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Testing Your Assistant

Never launch untested! This guide shows you exactly how to test your AI assistant to ensure it's ready for your customers.

Why Testing Matters​

Testing your assistant before going live helps you:

  • ✅ Catch problems early - Fix issues before customers experience them
  • ✅ Refine responses - Make sure answers are accurate and helpful
  • ✅ Verify integrations - Confirm bookings, transfers, and tools work correctly
  • ✅ Build confidence - Know your assistant will represent your business well
  • ✅ Avoid embarrassment - Prevent awkward customer interactions
Skip Testing at Your Own Risk

We've seen businesses lose customers because they didn't test their assistant first. Don't let that be you! Testing takes 15 minutes and could save your reputation.

Quick Test (5 Minutes)​

The fastest way to test your assistant.

Video Tutorial Available

Video ID: VIDEO-TEST-001 Title: Testing Your AI Assistant Duration: 4-5 minutes Description: Learn how to properly test your assistant before going live Status: 🔴 Not recorded yet

Method 1: Test Call Feature​

From the AI Assistants page:

  1. Log in to your Voka AI dashboard
  2. Go to AI Assistants
  3. Find your assistant in the list
  4. Click the phone icon (📞) next to your assistant
Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: TEST-001 Filename: TEST-001_test-call-button.png Description: AI Assistants list showing the phone icon/test button next to an assistant Status: 🔴 Not started

From the assistant editor:

  1. Open your assistant for editing
  2. Look for the "Test Assistant" button (usually top-right)
  3. Click it

Enter your phone number:

  1. A dialog box appears asking for your phone number
  2. Enter your number with country code (e.g., +1 555-123-4567)
    • US numbers: Start with +1
    • UK numbers: Start with +44
    • Other countries: Include your country code
  3. Click "Start Test Call"
Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: TEST-002 Filename: TEST-002_test-call-dialog.png Description: Test call dialog showing phone number input field and Start Test Call button Status: 🔴 Not started

Receive the call:

  • Your phone will ring within a few seconds
  • Answer it and talk to your assistant
  • Test a few basic interactions
  • Hang up when done
Pro Tip

Call from a phone number your customers would use, not just your personal cell. Different numbers might reveal different behaviors!

Method 2: Direct Call​

Simply call your assigned phone number:

  1. Go to your assistant's Calling Tab
  2. Note the assigned phone number(s)
  3. Call that number from any phone
  4. Test your assistant

Comprehensive Testing Checklist​

For a thorough test before launch, go through this checklist.

Before You Start Testing​

Make sure:

  • ✅ Your assistant is saved (all changes applied)
  • ✅ At least one phone number is assigned
  • ✅ The phone number status is "Active"
  • ✅ Integrations are connected (if using any)

Test Scenario 1: Basic Call Flow​

What to test:

  1. Call initiation

    • Does the assistant answer promptly?
    • Is the audio clear?
    • Any delays or echoes?

  2. Greeting

    • Does it say the correct greeting?
    • Is the tone appropriate?
    • Business name mentioned correctly?

  3. Basic conversation

    • Ask a simple question
    • Does it understand you?
    • Is the response appropriate?

Example conversation:

You: "Hi, what are your hours?"
Assistant: Should provide your business hours

You: "Do you offer [service name]?"
Assistant: Should list services or confirm availability

Red flags:

  • ❌ Long pauses before responding
  • ❌ Misunderstands simple questions
  • ❌ Gives incorrect information
  • ❌ Robotic or unnatural voice

Test Scenario 2: Appointment Booking​

If your assistant books appointments:

  1. Request an appointment

    • "I'd like to schedule an appointment"
    • Does it understand the request?

  2. Provide information

    • Give your name when asked
    • Suggest a date and time
    • Provide contact information

  3. Verify booking

    • Does it confirm the appointment?
    • Are details repeated correctly?
    • Do you receive confirmation (SMS/email if configured)?

  4. Check your calendar/system

    • Log into your booking system (Square, Acuity, etc.)
    • Verify the appointment was created
    • Check all details are correct

Common issues:

  • Appointment created with wrong date/time
  • Name spelled incorrectly
  • Contact information missing
  • No confirmation sent

Test Scenario 3: Information Gathering​

Test data collection:

  1. Provide information

    • Give name, phone, email when asked
    • Use both common and uncommon names
    • Try different phone number formats

  2. Check accuracy

    • Ask the assistant to repeat information
    • Verify it captured everything correctly

  3. Review transcripts

    • Go to Analytics/Call History
    • Read the transcript
    • Verify data was captured

Test with tricky names:

  • Spelled-out names: "Jon with no H"
  • Hyphenated names: "Mary-Kate"
  • International names: "Xióng"

Test Scenario 4: Call Transfers​

If using transfer tools:

  1. Request transfer

    • Say something that should trigger a transfer
    • Examples: "I need to speak to a person", "This is urgent"

  2. Verify warm transfer

    • Does the assistant ask for your name first?
    • Does it explain why you're being transferred?
    • Is the context provided to the person answering?

  3. Test the actual transfer

    • Does the call connect?
    • Does the receiving phone ring?
    • Can you talk to the human agent?

Transfer scenarios to test:

  • Emergency/urgent requests
  • Complex questions assistant can't answer
  • Explicit request: "Let me talk to a person"
  • After-hours calls (if configured)

Test Scenario 5: Edge Cases​

Test unusual situations:

  1. Background noise

    • Call from a noisy environment
    • Does it still understand you?

  2. Multiple questions at once

    • Ask several questions in one breath
    • Does it handle them appropriately?

  3. Interruptions

    • Try interrupting the assistant mid-sentence
    • Does it handle gracefully?

  4. Silence

    • Don't say anything for 5-10 seconds
    • Does it prompt you appropriately?

  5. Off-topic questions

    • Ask something unrelated to your business
    • Does it redirect politely?

  6. After-hours calls

    • Call outside business hours
    • Does it mention you're closed?
    • Does it offer to leave a message or call back?

Test Scenario 6: Integration Testing​

For each connected integration:

  1. Test the connection

    • Trigger the integration action (book appointment, create lead, etc.)
    • Verify it works end-to-end

  2. Check the data

    • Log into your integration platform
    • Verify data arrived correctly
    • Check all fields are populated

  3. Test error handling

    • What happens if the integration is down?
    • Does the assistant handle failures gracefully?

Review Test Results​

After testing, review these areas:

Call Transcripts​

  1. Go to Analytics or Analysis tab
  2. Find your test calls
  3. Read the transcripts carefully
Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: TEST-003 Filename: TEST-003_call-transcript.png Description: Analysis tab showing a call transcript with conversation details Status: 🔴 Not started

Look for:

  • ✅ Accurate transcription of what you said
  • ✅ Appropriate assistant responses
  • ✅ Correct information provided
  • ❌ Misunderstandings
  • ❌ Incorrect data
  • ❌ Awkward phrasing

Call Recordings (if available)​

Listen to the actual audio:

  • Voice quality and clarity
  • Natural conversation flow
  • Appropriate pauses
  • Tone and professionalism

Data Collected​

Check that captured information is:

  • ✅ Complete (no missing fields)
  • ✅ Accurate (spelled correctly)
  • ✅ Properly formatted (phone numbers, emails)
  • ✅ Stored in the right place (CRM, booking system, etc.)

Common Testing Issues & Fixes​

"Assistant doesn't understand me"​

Possible causes:

  • Background noise during call
  • Speaking too fast or unclear
  • Accent or dialect not well recognized
  • Instructions too restrictive

Solutions:

  1. Test in a quiet environment
  2. Speak clearly and at normal pace
  3. Adjust transcription settings (try different model)
  4. Broaden instructions to be less restrictive
  5. Add common phrasings to instructions

"Voice sounds robotic"​

Solutions:

  1. Go to Voice Tab
  2. Try a different voice provider
  3. Switch to ElevenLabs for most natural voices (premium)
  4. Adjust voice speed (try 0.9x or 1.1x)
  5. Test in Voice Playground first

"Wrong information is provided"​

Solutions:

  1. Review Instructions in Agent Tab
  2. Fix any incorrect information
  3. Be more specific in instructions
  4. Add examples of correct responses
  5. Test again after saving changes

"Integrations not working"​

Check:

  1. Integration is connected (green checkmark in Integrations page)
  2. Integration is enabled for this assistant (Agent Tab → Integrations)
  3. API credentials haven't expired
  4. The integration service is online
  5. MCP server URL is correct

Solutions:

  1. Disconnect and reconnect integration
  2. Check integration service status
  3. Review integration logs for errors
  4. Contact support if integration is broken

"Call quality is poor"​

Issues:

  • Echo or feedback
  • Choppy audio
  • Long delays
  • Dropped calls

Solutions:

  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Try calling from different phone/network
  3. Adjust AnchorSite setting (Calling Tab) to a closer region
  4. Contact support for persistent issues

Testing Best Practices​

Do's ✅​

  • Test multiple times - One call isn't enough
  • Test from different phones - Mobile, landline, VoIP
  • Test different scenarios - Happy path and edge cases
  • Test with different people - Various accents, speaking styles
  • Review every transcript - Look for patterns in issues
  • Test after every change - Even small updates can have big effects
  • Keep notes - Track what works and what doesn't

Don'ts ❌​

  • Don't skip testing - Ever. Seriously.
  • Don't test just once - Issues hide in repeated use
  • Don't test only yourself - Get colleagues or friends to test
  • Don't ignore small problems - They compound over time
  • Don't launch without integration testing - If you use integrations
  • Don't forget after-hours testing - Test off-hours behavior

When to Test Again​

You should re-test your assistant whenever you:

  • 📝 Change instructions - Even minor wording changes
  • 🎤 Change the voice - New voice = new sound
  • 🔗 Add/change integrations - Integration behavior can vary
  • 📞 Add/change phone numbers - Number routing can affect calls
  • 🛠️ Add/change tools - Transfers and webhooks need testing
  • 🚨 Experience issues - Customers report problems
  • 📅 After major updates - Platform changes may affect behavior

Advanced Testing​

Load Testing​

For high-volume businesses:

  1. Test multiple simultaneous calls
  2. Verify assistant handles concurrent callers
  3. Check integration rate limits aren't exceeded

A/B Testing​

Compare different configurations:

  1. Create two identical assistants
  2. Change one variable (voice, instructions, etc.)
  3. Assign different phone numbers
  4. Track which performs better in Analytics

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)​

Before final launch:

  1. Have real customers test (friends, family)
  2. Give them specific scenarios to try
  3. Collect feedback
  4. Make final adjustments

Ready to Go Live?​

Before launching to real customers, verify:

  • ✅ Completed all test scenarios above
  • ✅ All issues fixed or acceptable
  • ✅ Integrations working perfectly
  • ✅ Transcripts look good
  • ✅ Voice sounds professional
  • ✅ Information accuracy confirmed
  • ✅ Team members have tested
  • ✅ Backup plan if issues arise (transfer number, etc.)
Soft Launch Strategy

Consider a soft launch:

  1. Give number to a small group first
  2. Monitor closely for 1-2 days
  3. Fix any issues quickly
  4. Then launch to everyone

After Testing: Next Steps​

Once testing is complete:

  1. Go Live - Launch to your customers
  2. Monitor Analytics - Watch performance metrics
  3. Refine Based on Data - Continuous improvement
  4. Set up alerts - Get notified of issues
  5. Review regularly - Weekly check of transcripts and performance

Need Help?​