How to configure communication style rules

You will learn

What communication style rules are, what they can and can’t do, and how to write rules that meaningfully shape how Customer Agent writes.

Before you begin

You’ll need:

• An Owner, Admin, or Manager role
• Tone of voice set (recommended — rules layer on top of tone)

What communication style rules are

Communication style rules are specific writing guidelines that apply to every Customer Agent response, across every skill and channel. Where tone sets the overall vibe, communication style rules handle the mechanics — sentence length, formatting, specific word choices, phrases to avoid.

You can create up to 20 rules. Most brands need only 3-5.

What rules can do

• Replace specific words (“never say ‘unfortunately’”)
• Enforce vocabulary (“call it a ‘ride’ not a ‘trip’”)
• Forbid specific phrases
• Add disclaimers (e.g., “always remind shoppers to consult a doctor”)
• Set formatting (sentence length, bullet lists, emoji use)

What rules cannot do

This is the most common confusion — communication style rules are about how Customer Agent writes, not what it does. Rules cannot:

• Look up customer data
• Check inventory or order status
• Take actions in external systems
• Decide which skill handles a request

If you need any of those behaviors, you need a skill or a tool, not a rule.

Set it up

1. Navigate to Customer Agent > Guidance > Communication style.
2. Click Add rule.
3. Write a Title (up to 100 characters) — short and descriptive.
4. Write a Description (up to 500 characters) — the actual rule and any context Customer Agent needs to follow it.
5. Click Save.
6. Test the rule in the playground.

Writing good rules

Good rules are:

• Specific — “Keep responses under three sentences” beats “be concise”
• Actionable — phrased as something Customer Agent can clearly do or not do
• Single-purpose — one rule per concept, so they’re easy to enable, disable, and debug

Vague rules (“be helpful,” “make customers happy”) don’t change behavior. They duplicate what tone already does.

Examples

Five rules that meaningfully change behavior:

• Use emojis sparingly — At most one emoji per response, and only when it adds warmth. Never use emojis in apologies or escalations.
• Keep responses under three sentences — Long responses overwhelm shoppers in chat. Lead with the answer; offer details on request.
• Never say “unfortunately” — It signals a no-answer. Reframe to lead with what we can do.
• Always end with a question when the inquiry is open-ended — Keeps the conversation going and surfaces the next need.
• Don’t apologize for things outside our control — Don’t apologize for shipping delays caused by carriers, weather, or order timing. State the situation and offer a path forward.

Editing and disabling rules

You can toggle any rule on or off without deleting it. Useful for:

• Temporarily disabling a seasonal rule
• Pausing a rule that’s producing unexpected results in the playground

To delete a rule entirely, click the trash icon next to it.

When to use a rule vs. something else

If you’re not sure where new behavior belongs:

• Want to change the vibe of every response? → Update tone of voice.
• Want a specific writing rule applied everywhere? → Add a communication style rule.
• Want Customer Agent to do something new (look up data, take an action)? → Build a skill or tool.
• Want Customer Agent to escalate in a specific situation? → Add an escalation rule.

FAQ

How many rules can I have?
Up to 20. Most brands use 3-5; more than that and rules tend to conflict.

Do rules apply to all skills?
Yes. Rules are global — they apply to every response across every skill and channel.

What if two rules conflict?
Customer Agent will try to follow both, but conflicting rules produce inconsistent results. Review your rules periodically and consolidate or remove conflicts.

Next steps

• Configure escalation rules for situations that need a human
• Test in the playground to see how your rules shape responses