Configure Your Zela AI Agent: Voice and Personality

Your agent’s configuration controls how it sounds, how it introduces itself, and what it knows. Getting this right means every caller has a consistent, professional experience that feels like a natural extension of your business — not a generic automated system. You can update any of these settings at any time from Agent > Configuration in your dashboard.

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Agent Name

Give your agent a name so it can introduce itself naturally at the start of every call. This can be your own name, a made-up assistant name like “Alex” or “Zela”, or whatever fits your brand. Callers will hear this name in your greeting and throughout the conversation. To set your agent’s name, go to Agent > Configuration and enter a name in the Agent Name field. Keep it simple — one first name works best.

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Greeting Message

Your greeting is the first thing a caller hears when your agent picks up. Write it in the same natural, friendly tone you’d use if you answered the phone yourself. A good greeting includes:

• Your business name
• Your agent’s name
• An open invitation to help

Example: “Thanks for calling Riverside Plumbing, this is Alex speaking — how can I help you today?” Tips for a natural greeting:

• Keep it to one or two sentences — shorter is better
• Avoid robotic phrasing like “Please state your reason for calling”
• Use contractions (“I’m”, “we’re”) to sound more conversational
• Match the tone of your business — warm and relaxed for residential services, crisp and direct for commercial work

Enter your greeting in the Greeting Message field under Agent > Configuration.

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Voice Selection

Choose the voice your agent uses on every call. Zela offers a range of voice options across different styles and regional accents so your agent sounds right for your market. Available options typically include:

• Gender — male or female voices
• Accent — regional options including US, Canadian, British, Australian, and New Zealand English

To select a voice, go to Agent > Configuration, open the Voice dropdown, and choose the option that best fits your business. You can preview each voice before saving.

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Language

Set the primary language your agent uses to understand and respond to callers. This ensures accurate speech recognition and natural-sounding responses. Currently supported: English Regional dialect options are available within English and are tied to your voice selection — choosing an Australian voice, for example, also applies Australian English recognition. If your customer base speaks a mix of languages, contact support to discuss your options.

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Knowledge Base

Your knowledge base is the information your agent draws on when answering caller questions. The more you put in, the more your agent can handle without transferring the call. Add and update this content under Agent > Configuration > Knowledge Base. You can include:

• About your business — a short description of what you do, how long you’ve been operating, and the areas you service. This helps your agent answer “what do you do?” and “do you service my area?” questions accurately.
• Frequently asked questions — add the questions you hear most often, along with clear answers. Your agent will use these verbatim when a caller asks something similar.
• Pricing information — list your standard call-out fees, hourly rates, or service package prices. If pricing varies, note that and instruct your agent to offer a quote.
• Special offers or seasonal promotions — add time-limited deals or promotions so your agent can mention them when relevant. Remove or update these when they expire.

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Saving Changes

After updating any configuration setting, click Save at the bottom of the page. Changes take effect on the very next call — there’s no restart required and no downtime to your agent.