In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the Talk Block in Phonely and demonstrate how to link talk blocks together to create powerful, automated workflows. The talk block is Phonely’s most important block.

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What is it?

Think of talk blocks as prompt blocks. Prompts are essentially a set of instructions or questions you give to an AI. Think of them as your AI’s to-do list! The prompt tells the AI what to do and what information to gather. They provide a structured way to interact with AI models, enabling fine-grained control over conversational flow within the platform.

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Steps for Creating an Effective Block

  1. Navigate to your workflow in the Agent Design tab.
  2. Select the (+) node below the Start Flow block to add a block.
  3. Choose “Talk Block” to add it.
  4. Enter your desired conversation prompt for the AI agent.
  5. Click “Generate with AI” to ensure proper formatting for the agent.
  6. Optionally, adjust exit conditions or variables as needed.
Talk Block Example

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What are Exit Conditions?

Exit conditions are the rules that determine when a caller should be moved out of a specific Talk Block and progress to the next block in your workflow. Think of them as the criteria Phonely uses to decide, “Okay, the AI has done what it needs to do in this step, let’s move on to the next.” Here’s a breakdown of why Exit Conditions are important and how they work: • Guiding the Conversation Flow - Exit conditions are crucial for creating dynamic and logical call flows. They ensure the conversation doesn’t get stuck in one step and moves towards the desired outcome (e.g., scheduling an appointment, gathering information, transferring to a human). • Triggering the Next Action - When an exit condition is met, it signals to Phonely to activate the connected block in your workflow. This could be another Talk Block, a Transfer Call block, an End Call block, or any other available block. • Based on Caller Input or AI Actions - Exit conditions can be based on various factors, such as:
  • Keywords or Phrases: The caller says a specific word or phrase (e.g., “Yes, schedule it,” “I need support”).
  • Confirmation: The AI asks a question and the caller provides a confirming answer.
  • No Match/Fallback: The caller’s response doesn’t match any expected input within a certain number of attempts.
  • Timeouts: A certain amount of time passes without any input from the caller.
  • Variable Values: A specific piece of information (a variable) has been successfully captured (e.g., the caller’s email address).
• Customization - You have the flexibility to define and adjust exit conditions within each Talk Block to precisely control how your AI agent interacts with callers and progresses through the workflow. In essence, Exit Conditions are the traffic signals for your automated phone conversations, ensuring a smooth and efficient journey for every caller. By carefully configuring exit conditions, you can create sophisticated workflows that handle a wide range of scenarios. In the next sections, we’ll explore the different types of exit conditions available in Phonely and how to effectively implement them in your Talk Blocks.

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What are Variables?

Variables in Phonely are like containers that store information during a phone call. Think of them as temporary digital sticky notes that your Phonely agent can write on, read, and update as the conversation progresses. This allows you to capture and reuse important details throughout the call flow, making your automated conversations more dynamic and personalized. Here’s why Variables are essential and how they work: • Capturing Information - Variables allow you to store information provided by the caller (e.g., their name, phone number, reason for calling, appointment preferences) or information generated by the AI (e.g., a confirmation code, a scheduled date and time). • Personalizing the Conversation - Once information is stored in a variable, you can use it in subsequent blocks to personalize the interaction. For example, you can address the caller by name or confirm the specific appointment time they requested. • Passing Information Between Blocks - Variables act as a bridge, allowing you to carry information gathered in one Talk Block to another block in your workflow. This ensures context is maintained throughout the call. • Examples of Variable Use:
  • Storing the caller’s name in a variable called caller_name so your agent can say, “Hello, [caller_name]!”
  • Capturing the reason for the call in a variable called reason_for_call and using it to route the call appropriately.
  • Saving the selected appointment date and time in variables like appointment_date and appointment_time for confirmation.
Variables give you significant flexibility in designing complex and intelligent call flows. By strategically using variables, you can create automated conversations that feel more natural and cater to individual caller needs. In the upcoming sections, we’ll delve deeper into how to create, assign values to, and utilize variables within your Phonely workflows to build even more powerful and efficient AI agents.