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Role Overview & Understanding

Learn what assistant roles are, why they matter, and how they work with your assistant and knowledge sources.

What are Assistant Roles?​

Assistant roles define what your assistant knows and how it behaves in different communication channels(web, phone, etc.). Roles are like specialized expertise that an assistant uses to drive conversations. A role consists of knowledge sources, behavior guidelines, task permissions, and a communication style. These elements work together to inform how the assistant should act and respond

A role contains:

  • Knowledge Sources - What information your assistant can access
  • Behavior Guidelines - How your assistant should act and respond
  • Task Permissions - What actions your assistant can perform
  • Communication Style - The tone and approach for responses

Why Assistant Roles Matter​

Intelligent Context Switching​

Your assistant automatically uses the right role for each situation:

  • Customer calls about billing → Uses Billing Role with account information
  • Website visitor asks about products → Uses Sales Role with product details
  • Support ticket needs help → Uses Support Role with troubleshooting guides

Specialized Knowledge Without Complexity​

Instead of overwhelming your assistant with all information at once, roles provide:

  • Focused expertise for specific conversation types
  • Relevant responses based on the customer's actual needs
  • Organized knowledge that's easy to manage and update

How Roles Work with Your System​

Role Architecture Overview

The Three-Tier Architecture​

1. Knowledge Sources (Raw Information)

  • Documents, websites, FAQs, and data you upload
  • The foundation of what your assistant can know
  • Examples: Company FAQ.pdf, Product Guide.docx, Website Content

2. Assistant Roles (Behavior Rules)

  • Define how to use the knowledge sources
  • Set guidelines for different types of conversations
  • Examples: Customer Support Role, Sales Assistant Role

3. Your Assistant (Customer Experience)

  • Uses different roles for different situations
  • Maintains consistent personality across all interactions
  • Provides intelligent, context-aware responses

How It Works in Practice​

Same Assistant, Multiple Expertise Areas:

  • Morning: Uses Sales Role to help website visitors learn about products
  • Afternoon: Switches to Support Role for customer service calls
  • Evening: Uses Billing Role to answer account questions via SMS

Customer Experience:

  • Always talks to the same familiar assistant personality
  • Gets responses tailored to their specific needs
  • Experiences seamless transitions between different topics

Benefits of Using Roles vs Creating Multiple Assistants​

Roles vs Multiple Assistants

Why Roles Are Better​

Consistent Customer Experience:

  • Same assistant personality across all channels and topics
  • Customers build familiarity with your assistant
  • No confusion from different assistant behaviors

Simple Management:

  • One assistant to configure and maintain
  • Single dashboard for all interactions
  • Unified analytics and performance monitoring

Efficient Organization:

  • Organized knowledge areas without duplication
  • Streamlined updates and maintenance
  • Reduced complexity for your team

Easy to Scale:

  • Add new roles without creating new assistants
  • Expand knowledge areas seamlessly
  • Quick updates apply across all interactions

When Multiple Assistants Make Sense​

Rare situations where you might need separate assistants:

  • Different Languages - Separate assistants for English vs Spanish customers
  • Completely Different Personalities - Formal business vs casual consumer brands
  • Technical Requirements - Specialized voice-only or text-only systems

For most businesses: One assistant with multiple roles is the optimal approach.

Real-World Role Examples​

E-commerce Business​

One Assistant: "CustomerCare"

  • Sales Role - Product information, pricing, availability
  • Support Role - Order status, returns, troubleshooting
  • Billing Role - Payment questions, account management

Customer Experience:

  • Same friendly "CustomerCare" personality everywhere
  • Specialized knowledge based on what customer needs
  • Seamless help across shopping, support, and billing

Professional Services​

One Assistant: "Assistant"

  • Appointment Role - Scheduling, calendar management
  • Information Role - Service descriptions, company details
  • Support Role - Account questions, general assistance

Customer Experience:

  • Professional, consistent interaction style
  • Appropriate expertise for each type of inquiry
  • Efficient handling of diverse customer needs

How Roles Transform Raw Information​

Without Roles​

  • Assistant has access to all information at once
  • Responses may be overwhelming or irrelevant
  • Difficult to provide focused, contextual help

With Roles​

  • Focused Knowledge - Only relevant information for the situation
  • Contextual Responses - Answers tailored to customer's actual needs
  • Organized Expertise - Clear specialization areas for better help

Example Transformation​

Raw Knowledge Source: 50-page company manual covering products, policies, and procedures

With Roles:

  • Sales Role - Accesses product sections, pricing, features
  • Support Role - Accesses troubleshooting, policies, procedures
  • Billing Role - Accesses payment policies, account procedures

Result: Customer gets precisely the right information without being overwhelmed.

Role Flexibility and Power​

Knowledge Combinations​

Roles can:

  • Share knowledge sources when topics overlap
  • Have unique information for specialized areas
  • Be updated independently without affecting others
  • Scale up or down based on business needs

Getting Started with Roles​

Essential First Steps​

  1. Identify Your Main Customer Needs - What do customers typically ask about?
  2. Group Similar Topics - Which questions need similar knowledge?
  3. Plan Your First Roles - Start with 2-3 basic roles
  4. Prepare Knowledge Sources - Gather information for each role area

For Most Businesses:

  • General Support - FAQs, basic help, company information
  • Product/Service Info - Details about what you offer
  • Account/Billing - Customer account questions and billing

Build From There:

  • Add specialized roles based on actual customer interactions
  • Expand knowledge sources as you discover gaps
  • Refine behavior guidelines based on feedback

Key Takeaways​

Roles Are Essential:

  • Transform raw information into intelligent, contextual responses
  • Enable one assistant to handle diverse customer needs effectively
  • Provide the foundation for scalable, intelligent customer service

Architecture Matters:

  • Knowledge Sources → Roles → Assistant creates powerful, flexible system
  • Each layer serves a specific purpose in delivering great customer experience
  • Proper setup ensures optimal performance and easy management

Start Simple, Scale Smart:

  • Begin with basic roles covering your main customer needs
  • Add complexity gradually based on real usage patterns
  • Focus on customer value over technical sophistication

Ready to create your first role? Understanding this foundation will help you design roles that truly serve your customers and business needs effectively.