Writing direct instructions to the agent

Standing instructions that apply across procedures. Useful for rules that hold everywhere, and easy to overload.

Standing instructions that apply across procedures. Useful for rules that hold everywhere, and easy to overload.

Write them

1. Open the auto assist settings.
2. Add the instructions that apply to everything.
3. Keep them short and specific.
4. Save, then check the effect on an existing procedure.

What belongs here

• Rules that hold everywhere. Never promise a delivery date that has not been checked.
• House style. Address the customer informally, keep replies short.
• Escalation triggers. Anything mentioning legal action goes straight to a manager.

What does not

Anything specific to one case. That belongs in the procedure for that case, where it can be read in context and changed by the person who owns it.

Standing instructions are read every time, so each one you add dilutes the others.

Keep it to a handful

Five or six lines. A page of standing instructions means none of them are prominent, and the ones that matter most get lost among the ones somebody added for a single incident.

Prohibitions work better than aspirations

"Never state a refund amount" is followed. "Be careful with financial information" is interpreted, and the interpretation will be more helpful than you intended.

Check they do not contradict a procedure

A standing instruction saying always offer a call, and a procedure saying resolve in writing, produces inconsistent behaviour that is hard to trace. Read both together after any change here.

Review them when something goes wrong

Most instructions get added after an incident. That is reasonable, and it means the list needs pruning occasionally, because the incident is long past and the line remains.

See also

• Writing a procedure
• Setting communication guidelines so AI writes in your tone
• Viewing and managing procedures