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Tools & Actions

Give your AI assistant superpowers! Tools enable your assistant to actually DO things - book appointments, transfer calls, and take actions on behalf of your customers.

What Are Tools?​

Tools are actions your AI assistant can perform during a conversation. Think of them as capabilities that go beyond just answering questions.

Without tools, your assistant can:

  • Answer questions
  • Provide information
  • Have conversations

With tools, your assistant can:

  • ✅ Book real appointments in your scheduling system
  • ✅ Transfer calls to you or your team
  • ✅ Create customer records in your booking platform
  • ✅ Check real-time availability from your calendar
  • ✅ Send a text with a link or the details you agreed on the call
Start with Premium Integrations

The easiest way to add tools is through our premium integrations. They're pre-configured, tested, and require no technical setup - just connect your account!

Types of Tools​

What they are: Pre-built tools that connect to your existing business software.

Available integrations:

  • Acuity Scheduling - Professional appointment booking
  • Square Appointments - Bookings, with an optional payment link
  • Calendly - Meeting and consultation booking
  • Google Calendar - Availability checking and event creation

Why use premium integrations:

  • ✅ No technical setup required
  • ✅ Already tested and optimized
  • ✅ Automatic updates and improvements
  • ✅ Included with Premium assistant templates
  • ✅ Full customer support

When to use:

  • You use one of these platforms for scheduling/booking
  • You want appointment booking to work automatically
  • You want real-time availability checking
  • You don't want to build custom integrations

Learn more: Integrations Overview

2. Transfer Tools (Essential)​

What they are: Enable your assistant to transfer calls to you or your team.

Common use cases:

  • Emergency or urgent requests
  • Complex questions beyond the assistant's knowledge
  • Customer explicitly requests to speak with a human
  • Complaints or sensitive issues
  • VIP customers requiring personal attention

Why every assistant needs transfers:

  • Provides an "escape hatch" for complex situations
  • Builds customer trust (they can always reach a human)
  • Handles edge cases gracefully
  • Protects your business from AI limitations

When to use:

  • As a safety net for all assistants
  • For after-hours emergency routing
  • To route calls to specific departments
  • When AI confidence is low

3. Custom Webhook Tools (Advanced)​

What they are: Direct API connections to your custom systems.

When to use:

  • You have a custom-built system not covered by integrations
  • You need very specific functionality
  • You have in-house development resources
  • You want to connect proprietary software

Requirements:

  • Technical knowledge (API development)
  • Secure HTTPS endpoint
  • Understanding of JSON and webhooks
Advanced Feature

Most businesses don't need custom webhooks. Start with premium integrations and transfer tools first!

Setting Up Transfer Tools​

Transfer tools are the most common and essential tool type. Here's how to set them up:

Step 1: Navigate to Tools Section​

  1. Go to AI Assistants in your dashboard
  2. Select your assistant
  3. Click the Agent Tab
  4. Scroll to the Tools section
  5. Click "Add Transfer Tool"

Step 2: Configure Transfer Details​

From Number:

  • Auto-populated with your assistant's phone number
  • This is what recipients will see as caller ID

Transfer To:

  • Click "Add Target"
  • Enter the phone number to transfer to
  • Add a descriptive name (e.g., "Main Office", "Emergency Line", "Owner Cell")

Format examples:

  • ✅ +1 (555) 123-4567
  • ✅ 555-123-4567
  • ✅ (555) 123-4567
  • ✅ 5551234567

The system automatically formats phone numbers correctly.

Step 3: Add Transfer Instructions (Optional)​

Warm Transfer Instructions:

These tell your assistant what to say when transferring. This provides context to the human agent.

Example:

Transfer this call to a human representative. Briefly explain to them what
the caller needs help with so they don't have to repeat themselves.

Without warm transfer:

  • Call connects silently to human agent
  • Human agent has no context

With warm transfer:

  • AI briefly speaks to human first
  • Explains caller's issue
  • Then connects caller
  • Much better experience!

Step 4: Configure When to Transfer​

In your assistant's Instructions, specify when transfers should happen:

TRANSFER TO HUMAN WHEN:
- Customer explicitly asks to speak with someone
- Emergency or urgent request
- Complaint or dissatisfaction
- Technical issue I cannot resolve
- After 3 failed attempts to understand
- Customer asks for [specific person/department]

TO TRANSFER:
Use the "Transfer to Human" tool. Say: "Let me connect you with someone
who can help you with that. One moment please."

Step 5: Test the Transfer​

  1. Use the Test Call feature
  2. Trigger a transfer during the test call
  3. Verify:
    • Call actually transfers
    • Transfer message is appropriate
    • Warm transfer works (if configured)
    • Receiving phone rings

Setting Up Premium Integrations​

Premium integrations provide powerful booking and scheduling tools automatically.

Step 1: Connect Your Account​

  1. Go to Integrations in the dashboard
  2. Find your platform (Acuity, Square, Calendly, etc.)
  3. Click "Connect"
  4. Log in to your account
  5. Authorize Voka AI to access your account
  6. You'll be redirected back with a success message

One-time setup: You only connect once, then all your assistants can use it!

Step 2: Enable for Your Assistant​

Option A: Use a Premium Template

  1. When creating a new assistant, select a Premium template:
    • Acuity Scheduling Assistant
    • Square Appointments Manager

The integration is automatically enabled and ready to use!

Option B: Enable on Existing Assistant

  1. Edit your assistant
  2. Go to Agent Tab
  3. Scroll to Integrations section
  4. Toggle ON your connected integration
  5. Save

Step 3: Customize Integration Instructions​

Your assistant needs to know when to use the integration. In your Instructions, add:

For Acuity/Square (Appointments):

APPOINTMENT BOOKING:

When someone wants to book an appointment:
1. Ask what service they need
2. Check real-time availability using the booking system
3. Offer available time slots
4. Collect customer name and contact information
5. Confirm the booking
6. Let them know they'll receive a confirmation

You have direct access to check availability and book appointments through
our scheduling system. Use this for all appointment requests.

Step 4: Test the Integration​

  1. Make a test call
  2. Request an appointment or service
  3. Go through the complete booking flow
  4. Check your integrated platform (Acuity, Square, Calendly, etc.)
  5. Verify:
    • The appointment was created
    • All information is correct
    • Customer details are accurate
    • Time and service type match

How Integrations Work During Calls​

Here's what happens when a customer books through your assistant:

Without Integration:​

Customer: "I'd like to schedule a haircut."
Assistant: "Sure! Let me take your information and someone will call you back to schedule."

Result: Customer has to wait for a callback, may book elsewhere

With Integration (Acuity/Square):​

Customer: "I'd like to schedule a haircut."
Assistant: "Great! What kind of service - haircut, color, or styling?"

Customer: "Just a haircut."
Assistant: "Perfect. Let me check availability... I have openings this Thursday at 2pm or Friday at 10am. Which works better?"

Customer: "Thursday at 2."
Assistant: "Excellent! Can I get your name and phone number?"

Customer: "Sarah Johnson, 555-0123"
Assistant: "Perfect, Sarah! You're all set for Thursday at 2pm for a haircut with Emily. You'll receive a confirmation text shortly. Anything else I can help with?"

Result: Appointment booked instantly, customer confirmed, no callbacks needed

Common Use Cases by Integration​

Acuity Scheduling​

Best for: Salons, spas, consultants, therapists, professional services

What your assistant can do:

  • Check real-time availability across multiple staff members
  • Book appointments for specific services
  • Ask for stylist/therapist preferences
  • Handle first-time client information
  • Apply booking rules (minimum notice, max advance booking)
  • Send automatic confirmations

Example services:

  • Beauty: Haircuts, color, highlights, manicures, facials
  • Wellness: Massage, acupuncture, physical therapy
  • Professional: Consultations, coaching sessions, tutoring

Sample conversation flow:

  1. Customer requests appointment
  2. Assistant asks for service type
  3. Checks availability in real-time
  4. Offers 2-3 time slot options
  5. Collects name, phone, email
  6. Confirms booking
  7. Sends confirmation to customer
Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: TOOLS-001 Filename: TOOLS-001_acuity-integration-settings.png Description: Agent tab showing Acuity integration enabled with sample configuration Status: 🔴 Not started

Square Appointments​

Best for: Salons, spas, barbershops and service businesses that already run on Square Appointments

What it does:

  • Checks live availability and books appointments in Square Appointments
  • Chains several services into one appointment, and books couples/small groups
  • Finds, moves and cancels appointments it booked
  • Reads out your services, durations and prices
  • Texts a Square-hosted payment link when Payment Collection is on

Example services: haircuts and colour, massage and facials, personal training, consultations, nail services.

What it does not do: classes or group sessions with seats (impossible in Square), recurring appointments, waitlists, POS or inventory, and it never processes a payment — the customer pays on Square's own hosted checkout. Voka AI sends no confirmations or receipts; Square's own notifications do that.

Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: TOOLS-002 Filename: TOOLS-002_square-integration-settings.png Description: Agent tab showing Square Appointments integration with payment options Status: 🔴 Not started

Calendly​

Best for: Consultants, coaches, sales teams, anyone who books meetings rather than jobs

What your assistant can do:

  • Check what's actually free in your Calendly
  • Book a caller into one of your event types
  • Find an existing booking when someone calls back
  • Reschedule or cancel a booking

Example uses:

  • Discovery or intro calls
  • Consultations and strategy sessions
  • Property viewings and site visits
  • Anything you currently send a Calendly link for

Connect it from Integrations → Calendly → Connect, then toggle it on in your assistant's Agent tab. See the Calendly guide for what it can and can't do — note that booking needs a paid Calendly plan.

Integration Troubleshooting​

"Integration shows as disconnected"​

Check:

  1. Go to Integrations page in dashboard
  2. Look for red/yellow status indicator
  3. Check if authorization expired

Fix:

  1. Click "Reconnect" next to the integration
  2. Log in to your account again
  3. Re-authorize Voka AI
  4. Verify green checkmark appears

"Appointments aren't being created"​

Possible causes:

  • Integration not enabled for this specific assistant
  • Service type doesn't match your system
  • Availability restrictions blocking bookings
  • Time zone mismatch

Solutions:

  1. Verify integration is enabled:

    • Edit assistant → Agent Tab → Integrations
    • Ensure toggle is ON for your integration

  2. Check service names:

    • Service names in your instructions should match exactly what's in Acuity, Square or Calendly
    • Example: "Haircut" vs "Men's Haircut" - must match!

  3. Review availability settings:

    • Log into your booking platform
    • Verify staff have available hours
    • Check for booking restrictions (min/max advance notice)

  4. Check time zones:

    • Ensure your integration account has correct time zone
    • Voka AI uses the time zone from your integration platform

"Jobs created with wrong information"​

Common issues:

  • Address not captured correctly
  • Service type mismatch
  • Customer name misspelled

Solutions:

  1. Improve address collection in instructions:

    COLLECTING SERVICE ADDRESS:
    "Can I get the full service address including street, city, and zip code?"

    After customer provides it:
    "Just to confirm, that's [repeat address]. Is that correct?"

  2. Use exact service names:

    • Match service names to what's in your booking platform exactly
    • Avoid abbreviations unless they match your system

  3. Add confirmation step:

    After collecting all information:
    "Let me confirm: [Name] at [Address] for [Service]. Is everything correct?"

"Assistant doesn't use the integration"​

Check your instructions:

The assistant needs clear direction to use integrations. Make sure your Instructions include:

For appointment booking:

You have access to our scheduling system through [Acuity/Square].

When a customer wants to book:
1. Use the booking tool to check real-time availability
2. Offer available time slots
3. Book the appointment directly - don't tell them you'll call back!

Testing Your Tools​

Before going live, test every tool thoroughly:

Testing Transfer Tools​

  1. Make a test call

  2. Say something that should trigger transfer:

    • "I need to speak with a manager"
    • "This is an emergency"
    • "Can I talk to a real person?"

  3. Verify:

    • ✅ Assistant acknowledges the request
    • ✅ Transfer message is appropriate
    • ✅ Call actually transfers to correct number
    • ✅ Receiving phone rings
    • ✅ Warm transfer provides context (if configured)

Red flags:

  • ❌ Transfer doesn't happen
  • ❌ Wrong number is called
  • ❌ Call drops instead of transferring

Testing Premium Integrations​

  1. Make a test call to your assistant
  2. Request an appointment or service (use realistic scenario)
  3. Go through the complete booking flow
  4. Provide all required information (name, phone, address if applicable)
  5. Wait for confirmation

Then verify in your system:

  1. Log into Acuity, Square or Calendly
  2. Find the appointment that was just created
  3. Check:
    • ✅ Correct date and time
    • ✅ Correct service type
    • ✅ Customer name spelled correctly
    • ✅ Phone number accurate
    • ✅ Email address (if collected)
    • ✅ Address correct (for field services)
    • ✅ Any notes or special requests included

Test multiple scenarios:

  • First-time customer
  • Returning customer (if system recognizes them)
  • Emergency vs. routine (for field services)
  • Different service types
  • Different time preferences
Pro Testing Tip

Test from different phone numbers - mobile, landline, etc. Different callers may have different experiences!

Video Tutorial Available

Video ID: VIDEO-TOOLS-001 Title: Testing Tools and Integrations Duration: 5-7 minutes Description: Complete guide to testing transfer tools and premium integrations Status: 🔴 Not recorded yet

Tool Limits and Best Practices​

How Many Tools Should You Add?​

Transfer tools:

  • ✅ 1-3 transfer targets is typical
  • Common setup: Main office, emergency line, owner cell
  • More than 5 transfer options gets confusing for the AI

Integrations:

  • ✅ 1-2 integrations per assistant
  • Example: Acuity for booking + transfer for emergencies
  • Each integration adds complexity

Custom webhooks:

  • ✅ Start with 0-2 custom webhooks
  • Only add if premium integrations don't meet your needs
  • Test thoroughly before adding more
Don't Overload Your Assistant

Too many tools = confused AI. Start simple, add more only when needed.

Best Practices​

Transfer Tools​

Do's: ✅ Always include at least one transfer option ✅ Use descriptive names ("Emergency Line" not "Transfer 1") ✅ Test transfers to verify they work ✅ Configure warm transfer for better context ✅ Specify clear transfer triggers in instructions

Don'ts: ❌ Don't transfer for every request (defeats purpose of AI) ❌ Don't use personal cell as only transfer (vacation/off-hours) ❌ Don't skip testing - verify transfers actually work ❌ Don't forget to update numbers if they change

Premium Integrations​

Do's: ✅ Match service names exactly to your platform ✅ Test with real booking scenarios before launch ✅ Keep your integration platform up to date ✅ Use premium templates when available (pre-configured!) ✅ Confirm bookings are created correctly ✅ Set up customer notifications in your platform

Don'ts: ❌ Don't enable integrations you're not using ❌ Don't forget to reconnect if authorization expires ❌ Don't use abbreviations that don't match your system ❌ Don't skip the integration testing checklist ❌ Don't assume it works - always verify!

Instructions for Tool Usage​

Be explicit:

✅ Good:
"When a customer wants to book a haircut, use the Acuity booking
system to check availability and book the appointment immediately."

❌ Vague:
"Help customers book appointments."

Provide examples:

✅ Good:
"If the customer says the appointment is urgent or asks to be seen today,
check today's availability first before offering any later date."

❌ Vague:
"Handle urgent requests."

Set clear boundaries:

✅ Good:
"Only transfer to a human if: (1) customer explicitly requests it,
(2) it's a complaint, or (3) you cannot answer after 2 attempts."

❌ Vague:
"Transfer when needed."

What's Next?​

Now that you've set up tools for your assistant:

  1. Test thoroughly - Use the testing checklist above
  2. Monitor performance - Track successful bookings and transfers
  3. Refine instructions - Improve based on real calls
  4. Add knowledge base - Give your assistant more information

Need Help?​