Building smarter voice applications

Gone are the days of clunky and robotic IVRs. With SignalWire's new AI Agent, you can create AI voice applications that are not only smarter, but also simulate natural human conversations.

Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR) have long been a staple of customer support operations and business communication. However, a traditional IVR can leave users frustrated due to their limited responses and lack of contextual understanding. The interactions can be robotic and rigid, leading to customer dissatisfaction and inefficiencies in resolving issues.

SignalWire's AI voice agent changes the game by infusing voice applications with the power of OpenAI. Now you can build a voice application that can comprehend user intent, context, and preferences, for more natural and intuitive interactions.

This virtual assistant opens up a world of possibilities for building smarter voice applications. By integrating with OpenAI, the AI Agent can process vast amounts of data and learn from every user interaction. This constant learning loop enables the agent to improve over time, offering users increasingly accurate and personalized responses.

For example, a customer service line for an HVAC business can use the AI Agent to improve customer query management. The AI voice assistant collects user information and determines if and when to connect to a human agent.

Powered by conversational AI, the agent can extract essential information from customer queries. This allows it to direct callers to the appropriate resources, and even predict their potential needs based on previous interactions.

Demo: Training an HVAC AI Agent

What’s it actually like to use the SignalWire AI Agent to act as a virtual assistant or AI receptionist for your business? It mostly involves writing detailed instructions in plain language. When writing a prompt for your AI Agent, use clear and specific instructions to ensure they follow protocol.

An AI Agent knows everything and nothing - your prompt is what drives them. You have to sit down and write the prompt very specifically, with no detail left behind. You can also provide them with parameters for what they should not discuss.

To see how an AI-powered virtual assistant works, you can listen to this call recording for an HVAC company. In this example, SignalWire’s Head of Developer Experience, Brian West, provides some unconventional details about his HVAC unit issue. This showcases just how well the agent, Rachael, separates the nonsense from the real logic behind customer service interactions.

Rachael asks routine questions and makes note of Brian’s information to report to a technician after the call. She is able to respond to the context of the conversation in a logical way, despite the unusual details.

“The oompa loompas broke it and chocolate is melting everywhere,” Brian tells her, after introducing himself as Willy Wonka.

“I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the oompa loompas. It sounds like there's a serious issue with your HVAC unit, and the chocolate melting everywhere must be quite a mess!” she responds.

Want to call her yourself and see how she works? Talk to Rachael at +1 (405) 289-4822. Let her know you’re having issues with your air conditioner or heating, and find out how she responds. See how she’ll work through the information you give her, whether it involves typical HVAC issues or not.

To see how Brian achieved this, check out the prompt he wrote to train Rachael below.

Revolutionize your customer support operations

One of the most remarkable aspects of SignalWire's AI Agent is its ability to simulate natural and human-like conversations. Unlike traditional IVRs with pre-recorded responses, the AI Agent dynamically generates responses based on context and user behavior.

Customer support is a critical aspect of any business, and AI is a game-changer in this domain. By offering more personalized and context-aware support, the AI Agent can reduce the need for human intervention in routine queries. Human agents can focus on resolving complex issues, resulting in faster response times and more efficient support processes.

Beyond traditional customer support, the SignalWire AI Agent's capabilities extend to various industries and applications. It can do many routine tasks, like helping users with complex procedures, translating languages, and scheduling appointments. Its versatility is unmatched.

Want to build your own AI virtual agent? Create one today by signing up for a SignalWire Space, and join our Slack community or our brand new Discord if you need any assistance.