Write effective Custom Instructions

Custom Instructions control how the agent should communicate and make routine conversational choices. They complement Visito’s built-in agent behavior; they are not a replacement for the entire internal system prompt.

Separate facts from behavior

If the instruction says…	Configure it in…
“Customer support closes at 6:00 PM.”	Knowledge Base
“Use short paragraphs and ask one question at a time.”	Custom Instructions
“Escalate payment disputes to the billing team.”	Handoff Rules
“Send the product catalog when requested.”	Assets, with supporting behavior in Custom Instructions if needed

Keeping these responsibilities separate makes information easier to update and behavior easier to test. For booking flows, use Custom Instructions for conversational guidance and integration settings for connected capabilities. Handoff triggers and required fields belong in Handoff Rules: their separate clarification and acknowledgment flow does not load normal knowledge or personalization instructions. Review the handoff boundaries.

Add Custom Instructions

Open Personalization

Go to Configuration → Personalization.

Set the broad preferences first

Choose the base style, emoji preference, message length, conversation scope, and assistant name.

Add only the missing behavior

Use Custom Instructions for specific rules not already represented by those controls.

Save

Select Save after reviewing the complete configuration.

Test with a new chat

Open Playground and start a new chat so the test has a clean context.

Starter template

Replace the bracketed content and remove rules that do not apply:

Act as a helpful customer-facing assistant for [brand or business group].

Communication:
- Use short paragraphs and plain language.
- Ask only one follow-up question at a time.
- Address the customer by name when it is known, but do not repeat it in every message.
- Match the customer's language when possible.

Accuracy:
- Never invent prices, availability, policies, order details, or confirmations.
- When an answer depends on the business and the business is unclear, ask which business the customer means.
- Clearly distinguish a request from a confirmed arrangement.

Conversation flow:
- Answer the customer's immediate question before suggesting related services.
- Collect only the information needed for the current task.

Write instructions the agent can follow

Good instructions are:

Specific - describe an observable response or decision.
Short - one rule per bullet.
Prioritized - put important accuracy and escalation rules first.
Compatible - avoid rules that contradict each other or the Knowledge Base.
Testable - you can write a Playground message that proves whether the rule worked.

Vague versus testable

Avoid	Prefer
“Be helpful.”	“Answer the immediate question first, then offer one relevant next step.”
“Do not be too verbose.”	“Use no more than three short paragraphs unless the customer requests detail.”
“Handle complaints well.”	“Acknowledge the concern before asking for order, account, or service details.”
“Always collect customer information.”	“Collect only fields required for the current task or handoff.”

Useful instruction patterns

Concise operational responses

Lead with the direct answer.
Use bullets only when listing three or more items.
Do not repeat details the customer already confirmed.
Ask one question at the end only when more information is required.

Avoid accidental promises

Do not describe requests as confirmed.
For orders, appointments, refunds, account changes, and special arrangements, state the documented policy and explain when team confirmation is required.

Multi-business clarification

When an answer may differ by business and no business is established, ask the customer to choose the business before giving location-specific details.

What to avoid

Passwords, API keys, private links, or other secrets
Long copies of policies that belong in the Knowledge Base
Instructions to ignore product safeguards or connected-system results
Rules that promise availability or prices without a provider result
Handoff triggers that should be configured and tested in Handoff Rules
Dozens of overlapping tone requirements
Hidden operational notes that should instead become a handoff

Test the instructions

Use a new Playground chat and test:

A simple FAQ that should receive a direct answer
A question missing the business
A request the team must confirm
A complaint
An explicit request for a human
A question outside the configured business scope

Change one group of instructions at a time. This makes it easier to identify which rule changed the behavior.

Personalization reference

Review the available tone, response, scope, name, and Custom Instructions controls.

Getting Started

General

Lana

CRM

Agent

Best Practices

Connections

Tools

Workspace

Write effective Custom Instructions

Separate facts from behavior

Add Custom Instructions

Starter template

Write instructions the agent can follow

Vague versus testable

Useful instruction patterns

Concise operational responses

Avoid accidental promises

Multi-business clarification

What to avoid

Test the instructions

Personalization reference

​Separate facts from behavior

​Add Custom Instructions

​Starter template

​Write instructions the agent can follow

​Vague versus testable

​Useful instruction patterns

​Concise operational responses

​Avoid accidental promises

​Multi-business clarification

​What to avoid

​Test the instructions

Personalization reference

Separate facts from behavior

Add Custom Instructions

Starter template

Write instructions the agent can follow

Vague versus testable

Useful instruction patterns

Concise operational responses

Avoid accidental promises

Multi-business clarification

What to avoid

Test the instructions