Your AI phone agent should know your business as well as your star employee does. It should handle questions confidently, represent your brand authentically, and close bookings like a pro. Here's exactly how to make that happen—in about 30 minutes.
The Goal: Your AI as Your Best Employee
Think about your best employee. What makes them great on the phone?
- They know your offerings inside and out
- They anticipate common questions
- They speak in your brand's voice
- They handle objections smoothly
- They guide callers toward booking
- They know when to escalate
Your AI agent can do all of this—but only if you train it properly. The quality of your training directly determines the quality of every customer interaction.
Step-by-Step Training Process
1 Document Your Core Information
Start with the essentials. Your AI needs to know:
- Business basics: Name, location, hours, contact info
- Products/services: Every offering, with descriptions and prices
- Availability rules: Capacity limits, blackout dates, seasonal changes
- Policies: Cancellation, refunds, rescheduling, deposits
- Logistics: What to bring, where to meet, parking, duration
💡 Pro Tip
Don't just list facts—write them as you'd say them on a call. "Our sunset tour departs at 5 PM and lasts about 2 hours" is better than "Sunset tour: 5 PM, 2 hrs."
2 Record Your Best Calls
The fastest way to train an AI is to show it examples. Spend one day recording your phone calls (with customer consent where required), then identify:
- 5-10 great calls that resulted in bookings
- Common questions and how you answered them
- Objections and how you overcame them
- Your natural greeting and closing style
Share these recordings during setup—they're gold for teaching the AI your authentic voice.
3 Build Your FAQ List
Write out every question customers ask, grouped by category. Be exhaustive—the more you include, the smarter your AI becomes.
Sample FAQ Categories
"Can we book for a group of 8?"
"What's your busiest time?"
"Do you offer discounts for kids?"
"Is there a deposit required?"
"What should we bring?"
"Is there parking available?"
"What if it rains?"
"Can we reschedule?"
4 Define Your Brand Voice
Your AI should sound like your business—not like a generic robot. Consider:
- Tone: Friendly and casual? Professional and polished? Adventurous and exciting?
- Energy level: Enthusiastic? Calm and reassuring? Energetic?
- Language: Industry terms you use? Phrases unique to your business?
- Personality: Sense of humor? Warm? Direct?
Voice Examples
5 Script Key Scenarios
Write out how you want the AI to handle critical moments:
- The greeting: First impression matters
- The booking pitch: How to guide toward a reservation
- Handling "I need to think about it": Gentle persistence
- The handoff: When and how to transfer to a human
- The close: Confirming details and saying goodbye
6 Set Escalation Rules
Your AI shouldn't try to handle everything. Define when it should transfer to a human:
- Complaints or upset customers
- Requests outside normal parameters
- Questions it can't answer confidently
- Special requests requiring judgment
- Emergency situations
⚠️ Important
It's better to transfer a call than give wrong information. Train your AI to say "Let me connect you with someone who can help with that specific question" rather than guess.
Advanced Training Techniques
Teach Industry-Specific Knowledge
The more domain expertise your AI has, the more credible it sounds. For a fishing charter, this might include:
- Common fish species in your area and when they're in season
- What different weather conditions mean for fishing
- Equipment terminology customers might use
- Local landmarks and geography
- Tides and their impact on fishing
This knowledge allows the AI to have natural conversations, not just answer direct questions.
Handle Objections Like a Pro
Train your AI with responses to common objections:
Objection Handling Examples
Create Conversation Flows
Map out how conversations should naturally progress:
- Greeting → Establish rapport and identify need
- Discovery → Ask about dates, group size, preferences
- Recommendation → Suggest the best option for their needs
- Address concerns → Handle questions and objections
- Close → Guide to booking or next step
- Confirm → Verify details and express excitement
The Training Checklist
Before You Go Live
Ongoing Optimization
Training isn't a one-time event. The best AI agents improve continuously:
Review Call Recordings Weekly
Listen to 5-10 calls each week. Look for questions the AI struggled with, opportunities it missed, or phrases that sounded awkward. Use these insights to refine training.
Update Seasonally
Your business changes throughout the year. Update your AI with:
- Current wildlife/conditions (for tours)
- Seasonal offerings and pricing
- Holiday schedules and special events
- New promotions or packages
Add New FAQs as They Arise
When you notice a new question coming up regularly, add it to the training immediately. The AI should get smarter over time, not stagnant.
Ready to Train Your AI Agent?
See how easy it is to create an AI that sounds like your best employee. Get a personalized demo for your industry.
Get Your Free DemoThe Bottom Line
Training an AI phone agent isn't complicated, but it does require intention. The 30 minutes you invest in proper training will pay dividends in every customer interaction.
Think of it this way: you'd never put a new employee on the phones without training them. Your AI agent deserves the same preparation—and with the right training, it can become your most consistent, knowledgeable, and tireless team member.