Your First Agent
This tutorial walks you through creating, configuring, and testing your first AI voice agent. By the end, you'll have a working agent that can answer questions about your business.
What We'll Build
A basic customer service agent that:
- Greets callers professionally
- Answers questions using your business information
- Provides business hours and contact details
- Knows when to transfer to a human
Estimated time: 15-20 minutes
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have:
- Created your Hanc.AI account (Account Setup)
- Logged into the platform
- Basic information about your business ready
Step 1: Create a New Agent
1.1 Navigate to Voice Agents
- Click "Voice Agents" in the left sidebar
- You'll see an empty list (or existing agents if you have any)
1.2 Start Agent Creation
Click the "Create voice agent" button (usually top-right or center of page).
1.3 Choose a Template
A template selection screen appears with pre-configured options:
| Template | Best For |
|---|---|
| Customer Service | General customer support, FAQs |
| Appointment Booking | Scheduling and calendar management |
| Sales | Lead qualification, product inquiries |
| Reception | Call routing, basic information |
| Custom | Start from scratch |
For this tutorial: Select "Customer Service" template.
Templates include pre-written prompts and settings optimized for specific use cases. You can always customize everything later.
1.4 Basic Agent Information
Fill in the basic details:
Agent Name:
Reception Assistant
Give your agent a memorable name. This appears in your dashboard.
Description (optional):
Handles incoming customer calls, answers FAQs, and provides business information.
Click "Create" to proceed.
Step 2: Configure Agent Settings
After creation, you're taken to the agent configuration page. This has several sections.
2.1 Model Settings
This controls the AI "brain" of your agent.
First Message
This is what your agent says immediately when answering a call:
Hello! Thank you for calling [Your Business Name]. This is your virtual assistant. How can I help you today?
Example for a dental clinic:
Hello! Thank you for calling Smile Dental Clinic. This is your virtual assistant. How can I help you today?
- Keep it short (under 15 seconds when spoken)
- State the business name
- Ask how you can help
- Sound welcoming but professional
Agent Prompt
The prompt is the most important part — it defines your agent's personality and behavior.
Basic prompt structure:
## Role
You are a friendly virtual assistant for [Business Name].
You help customers with questions about our services, hours, and booking appointments.
## Communication Style
- Speak clearly and concisely
- Be polite and professional
- Keep responses short (1-3 sentences when possible)
- Ask one question at a time
## Key Information
- Business: [Your Business Name]
- Location: [Your Address]
- Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm, Closed Sunday
- Phone: [Your Phone Number]
- Services: [List your main services]
## Important Rules
1. Only provide information you know for certain
2. If you don't know something, say "I don't have that information, but I can connect you with our team"
3. Never make up prices, availability, or other specific details
4. Transfer to a human if the customer is upset or has a complex issue
## Handling Unknown Questions
If asked something you don't know, respond:
"I don't have that specific information available. Would you like me to transfer you to one of our team members who can help?"
Always include the instruction: "Never make up information." This prevents the AI from inventing false details about your business.
Knowledge Base
Select a knowledge base to connect (we'll create one in the next step if you don't have one).
For now, leave this empty — we'll connect it after uploading documents.
Provider & Model
Choose your AI provider and model:
| Provider | Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT-4o | Best overall quality, recommended |
| OpenAI | GPT-4o-mini | Faster, good for simple tasks |
| Anthropic | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Excellent reasoning |
Recommended: OpenAI GPT-4o for your first agent.
2.2 Voice Settings
Configure how your agent sounds.
Language
Select the primary language your agent will speak:
- English
- German (Deutsch)
- French
- Spanish
- And more...
Voice
Choose a voice that matches your brand:
Options typically include:
- Male/Female voices
- Different accents
- Varying ages and styles
Tip: Test a few voices to find one that fits your business personality.
2.3 Save Settings
Click "Save" or "Update" to save your configuration.
Some changes save automatically. Look for "Saved" confirmation.
Step 3: Create a Knowledge Base (Optional but Recommended)
For your agent to answer specific questions about your business, it needs information.
3.1 Navigate to Knowledge Base
Click "Knowledge Base" in the sidebar.
3.2 Create New Knowledge Base
Click "Create" button.
3.3 Name Your Knowledge Base
Main Business Information
3.4 Upload Documents
Prepare a document with your business information. Here's a simple template:
# [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] - Information Guide
## About Us
[Brief description of your business - 2-3 sentences]
## Services and Prices
- [Service 1]: [Price]
- [Service 2]: [Price]
- [Service 3]: [Price]
[Add all your services]
## Business Hours
Monday: [hours]
Tuesday: [hours]
Wednesday: [hours]
Thursday: [hours]
Friday: [hours]
Saturday: [hours]
Sunday: [hours/closed]
Holidays: [policy]
## Location
Address: [full address]
Directions: [how to find you]
Parking: [parking information]
## Contact
Phone: [number]
Email: [email]
Website: [website]
## Frequently Asked Questions
Q: [Common question 1]
A: [Answer]
Q: [Common question 2]
A: [Answer]
Q: [Common question 3]
A: [Answer]
## Policies
[Cancellation policy]
[Payment methods]
[Any other policies]
File formats accepted: .txt, .md, .docx, .pdf
3.5 Upload the File
- Click the upload area or drag your file
- Wait for processing to complete
- Verify the upload was successful
3.6 Connect to Your Agent
- Go back to Voice Agents
- Click on your agent
- Find "Knowledge Base" setting
- Select your newly created knowledge base
- Save changes
Step 4: Test Your Agent
Now let's see your agent in action!
4.1 Open Test Mode
- Find your agent in the Voice Agents list
- Click "Talk to agent" or the test/call button
4.2 Allow Microphone Access
Your browser will ask for microphone permission. Click "Allow".
4.3 Start Talking
The agent will speak its first message. Then try these test scenarios:
Test 1: Basic greeting
- Wait for the agent's greeting
- Say: "Hello"
- Agent should respond naturally
Test 2: Business hours
- Say: "What are your opening hours?"
- Agent should provide your hours from the knowledge base
Test 3: Service question
- Say: "What services do you offer?"
- Agent should list your services
Test 4: Price question
- Say: "How much does [your service] cost?"
- Agent should give the price if in knowledge base
Test 5: Unknown question
- Say: "What is the meaning of life?"
- Agent should politely say it doesn't have that information
4.4 End the Test
Click "End call" or close the test window when done.
Step 5: Refine Your Agent
Based on testing, you may want to improve:
Common Issues and Fixes
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Agent talks too much | Add to prompt: "Keep responses to 1-2 sentences" |
| Agent too formal | Adjust prompt tone: "Be friendly and conversational" |
| Agent doesn't know info | Check knowledge base has the information |
| Agent makes things up | Emphasize in prompt: "NEVER invent information" |
| Wrong language | Check Language setting matches your needs |
| Voice too fast/slow | Adjust voice speed settings |
Iterate and Improve
- Test → Identify issues → Adjust prompt/settings → Test again
- Add more FAQ to knowledge base based on test calls
- Refine the prompt based on real conversations
Step 6: Deploy Your Agent (Optional)
Once satisfied with testing, you can deploy your agent:
Option A: Connect a Phone Number
- Go to Phone Numbers
- Buy a number or connect from Twilio
- Assign your agent to the number
- Calls to that number are now handled by your agent
Option B: Add Website Widget
- Go to your agent settings
- Find Widget section
- Copy the embed code
- Add to your website
Checklist: Is Your Agent Ready?
Before going live, verify:
- First message is clear and welcoming
- Prompt defines behavior correctly
- Knowledge base has accurate information
- Agent handles common questions well
- Agent admits when it doesn't know something
- Voice sounds appropriate for your brand
- Language is set correctly
- Test calls produce good results
What's Next?
Congratulations! You've created your first voice agent.
Continue learning:
- Voice Agents Deep Dive — Advanced agent configuration
- Knowledge Base Best Practices — Create better knowledge bases
- Phone Numbers — Connect real phone numbers
- Templates — Ready-to-use prompts and configurations
Troubleshooting
Agent won't start test call
- Check browser microphone permissions
- Try a different browser
- Ensure stable internet connection
Agent doesn't respond
- Wait a few seconds — there may be processing delay
- Speak clearly and not too fast
- Check the agent is not paused/inactive
Agent gives wrong information
- Verify knowledge base content is correct
- Check knowledge base is connected to agent
- Review the prompt for conflicting instructions
Voice quality is poor
- Check your internet connection
- Try a different voice
- Reduce background noise
Need Help?
- Review Troubleshooting Guide
- Contact support@hanc.ai