose of the call.
The operator continued the sales conversation. A useful handoff depended in part on the information gathered beforehand: a well-delivered call helps little if the person taking over has to start again from scratch.
Prices needed to come from a defined source
Products and prices had already been defined. We therefore set up a structure from which agents could retrieve commercial information, instead of relying on the model’s generation alone.
The principle is to separate what an agent can explain from what it can offer. The model can phrase an explanation; the product, price, and terms must match the available offer.
This constraint changes how the conversation is designed. If the agent lacks information needed to give a price, it should ask for it or pass the question on. A plausible figure is not enough: it has to be the one that applies to the situation.
The same choice matters in other sectors. An agent for a distributor, a hotel, or a professional service should retrieve terms from the designated source, without turning a plausible answer into an invented offer.
A sales script gives the conversation direction
We provided the agents with sales scripts. They needed a guide for opening the first conversation, presenting the offer, and collecting the required information in a way that remained easy to follow.
A script for a voice agent also requires decisions about the sequence: which questions to ask first, when to explore a point, and when to stop. Putting a long sales text in the prompt is not enough to define those choices.
For a similar system, it helps to distinguish three things: information that must not change, the order of the questions, and wording that can adapt to the person’s answers.
| Element | What it needs to define |
|---|---|
| Sales information | Products, prices, and terms retrieved from the designated source. |
| Call outline | The goal, useful questions, and transition to the next step. |
| Wording | How to explain and ask follow-up questions without changing the offer. |
Handling an objection means more than repeating the offer
Part of the work focused on handling sales objections. The agent needed to keep the conversation on track when a person did not follow the script’s ideal path.
A concern about price, a request for time to think, and a lack of interest call for different responses. These are examples of situations to consider in the design: clarifying a term is not the same as pushing after a refusal.
The response has to stay within the boundaries of the offer. An objection cannot be overcome by inventing a discount, a term, or a benefit. The agent should instead work out whether information is missing, an operator should step in, or the conversation should end.
This work applies to commercial agents in any sector: before optimising how much an agent can say, define what it may promise and when it should make room for a person.
Voice is part of how the agent behaves
We put substantial work into voice quality. What the agent says and how it says it arrive together: a correct explanation can be hard to follow if the pace is wrong or prices and terms are unclear.
In a sales conversation, it is useful to listen closely to the sensitive moments: the opening, a follow-up question, a price explanation, and a response to an objection. Voice should be assessed in dialogue, not just through a demo sentence.
Useful checks include whether numbers and names are clear, answer length, pauses, response time, and what happens when the person interrupts. These should be reviewed alongside the sales content: a pleasant voice alone does not make an agent reliable.
How the parts of the system fit together
The project joined an initial trigger, a sales conversation, and a handoff to a person. The price list and script were not finishing touches; they helped define what the agent needed to do during the call.
- The person submits an online enquiry and the callback starts.
- The agent opens the conversation and checks the person’s interest.
- Products and prices are retrieved from the prepared structure.
- The script guides the questions; objection handling helps address answers outside the ideal path.
- The operator receives the contact and the information gathered, then continues the conversation.
What to carry into a voice-agent project in another sector
The energy sector determines the products and terms of the offer. The design work described here addresses challenges shared by many commercial voice agents: accessing accurate information, following a conversation, responding to questions, and working with people.
A useful starting point is to gather the price list and sales rules, the scripts already in use, common objections, and the conditions for handing a conversation to an operator. These materials help define the agent’s behaviour before deciding how it should speak.
Then review the whole process. How long does the callback take? Is the information given accurate? Can the person make themselves understood? Does the operator receive what they need? These questions are more useful than judging only how human the voice sounds.