How the AI Voice Assistant Works
How the AI Voice Assistant Works
Category: Shops Reading time: 7 min
Groomera's AI Voice Assistant answers your shop's phone calls 24/7 — handling client questions, providing business information, and booking appointments automatically, even when you're busy grooming or closed for the night.
This guide explains how the assistant works, how to set it up, how to write a good system prompt, and how to review what the AI said after each call.
What the AI Assistant Does
When a client calls your dedicated AI phone number, the assistant:
- Greets the caller using the name and tone you configure
- Answers questions about your services, prices, hours, and location
- Books appointments directly into your Groomera calendar
- Handles rescheduling requests from existing clients
- Takes messages when it can't fully resolve a request
- Logs every call with a full transcript for you to review later
The assistant runs on Vapi — a conversational AI platform — and uses the information you provide in its system prompt to know how to respond. The better your system prompt, the better your assistant performs.
Requirements
The AI Voice Assistant requires:
- The `aiAssistantAddon` enabled on your account (included in select plans or available as an add-on from Billing settings)
- A dedicated phone number assigned through Groomera (set up during configuration)
- A completed system prompt describing your shop and how the AI should behave
Step 1 — Enable the AI Assistant Add-On
If your plan doesn't include the AI Assistant:
- Go to Settings → Subscriptions
- Look for Add-Ons
- Enable AI Voice Assistant
- Complete the Stripe checkout
Once enabled, the AI Assistant section appears in your sidebar.
Step 2 — Get Your Dedicated Phone Number
Your AI assistant answers calls on a dedicated phone number — separate from any personal or business number you already have.
- Go to AI Assistant in your sidebar
- Click Set Up Phone Number or Get Number
- Groomera will provision a local phone number for your area
- This number is yours for as long as your subscription is active
This is the number to share publicly as your shop's main line. Update your Google Business Profile, your website, your storefront, and any printed materials with this number. All inbound calls to it go directly to your AI assistant.
⚠️ Do not use this number for outbound calls. It's an inbound AI line only. For outbound calls (following up with clients, etc.), use your personal or business phone as normal.
Step 3 — Configure Your Assistant's Personality
In the AI Assistant section, you'll find configuration fields for:
Assistant Name
Give your AI a name. It doesn't have to be robotic — many shops use a name that matches their brand.
Examples: "Hi, this is Bella from Paws & Clippers!" or "Thanks for calling — I'm Milo, your virtual assistant at Downtown Groomers."
Voice
Choose from a set of available voices (male/female, different accents and tones). Pick one that matches your brand's personality. If you run a warm, friendly neighborhood shop, a professional corporate voice might feel off. Preview each option before committing.
Language
Set the primary language the assistant uses for all interactions.
Step 4 — Write Your System Prompt
The system prompt is the most important part of your AI assistant setup. It tells the AI everything it needs to know about your shop — and how you want it to behave.
Think of it as writing detailed instructions for a new receptionist on their first day.
What to Include in Your System Prompt
Business basics:
You are [Assistant Name], the virtual receptionist for [Shop Name]. Our address is [full address]. Our phone number (for any reference) is [number].
Hours:
Our business hours are: Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Sunday: Closed
Services and pricing:
Our services include: - Full Groom (Small Breed): $55, approximately 90 minutes - Full Groom (Large Breed): $80, approximately 2 hours - Bath & Brush: $40, approximately 60 minutes - Nail Trim: $15, approximately 20 minutes - Teeth Brushing: $12, approximately 15 minutes
Booking instructions:
You can book appointments directly during this call. To book, ask for: - The client's name - Their pet's name and breed - The service they'd like - Their preferred date and time - Their phone number and email Once you have these details, create the booking in the system.
Tone and behavior:
Be warm, friendly, and concise. Keep responses under 30 seconds when possible. If a caller asks something you don't know, say: "That's a great question — let me have [Owner Name] follow up with you directly. Can I take your name and number?" Do not make up information. If you're unsure, offer a callback.
Cancellation policy:
Our cancellation policy requires 24 hours' notice. Late cancellations or no-shows may result in a fee. If a client needs to cancel, direct them to call back or visit our storefront to reschedule.
Tips for a Better System Prompt
- Be specific about prices. Vague responses ("it depends on the dog") frustrate callers. Give real ranges.
- List your specialists by name so the AI can answer "Can I book with Sarah?" correctly.
- Tell it what NOT to do. Example: "Do not offer discounts. Do not confirm prices for services not listed above."
- Update it when things change. New services, new hours, a seasonal promotion — the AI only knows what's in the prompt. Outdated prompts give wrong answers.
- Keep it under 1,500 words. Prompts that are too long can confuse the model. Be thorough, but focused.
Step 5 — Test Your Assistant
Before going live, call your AI number yourself.
Test the following scenarios:
- Ask what services you offer and confirm the prices are right
- Ask about your hours
- Try to book an appointment — go all the way through
- Ask something the AI shouldn't know and verify it offers a callback rather than guessing
- Speak quickly and quietly to test how well it handles imperfect audio
After each test call, review the transcript in your AI Assistant dashboard to see exactly what the AI said and whether it responded correctly.
Reviewing Call Logs and Transcripts
Every call to your AI number is logged automatically.
To review:
- Go to AI Assistant in your sidebar
- Click Call Logs
- You'll see a list of all inbound calls with date, time, duration, and call outcome
- Click any call to read the full transcript
What to look for when reviewing transcripts:
- Did the AI answer the client's question accurately?
- Did it quote the right price?
- Did it handle the booking correctly?
- Did it say anything unexpected or incorrect?
If you notice recurring errors, update your system prompt to address them directly. The AI learns from your prompt, not from call history — so improvements require prompt edits, not time.
How the AI Books Appointments
When a caller wants to book, the AI collects the necessary information and creates a booking directly in your Groomera calendar.
The booking appears in your Bookings dashboard as a manually added booking (not an online booking) with a note indicating it was created by the AI assistant. It starts as CONFIRMED by default.
You'll see it on your calendar the same way as any other appointment. The client receives a confirmation email automatically.
When the AI Can't Help
The assistant is designed to handle the majority of inbound calls — but it's not infallible. When it encounters a question outside its knowledge (anything not in the system prompt), it should offer to take a message and have someone call back.
Make sure your system prompt includes clear instructions for this fallback:
If you cannot answer a question accurately, say: "I want to make sure you get the right information. Let me have [Name] give you a call back. Can I take your name and a good number to reach you?" Then log the caller's name and number in a message note.
Message notes from calls that need follow-up will appear in your call log so you can action them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the AI handle calls in multiple languages? The assistant operates in the language configured in your settings. Multi-language support within a single call is not currently available.
Q: What happens if a caller asks for a human? Your system prompt should include instructions for this. A recommended response: "I'm the virtual assistant for Shop Name. For urgent matters, I can take a message and have someone call you back right away. Shall I do that?"
Q: Can I forward calls to the AI number from my personal number? Yes — you can set up call forwarding from your existing business number to your Groomera AI number through your phone carrier. This way, clients call your existing number and the AI handles it.
Q: Does the AI pick up immediately or is there a ring delay? The AI typically answers within 1–2 rings. There's no hold music or queue — it answers live.
Q: Can multiple calls come in at the same time? Yes. The AI can handle concurrent inbound calls without a queue. Each caller gets their own independent conversation.
Q: Is the AI available 24/7? Yes. The AI answers calls at any hour — 2 AM, Sunday night, holidays. That's one of its primary advantages over a human receptionist.
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