Core Design Principles
1
Keep It Simple
Rule of Thumb: If you can’t explain your flow in 30 seconds, it’s probably too complex.
- Limit decision points to 3-4 options maximum
- Use clear, conversational language
- Avoid technical jargon
- Provide obvious next steps
2
Before building your flow, clearly define:
- What is the primary goal of this conversation?
- What information do you need to collect?
- What action should the caller take?
- How will you know the call was successful?
3
Design for Real Conversations
Real phone conversations are dynamic and unpredictable. Design your flows to handle:
Interruptions
Callers may interrupt or ask questions at any time
Clarifications
People may need to repeat or clarify information
Emotional States
Callers may be frustrated, confused, or in a hurry
Technical Issues
Connection problems or background noise
Flow Structure Guidelines
Opening Strong - Your first 10 seconds determine the entire call experience Good Opening:“Hi! I’m your AI assistant from [Company]. I’m here to help you [specific purpose]. How can I assist you today?”Avoid:
“Welcome to our automated system. Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed…”
Logical Flow Progression - Structure your conversation in a logical sequence
1
Greeting & Purpose - Set expectations
2
Information Gathering - Collect what you need
3
Processing - Handle the request
4
Confirmation - Verify understanding
5
Next Steps - Clear action items
6
Closing - Professional ending
Effective Information Collection
1
Ask One Thing at a Time
Don’t overwhelm callers with multiple questions. Ask for one piece of information, wait for the response, then ask for the next.
2
Provide Context
Explain why you need the information: “I need your account number to look up your order status.”
3
Offer Alternatives
Give options when possible: “You can provide your account number or the phone number associated with your account.”
Error Handling
Graceful Degradation - Always provide fallback options when things don’t go as plannedWhen Information Isn't Clear
When Information Isn't Clear
- Ask for clarification: “I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat your account number?”
- Offer alternatives: “If you don’t have your account number, I can help you with your phone number instead.”
- Provide human assistance: “Let me connect you with a human agent who can help.”
When Systems Are Down
When Systems Are Down
- Acknowledge the issue: “I’m experiencing some technical difficulties right now.”
- Offer alternatives: “I can take your information and have someone call you back.”
- Provide contact information: “You can also reach us at [phone number] or [email].”
When Callers Are Frustrated
When Callers Are Frustrated
- Show empathy: “I understand this is frustrating.”
- Take responsibility: “I apologize for the confusion.”
- Offer solutions: “Let me try a different approach to help you.”
Language Guidelines
Use Natural, Conversational Language Good:- “I’d be happy to help you with that.”
- “Let me look that up for you.”
- “I understand you’re looking for…”
- “Please hold while I process your request.”
- “Invalid input detected.”
- “System error 404.”
- Professional Services: Formal, respectful, thorough
- Tech Companies: Friendly, efficient, helpful
- Healthcare: Caring, patient, clear
- Retail: Energetic, helpful, sales-focused
Testing
Testing Checklist - Before deploying your flow, test it with:Real users (not just your team
Different age groups and technical comfort levels
Various scenarios (happy path, edge cases, errors)
Different phone types and connection qualities
- Dead Ends: Can callers get stuck without options?
- Confusing Language: Are instructions clear to non-technical users?
- Missing Information: What happens when required data isn’t available?
- Long Waits: Are processing times reasonable?