What is SimBuster AI Assistant?
SimBuster AI Assistant is an AI phone agent that can answer incoming calls to a supported SimBuster phone number, speak with callers, handle common questions, take messages, capture caller details and save call transcripts.You can train the Assistant with information about your business, services, opening hours, frequently asked questions and the way you want calls handled.
It can be useful as:
- an AI answering service when you cannot pick up;
- a virtual AI receptionist for routine enquiries;
- a first point of contact for sales or support calls;
- an after-hours call assistant;
- a message-taking assistant;
- an information line for common questions; or
- a personal call assistant for supported everyday use.
The Assistant is managed from the SimBuster app. You do not need to build a traditional PBX, write code or run your own AI server.
AI Assistant is designed primarily for incoming call handling. It works alongside SimBuster Phone Numbers and Receptionist rather than replacing those features.
What can AI Assistant do on a phone call?
The exact behaviour depends on the information and instructions you give it, but a properly configured AI Assistant can handle many routine parts of an incoming call.It can:
- answer the call with a chosen name, role and voice;
- welcome the caller;
- understand natural spoken questions;
- answer common questions using the information you provided;
- explain services, products or general business information;
- tell callers your opening hours;
- collect a caller’s name and contact details;
- ask why the person is calling;
- take a message for later follow-up;
- capture sales or support enquiries;
- handle routine after-hours calls;
- speak with callers in supported languages;
- route or hand off a call where a supported destination has been configured; and
- save a transcript so you can review what was said.
AI Assistant is especially useful when the alternative would be a missed call, unanswered enquiry or repetitive question.
It should not be expected to know information you have never provided, and it should not be given unlimited freedom to invent answers. Good setup matters.
AI Assistant vs Receptionist: what is the difference?
SimBuster Receptionist and AI Assistant both handle incoming calls, but they do different jobs.Receptionist
Receptionist is a structured IVR and auto-attendant.
It follows the phone menu and routing rules you build, for example:
- Press 1 for Sales
- Press 2 for Support
- Press 3 for Accounts
The caller follows a defined path.
AI Assistant
AI Assistant holds a spoken conversation.
Instead of forcing the caller to choose only from fixed keypad options, the caller can explain what they need in ordinary speech and the Assistant can respond using the information and instructions you supplied.
Use them together
A powerful setup is to use Receptionist for the high-level call flow and AI Assistant for conversational handling.
For example:
- Receptionist answers the main number.
- The caller presses 1 for Sales.
- That branch goes to your AI Assistant.
- AI Assistant answers product questions and captures the caller’s details.
- A human can follow up later or receive the call where a supported handoff has been configured.
You can also connect AI Assistant directly to a number without a Receptionist menu.
When should you use AI Assistant?
AI Assistant works best when there is a clear job for it to do.Good examples include:
Small business enquiries
Answer common questions when you are serving customers, travelling, driving or unable to answer personally.
Sales enquiries
Explain basic products or services, capture the caller’s name and number, and record what they are interested in.
Customer support
Handle repetitive questions and collect enough information for a person to deal with more complicated cases later.
After-hours calls
Let callers leave useful information instead of reaching an unanswered phone.
Booking and appointment enquiries
Collect the date, time, service or appointment request a caller wants. Do not tell the Assistant to confirm a booking unless your current setup actually has a supported way to do that.
Personal assistant use
Take messages, notes and callback requests when you do not want to answer every incoming call yourself.
AI Assistant is less suitable for calls where a mistake could have serious consequences, or where the caller needs urgent human assistance.
How is AI Assistant charged?
AI call handling uses SimBuster Buster Minutes or the current AI plan or usage allowance shown in the app.The available AI plans, included minutes, price and any applicable validity or renewal information are displayed before you purchase or activate them.
AI call minutes are separate from the other SimBuster balances.
Buster Minutes
Used for AI call conversations and supported AI call handling.
Speech Credit
Used to generate supported pre-recorded speech such as Receptionist greetings and IVR prompts. Speech Credit is not the same thing as live AI conversation minutes.
Call Credit
Used for ordinary outgoing calls, Calling Plans and eligible external call forwarding or other supported calling usage.
SMS Credit
Used for supported outgoing SMS messages.
Do not buy Speech Credit expecting it to fund AI call conversations. Check the AI Assistant or Plans area when you need more Buster Minutes.
Open AI Assistant
Open AI Assistant from the SimBuster home screen.The AI Assistant area is where you create, configure and manage your AI phone agent.
If you already have an Assistant, open it to review its:
- role;
- name;
- voice and language;
- business information;
- instructions;
- training information;
- connected phone number or Receptionist route;
- usage or plan status; and
- call transcripts or related call activity where shown.
If you are setting up AI call answering for the first time, choose the option to create a new Assistant and follow the setup flow.
Create a new AI Assistant
Start by deciding what job the Assistant should perform.A good setup has a clear purpose such as:
- answer general business questions;
- handle sales enquiries;
- provide first-line customer support;
- take messages after hours;
- collect callback requests; or
- answer personal calls when you are unavailable.
A practical setup order is:
- Open AI Assistant.
- Create a new AI Assistant or AI Bot.
- Choose the type or role that best matches the calls it will handle.
- Give it a clear name where the option is available.
- Choose a supported voice and language.
- Add information about your business or purpose.
- Add services, products, hours and common questions.
- Write clear call-handling instructions.
- Upload supported documents if they contain useful information the Assistant should know.
- Review how the Assistant should collect caller details and messages.
- Configure any supported routing or handoff behaviour.
- Connect the Assistant to a SimBuster phone number or Receptionist route.
- Check your Buster Minutes or AI plan.
- Test it from another phone.
- Go live only after the test calls behave the way you expect.
Choose the right AI Assistant role
During setup, SimBuster can offer different Assistant types or roles such as Sales, Support, Information or Custom.Choose the role that is closest to the real calls you expect.
Sales
Use this when callers mainly want information before buying, need a quote or want somebody to contact them.
Useful instructions can include:
- what you sell;
- who the service is for;
- basic price or plan information you are comfortable sharing;
- what details to collect from a lead; and
- when to ask for a callback.
Support
Use this for routine customer questions.
Give the Assistant approved troubleshooting steps and make it clear when a caller should be passed to a person instead of receiving more automated advice.
Information
Useful for opening hours, locations, services, policies and other common factual questions.
Custom
Choose Custom when the Assistant has a specialised job that does not fit a standard role.
The role is a starting point. The quality of your own information and instructions is still important.
Give your AI Assistant a clear name and identity
Where the setup allows it, give the Assistant a name that fits the way it will introduce itself.For a business line, keep the introduction simple.
For example:
“Hello, you’ve reached Smith & Co. I’m the automated assistant. How can I help?”
or:
“Thanks for calling Smith & Co. I’m Alex, the virtual assistant. What can I help you with today?”
Avoid pretending the Assistant is a specific real employee if it is not.
If you want callers to know they are speaking with an automated or AI system, include that naturally in the introduction.
The best opening is short. The caller should be able to start speaking quickly.
Choose a voice and language
Choose an available professional voice that matches the callers you expect.SimBuster can offer professional voices with different languages or accents. The current options are shown inside the app.
When choosing a voice:
- prioritise clarity over novelty for customer-facing calls;
- choose a language most callers understand;
- preview the voice before going live where preview is available;
- keep the same voice during testing and live use so you can compare results consistently; and
- test names, addresses and technical words that your callers are likely to say.
AI Assistant can support multilingual call handling where the selected Assistant, voice and service configuration support it.
Entertainment or celebrity-inspired parody voices are separate from normal professional business voice choices and may be limited to supported use cases. For an AI business phone agent, use a professional voice unless the app clearly offers another appropriate option.
Add accurate business information
AI Assistant can only give useful answers when it has useful information.Add the core facts a real receptionist would need to know, such as:
- business name;
- what the business does;
- main products or services;
- who the services are for;
- areas or countries served;
- contact methods;
- website or support information where appropriate;
- opening hours;
- common policies;
- important limitations; and
- what the Assistant should do when it does not know an answer.
Write facts, not advertising copy.
Instead of:
“We are the best company in the world and offer unbeatable service.”
use:
“We provide residential and commercial plumbing services in Greater London. Emergency call-outs are available during the hours listed below.”
Specific information is easier for the Assistant to use accurately.
Explain your services and products clearly
Give the Assistant enough information to answer the questions callers actually ask.For each important service or product, consider including:
- what it is;
- who it is for;
- what is included;
- important exclusions;
- price or price range if you want the Assistant to discuss pricing;
- delivery or service area;
- normal lead time;
- what information is needed from the caller; and
- when the Assistant should ask for a human follow-up.
Do not overload the Assistant with irrelevant internal information.
If callers only need to know that you offer three services, explain those three services properly rather than uploading a huge archive of unrelated material.
Example
”We offer boiler servicing, boiler repair and boiler replacement. Servicing is pre-booked. For urgent breakdowns, collect the caller’s postcode, boiler make if known, and a callback number. Do not promise an engineer arrival time.”
That tells the Assistant both what to say and what not to promise.
Add opening hours and after-hours instructions
Tell AI Assistant when your business or team is normally available.Include:
- normal opening hours;
- days you are closed;
- different weekend hours;
- holiday information when relevant; and
- what the Assistant should do outside those hours.
For example:
“We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Outside these hours, take the caller’s name, phone number, reason for calling and preferred callback time. Do not promise a same-day callback.”
Keep this information current.
If your opening hours change but the Assistant still has the old information, it can give callers an incorrect answer.
If you use Receptionist business-hours routing as well, make sure the schedule in Receptionist and the wording given to AI Assistant do not contradict each other.
Teach AI Assistant your common questions and answers
A short set of accurate FAQs can dramatically improve routine call handling.Think about questions you repeatedly answer yourself.
Examples:
- What time do you open?
- Where are you located?
- Do you cover my area?
- How much does the service cost?
- Do I need an appointment?
- How long does delivery take?
- Do you support this product?
- How can I cancel or change an order?
- Who should I speak to about billing?
- Can somebody call me back?
For each question, give the Assistant a direct answer and any conditions.
Better
”Standard delivery is normally 2–4 working days within mainland UK. Do not promise an exact delivery date. For an existing order, collect the order number and caller details for the team.”
Worse
”Delivery is fast and our team will help.”
The first version gives the Assistant something operational to work with.
Write clear call-handling instructions
Instructions tell AI Assistant how you want it to behave, not just what facts it should know.Good instructions can define:
- how to greet the caller;
- what questions to ask first;
- what details to collect;
- how concise answers should be;
- which topics it can answer;
- which topics it should not answer;
- when to take a message;
- when to request a callback;
- when to route or hand off a call;
- what information must never be promised; and
- what to do when it is unsure.
Write instructions like you are briefing a new receptionist on their first day.
Example instructions
- Introduce yourself briefly and ask how you can help.
- Keep answers short unless the caller asks for more detail.
- If the caller wants a quote, collect their name, phone number, postcode and a short description of the work.
- Never invent a price.
- Never promise an appointment time.
- If the answer is not in the information provided, say you are not certain and offer to take a message.
- Repeat important phone numbers or email addresses slowly.
- Before ending the call, confirm any callback details you collected.
This is much stronger than a vague instruction such as:
“Be helpful and answer customers.”
Upload documents to improve the AI Assistant’s knowledge
Where document training is available, you can upload supported documents containing information the Assistant should use.Useful examples can include:
- a product or service guide;
- an approved FAQ document;
- opening-hours information;
- customer service procedures;
- a price list you are happy for callers to hear;
- a menu or service catalogue;
- a company information sheet; or
- an internal call-handling guide prepared specifically for the Assistant.
Use documents that are:
- current;
- easy to understand;
- relevant to callers;
- internally consistent; and
- safe to use for customer conversations.
The supported file types, size limits and upload options are shown in the app.
After uploading important information, make test calls that ask questions from the document. Do not assume an upload is perfect simply because it completed successfully.
Do not upload information the AI does not need
Treat AI Assistant training information as operational customer-facing content.Do not upload sensitive information simply because it is available.
Avoid unnecessary material such as:
- passwords;
- API keys;
- private account credentials;
- card or payment data;
- private employee records;
- confidential customer lists;
- personal documents unrelated to call handling; or
- internal information the Assistant should never repeat to a caller.
If a document contains both useful public information and confidential material, create a clean version containing only what the Assistant genuinely needs.
Also avoid instructions that ask the Assistant to collect sensitive information unless there is a legitimate reason and your process is designed to handle it safely.
Connect AI Assistant directly to a SimBuster phone number
To let AI Assistant answer a supported SimBuster number directly, choose that number and set Where calls go to AI Assistant where the option is available.A typical flow is:
- Open Phone Numbers.
- Choose the number you want AI to answer.
- Open the incoming call or Where calls go setting.
- Choose AI Assistant.
- Select the Assistant you want to use if more than one option is shown.
- Save the change.
- Call the number from another phone and test it.
When AI Assistant is the direct destination, incoming calls to that number can be handled by the Assistant instead of ringing your SimBuster app.
Before testing, make sure:
- the phone number is active;
- any required number verification or KYC has been completed;
- the number has not expired;
- AI Assistant is active;
- the correct Assistant is selected; and
- you have enough Buster Minutes or an active AI allowance.
If the phone number is still pending, suspended, expired or awaiting required documents, AI Assistant cannot make an unavailable number receive calls.
Connect AI Assistant to a Receptionist or IVR menu
AI Assistant can also sit inside a Receptionist call flow.This is useful when you want a structured menu before the AI conversation begins.
For example:
- Press 1 for Sales → AI Assistant
- Press 2 for Support → SimBuster app or another destination
- Press 3 for Accounts → another supported route
Or you can use AI Assistant as an after-hours path while normal daytime calls ring your team.
To configure this:
- Open the Receptionist flow.
- Choose the branch or point where AI should take over.
- Add or select AI Assistant as the supported destination.
- Choose the correct Assistant.
- Save or publish the flow.
- Test that specific route from an outside phone.
Receptionist and AI Assistant can therefore be used separately or together.
Should AI answer every call or only selected callers?
There are two common approaches.AI answers the number directly
Choose this when almost every incoming call can begin with the same AI Assistant.
This is simple and works well for:
- after-hours lines;
- enquiry numbers;
- small businesses without a dedicated receptionist;
- message-taking numbers; or
- a number created specifically for automated call handling.
Receptionist decides who reaches AI
Choose this when different callers need different destinations.
For example:
“Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for Support, or press 3 for our AI information assistant.”
You can also send only selected departments or after-hours callers to AI.
Think about the caller first. Do not force a caller through an IVR menu if AI can simply answer the entire call, and do not send every caller to AI if some calls clearly need a person or a fixed route.
Decide how AI Assistant should answer the call
The first few seconds affect whether a caller stays on the line.A good AI phone greeting should:
- identify the business or number;
- introduce the Assistant briefly;
- invite the caller to speak naturally; and
- avoid a long script before the caller can explain what they need.
Simple business greeting
”Thanks for calling Greenfield Dental. I’m the automated assistant. How can I help you today?”
After-hours greeting
”Thanks for calling Greenfield Dental. The practice is currently closed, but I can take a message or help with general information. What do you need?”
Sales greeting
”Thanks for calling Northstar Software. I can help with product questions and sales enquiries. What can I help you with?”
Avoid making the caller listen to every service you offer before they are allowed to speak.
Collect useful caller details
AI Assistant can capture the information you need for follow-up.Tell it exactly what to collect.
Useful fields can include:
- caller’s name;
- callback number;
- email address where appropriate;
- company name;
- reason for calling;
- product or service of interest;
- postcode or service area;
- order or reference number;
- preferred callback time; and
- a short description of the problem.
Do not ask for ten pieces of information when three will do.
Example
”For a new sales enquiry, collect the caller’s name, callback number, company and a one-sentence description of what they need. If they do not want to provide one of these, continue politely rather than blocking the conversation.”
For important details such as telephone numbers, instruct the Assistant to confirm or repeat them back when practical.
Use AI Assistant to take messages
One of the simplest uses of AI Assistant is intelligent message taking.Instead of asking the caller to leave an unstructured voicemail, the Assistant can ask relevant questions and capture a more useful message.
For example:
- Ask the caller’s name.
- Confirm a callback number.
- Ask who or which department they need.
- Ask for the reason for the call.
- Ask whether the matter is urgent.
- Confirm the message before ending.
A good message should tell you enough to decide what to do next without forcing the caller to repeat the entire story later.
After the call, review the transcript and any available message or note information in SimBuster.
Route or transfer callers when human help is needed
Where supported by the current Assistant and call-flow configuration, AI Assistant can direct a caller to another destination.Possible destinations depend on how your number, Receptionist and Assistant are configured and on the options shown in the app.
A supported handoff can be useful when:
- a caller specifically asks for a person;
- the question is outside the Assistant’s approved knowledge;
- the call becomes too complicated;
- the caller is an existing customer with an account-specific issue;
- the Assistant has captured enough information and a person should continue; or
- your instructions require human handling for a particular topic.
If you use external phone forwarding as part of a wider call flow, Call Credit or other calling charges can apply to the onward call leg.
Do not write instructions that promise a transfer unless the destination is actually configured and tested.
If a particular destination is not shown in your current direct number settings, use only the routes currently supported by the app or build the required path through Receptionist where available.
Use AI Assistant for after-hours calls
AI Assistant can be especially valuable when your team is unavailable.A useful after-hours setup can:
- tell the caller the business is closed;
- answer routine questions;
- take a detailed message;
- collect callback details;
- explain when the team is next available; and
- avoid promising an urgent response unless you genuinely provide one.
You can use AI Assistant as the direct destination for a dedicated after-hours number, or route after-hours callers to AI through Receptionist.
Make sure the Assistant’s stated opening hours match the schedule in Receptionist if both are being used.
Handle callers in supported languages
AI Assistant supports multilingual call handling where the selected Assistant, voice and current service configuration support the caller’s language.Language and voice availability can change, so use the options displayed in SimBuster as the source of truth.
If you regularly receive calls in more than one language:
- choose a voice and setup that support those languages;
- include business information in a form the Assistant can use reliably;
- test the same question in each important language;
- test names, addresses and numbers;
- check whether the Assistant changes language naturally when the caller does; and
- review transcripts after multilingual calls for accuracy.
Do not assume every available voice supports every available language.
Review the Assistant before connecting real callers
Before going live, review the entire setup as if you were the caller.Check:
- Assistant name and introduction;
- voice;
- primary language;
- business name;
- services and products;
- opening hours;
- FAQ answers;
- pricing information;
- call-handling instructions;
- details the Assistant should collect;
- prohibited promises or topics;
- handoff or routing rules;
- uploaded documents;
- phone number or Receptionist connection; and
- Buster Minutes or AI plan status.
Remove outdated or contradictory information.
If two different training sources give different answers to the same question, fix them before testing.
Test AI Assistant before going live
Do not test only with easy questions.Call your SimBuster number from another phone and behave like a real customer.
Test at least these scenarios:
- Ask a basic question the Assistant should know.
- Ask the same question in different words.
- Ask about opening hours.
- Ask about a service or product.
- Give your name and callback number.
- Ask the Assistant to take a message.
- Ask something that is not in its knowledge.
- Ask for a person or transfer where you configured one.
- Interrupt the Assistant while it is speaking.
- Speak naturally rather than reading a perfect script.
- Test a noisy or mobile call where practical.
- Check a second supported language if multilingual calls matter to you.
- End the call and verify the transcript.
- Confirm that collected names and numbers are understandable.
- Test the exact Receptionist branch if AI is reached through an IVR menu.
The most important test is what happens when the Assistant does not know.
A safe answer such as:
“I don’t have that information, but I can take your details for the team.”
is better than a confident invented answer.
Go live with AI call answering
When the test calls are satisfactory:- Save the latest Assistant configuration.
- Confirm the correct phone number or Receptionist route is connected.
- Confirm your AI plan or Buster Minutes are available.
- Make one final external test call.
- Leave the Assistant active for real incoming calls.
- Review the first real transcripts closely.
Early real calls are valuable because callers will phrase questions differently from your test script.
Use those calls to improve the Assistant rather than assuming the first version is finished forever.
Edit AI Assistant later
You can update the Assistant as your needs change.Review it when you change:
- products or services;
- prices;
- opening hours;
- service areas;
- contact details;
- policies;
- team structure;
- common customer questions;
- call-routing destinations; or
- the type of calls the number receives.
After a significant change, make another test call.
If you replace an uploaded document, make sure old and new information do not remain in conflict.
Stop a number from using AI Assistant
If you no longer want AI Assistant to answer a number, change the incoming call destination for that number or remove AI Assistant from the relevant Receptionist path.For a directly connected number:
- Open Phone Numbers.
- Choose the number.
- Open Where calls go.
- Select another currently supported destination.
- Save the change.
- Test the number.
For a Receptionist flow, edit the branch that points to AI Assistant and replace it with the destination you want.
Do not simply delete or abandon the Assistant without checking where the live number will send new calls.
Read AI call transcripts
AI Assistant can save a transcript of supported conversations so you can review what the caller said and how the Assistant responded.Transcripts are useful for:
- reading a call when you could not answer;
- checking a sales enquiry;
- reviewing a support question;
- finding a callback number or name;
- seeing whether the Assistant gave the right information;
- improving training content; and
- understanding the questions callers ask most often.
Open the relevant AI call or transcript area in SimBuster to review the conversation.
Treat a transcript as a helpful record, not as a perfect legal or verbatim record. Speech recognition can misunderstand names, numbers, accents, background noise or unusual words.
For important details, confirm them with the caller when necessary.
Review messages, caller details and notes
Depending on the call and current Assistant features, SimBuster can surface information such as the caller’s message, contact details, notes or call summary alongside the conversation.Use these to decide the next action.
For example:
- call the customer back;
- send requested information;
- pass the enquiry to Sales;
- investigate a support issue;
- update the Assistant because it did not know an answer; or
- ignore a call that needed no further action.
If a caller gives a phone number or email address verbally, check it against the transcript before relying on it.
Improve AI Assistant using real call transcripts
The best training questions often come from real callers.Periodically review transcripts and look for patterns.
If callers repeatedly ask the same unanswered question
Add an approved answer to the Assistant’s information.
If the answer is too long
Rewrite the instruction so the Assistant gives the short answer first.
If the Assistant guesses
Add an explicit instruction not to guess and tell it what fallback to use.
If it collects the wrong details
Specify exactly which details are required for that type of enquiry.
If callers ask for a person
Review whether the human handoff or message-taking path is clear enough.
If callers misunderstand the opening
Shorten the greeting.
Do not change ten things after one unusual call. Look for recurring problems and improve the setup deliberately.
Handle call transcripts and caller information responsibly
AI calls can contain personal or commercially sensitive information.Use sensible access and retention practices for transcripts, messages and caller details.
In particular:
- limit access to people who need the information;
- do not copy caller data into public documents;
- avoid asking AI Assistant to collect information you do not need;
- protect your SimBuster account and device;
- remove confidential information from training documents;
- follow the privacy, recording, transcription and AI disclosure requirements that apply to your business and callers; and
- use the available privacy and account controls in SimBuster.
Requirements can differ by country and use case. If your calls involve regulated or sensitive information, obtain appropriate professional guidance for your own setup.
What are Buster Minutes?
Buster Minutes are the AI call minutes used by supported SimBuster AI Assistant, Receptionist and smart AI call flows.They are the balance or allowance associated with live AI call handling.
The current SimBuster app and pricing page show the available AI packages and the minutes included.
Before routing an important business number to AI Assistant, check that:
- an AI plan or minute allowance is available;
- the plan is active where required;
- enough minutes remain for the expected call volume; and
- you understand any validity or renewal information displayed for that plan.
AI plan pricing can change, so the price shown in SimBuster at the time of purchase should be treated as current.
Buster Minutes vs Speech Credit
These are different.Buster Minutes
Used for live AI call conversations and supported AI call handling.
Speech Credit
Used to generate pre-created spoken audio, such as Receptionist greetings, IVR prompts and supported voice-avatar speech.
If AI Assistant is talking to a caller dynamically and responding to the conversation, that is AI call usage.
If SimBuster is generating a fixed greeting such as:
“Thank you for calling. Press 1 for Sales.”
that type of generated prompt can use Speech Credit.
Speech Credit purchased for generated voice audio does not become Buster Minutes, and Buster Minutes are not SMS Credit or ordinary Call Credit.
Check AI Assistant usage and remaining minutes
Open the AI Assistant or Plans area to view the current AI plan, usage or remaining Buster Minutes shown for your account.Check usage more often when:
- a number receives many calls;
- AI Assistant answers every incoming call;
- calls are long;
- several call routes use AI;
- you are running a campaign likely to increase call volume; or
- you rely on AI after hours.
If you only discover that an allowance is exhausted after customers stop reaching AI, the Assistant is no longer solving the missed-call problem.
Make AI usage part of the same routine as checking number expiry, Call Credit and other important service balances.
What happens if your AI minutes run out?
If the required AI allowance or Buster Minutes are no longer available, AI call handling may not be able to continue normally.The exact behaviour depends on the current plan and call-flow configuration.
If AI stops answering or a call route fails:
- Check the AI Assistant is still active.
- Check the Buster Minutes or AI plan balance.
- Add or renew the appropriate AI plan if required.
- Confirm the phone number still routes to the Assistant.
- Test again from another phone.
For a business-critical line, consider how callers should be handled if AI is unavailable. Where supported, use Receptionist or another configured route so there is a clear fallback rather than an untested dead end.
How to write better AI phone instructions
The strongest instructions are specific, short and operational.A useful structure is:
1. Role
Who is the Assistant and what is its job?
”You are the phone assistant for Smith & Co, a commercial cleaning company.”
2. Main objective
What should it achieve?
”Answer routine service questions and collect qualified enquiry details for the sales team.”
3. Conversation style
How should it speak?
”Be polite, natural and concise. Give the direct answer first. Ask only one question at a time.”
4. Required information
What should it collect?
”For a new quote, collect name, company, postcode, site type and callback number.”
5. Boundaries
What must it not do?
”Do not invent prices, confirm appointments or promise a start date.”
6. Fallback
What happens when it cannot answer?
”If the answer is not in the approved information, say you are not certain and take a message for the team.”
7. End of call
What should happen before hanging up?
”Confirm the caller’s name and callback number, then summarise the next step in one sentence.”
This gives the AI a much clearer job than a long paragraph of vague instructions.
Tell AI Assistant what to do when it does not know
One of the most important instructions is the fallback.Do not encourage the Assistant to answer everything.
Use wording such as:
“Only answer using the information provided. If you are not sure, say you do not have that information. Offer to take the caller’s details for follow-up.”
For prices:
“Only quote prices explicitly listed in the approved information. If a price is missing or depends on the job, collect the enquiry details instead.”
For appointments:
“You can collect a preferred appointment time, but do not confirm that the appointment is booked.”
For policies:
“If the caller asks about an exception that is not covered in the approved policy, take a message rather than inventing an exception.”
A graceful “I don’t know” is much better than a wrong answer delivered confidently.
Design a clear human handoff
AI Assistant should have a clear endpoint when a person needs to take over.Depending on the currently supported call flow, this might mean:
- transferring or routing the caller to a person;
- sending the call to another supported destination;
- returning the caller to a Receptionist route;
- taking a message;
- collecting details for a callback; or
- telling the caller how to reach the correct team.
Decide in advance which situations need human help.
Examples:
- complaints;
- refunds;
- account-specific billing;
- emergencies;
- legal threats;
- unusual technical problems;
- sensitive personal information;
- a caller who repeatedly asks for a person; or
- anything outside the Assistant’s approved knowledge.
Test the handoff rather than assuming it works.
Keep the AI Assistant’s information current
An AI phone agent is only as current as the information you maintain.Review the setup when anything important changes.
Examples:
- new opening hours;
- a price change;
- a service is discontinued;
- a new product launches;
- a telephone number changes;
- a team moves office;
- delivery times change;
- a promotion ends;
- a policy changes; or
- the human call destination changes.
Outdated information can sound convincing to a caller because it is delivered conversationally.
Create a simple habit: whenever you update important customer-facing information elsewhere, ask whether AI Assistant also needs updating.
Do not use AI Assistant as the final authority for high-stakes calls
AI Assistant is useful for routine information, message taking and first-line call handling. It can still misunderstand a caller or produce an incorrect answer.Do not rely on it as the sole source of advice or decision-making for situations where an error could cause serious harm.
Examples can include:
- emergency situations;
- medical diagnosis or urgent clinical advice;
- legal advice;
- personalised financial advice;
- safety-critical instructions;
- decisions about a person’s eligibility, rights or welfare; or
- other regulated or high-consequence matters.
Use AI to collect information or direct the caller where appropriate, then involve a qualified person for the actual decision or advice.
AI Assistant is not answering incoming calls
Work through the call path in order.- Confirm the SimBuster phone number is active.
- Check whether the number is pending KYC, document approval or activation.
- Confirm the number has not expired.
- Open Where calls go and check that AI Assistant is selected, or confirm the relevant Receptionist branch points to AI Assistant.
- Confirm the correct Assistant is active.
- Check your Buster Minutes or AI plan.
- Save any recent routing changes.
- Call the number from another phone.
- If using Receptionist, test the exact keypad or after-hours branch that should reach AI.
- If the number rings somewhere else, re-check its incoming call destination.
Do not troubleshoot the AI training first if the call is not reaching the Assistant at all. Fix the routing path first.
AI Assistant gives a wrong or outdated answer
Find out where the wrong answer came from.Check:
- business information;
- FAQs;
- uploaded documents;
- old price lists;
- opening hours;
- instructions;
- duplicate or contradictory information; and
- whether the question was outside the Assistant’s approved knowledge.
Then:
- Correct the source information.
- Remove obsolete material.
- Add a clear fallback instruction if the Assistant guessed.
- Save the changes.
- Test the same question again using more than one wording.
Do not fix a wrong answer by adding another contradictory paragraph. Clean up the source information first.
AI Assistant uses the wrong language or voice
Check the Assistant configuration.Confirm:
- the intended voice is selected;
- the intended primary language is selected where applicable;
- the selected voice supports the language you expect;
- your instructions are not forcing a different language;
- the caller is speaking clearly enough for language detection where automatic handling is used; and
- the current Assistant configuration was saved.
If multilingual use is important, test each key language separately.
A voice sounding natural in one language does not automatically mean it is the best choice for every other supported language.
AI Assistant cannot route or transfer the caller
Check whether the destination is actually supported in the current call flow.Then confirm:
- The destination has been configured.
- The phone number, Receptionist and Assistant are using the latest saved configuration.
- The Assistant’s instructions tell it when to use the handoff.
- The onward phone number is correct if an external destination is used.
- Any required Call Credit or calling allowance is available for a chargeable external call leg.
- The route works when tested from another phone.
Do not tell the Assistant to “transfer every difficult call to John” unless John is a real configured destination in the flow.
If the destination is not currently available as a direct AI route, use another supported SimBuster destination or build the required routing logic through Receptionist where possible.
A transcript is missing or incomplete
If a transcript does not appear as expected:- Confirm the call was actually handled by AI Assistant.
- Check that the call completed rather than failing before the conversation began.
- Refresh or reopen the relevant AI call history.
- Check the app is updated.
- Allow time for the call record to finish processing where necessary.
- Compare with another short test call.
If the transcript exists but contains errors, remember that automatic speech recognition can struggle with:
- poor audio;
- background noise;
- strong accents;
- uncommon names;
- telephone numbers spoken quickly;
- overlapping speech; or
- specialist terminology.
For critical names or numbers, verify the information before acting on it.
AI Assistant does not seem to use an uploaded document
First check that the information is actually present in the document and is clear.Then:
- Confirm the document finished uploading.
- Check it is still attached to the correct Assistant.
- Remove old documents that contradict it.
- Rewrite complicated tables or internal jargon into simpler customer-facing information where necessary.
- Ask a direct test question whose answer appears clearly in the document.
- Try the same question in different wording.
- Add a concise FAQ or instruction for especially important information instead of relying on a large document alone.
Uploading more documents is not always the answer. A smaller, clean knowledge set can be more useful than a large pile of mixed material.
AI Assistant struggles to understand a caller
Voice calls are not always clean.Problems can come from:
- weak mobile signal;
- poor VoIP connection;
- background noise;
- speakerphone echo;
- the caller speaking very quickly;
- several people talking at once;
- unusual names or technical terms; or
- an unsupported or poorly matched language.
Improve the experience by telling the Assistant to:
- ask the caller to repeat unclear information;
- confirm names and phone numbers;
- ask one question at a time;
- avoid interrupting unnecessarily; and
- offer message taking or another supported path if the conversation is not working.
Also test the call quality itself. A routing or network audio problem cannot be fixed by changing the AI instructions.
The wrong phone number is using AI Assistant
If callers reach AI on a number that should ring somewhere else:- Open Phone Numbers.
- Select the affected number.
- Check Where calls go.
- Change the destination to the intended option.
- If the number uses Receptionist, check whether a branch or assigned-number setting sends it to AI.
- Save or publish the change.
- Test the number from an outside phone.
If you manage several SimBuster numbers, name your Assistants and Receptionists clearly so it is obvious which number each setup is meant to serve.
AI Assistant FAQ
What is SimBuster AI Assistant?
SimBuster AI Assistant is an AI phone agent that answers supported incoming calls, speaks with callers, handles routine questions, takes messages, captures caller details and saves call transcripts.
Is AI Assistant the same as an AI receptionist?
It can be used as a virtual AI receptionist. SimBuster calls the feature AI Assistant. It can welcome callers, answer questions and handle routine incoming calls.
Is AI Assistant the same as SimBuster Receptionist?
No. Receptionist is a structured IVR and auto attendant based on menus and routing rules. AI Assistant holds a natural spoken conversation. You can use them separately or together.
Do I need coding to create an AI phone agent?
No. AI Assistant is configured through the SimBuster app using setup questions, information, instructions and supported training options.
Can AI Assistant answer my SimBuster phone number?
Yes. A supported SimBuster number can be connected to AI Assistant as an incoming call destination.
Where do I choose AI Assistant for my number?
Open the number and use Where calls go to select AI Assistant where that option is available.
Can AI Assistant work with local, mobile, national and toll-free numbers?
AI Assistant can work with supported SimBuster number types. Number and country availability still depend on the specific number you have.
Does the number need to be active first?
Yes. A pending, expired, suspended or unverified number cannot receive normal incoming calls just because AI Assistant is configured.
What if my number requires KYC?
Complete the number’s required identity, address or business verification. AI Assistant does not bypass number activation requirements.
Can I connect AI Assistant to Receptionist?
Yes. A supported Receptionist or IVR branch can route selected callers to AI Assistant.
Can AI answer every call?
Yes, if you route the number directly to AI Assistant and the service is active. You can also use Receptionist so only selected callers reach AI.
Can AI Assistant answer calls when my app is not open?
AI Assistant is designed for automated call handling, including when you are busy or unavailable. The number, Assistant and required service allowance still need to be active.
Can AI Assistant work after hours?
Yes. You can use it to handle after-hours calls, answer routine questions and take callback details.
Can it take messages?
Yes. You can instruct AI Assistant to collect the caller’s name, number, reason for calling and other useful details.
Can it answer frequently asked questions?
Yes. Give it accurate business information and approved FAQ answers.
Can it answer product or service questions?
Yes, when you provide the relevant information and instructions.
Can it handle sales enquiries?
Yes. It can answer routine sales questions and capture lead information for follow-up.
Can it handle customer support?
It can handle routine first-line questions. More complicated or sensitive cases should have a clear human follow-up or handoff process.
Can it book appointments?
It can collect appointment or booking requests. Do not instruct it to confirm a booking unless your current setup genuinely supports confirmed booking actions.
Can AI Assistant transfer calls?
Where supported and configured, it can route or hand off callers to another supported destination. Available destinations depend on the current call-flow configuration.
Can it send a caller back to Receptionist?
Use the supported routing options shown in the current call flow. Receptionist can also be used before AI so the caller reaches the Assistant only through a selected branch.
Can I choose the AI Assistant voice?
Yes. Available professional voices and language options are shown during setup.
Can AI Assistant speak more than one language?
Multilingual call handling is supported where the selected Assistant, voice and service configuration support the language. Test the languages important to you before going live.
Can I give the Assistant a name?
Where the setup offers this option, give it a clear name and introduction that suit the number’s purpose.
How do I train AI Assistant?
Add accurate business information, services, hours, FAQs and call-handling instructions. You can also use supported document uploads where available.
Can I upload documents?
Yes, where document training is offered. Use current, relevant documents that are safe for customer-facing conversations.
What documents should I upload?
Useful examples include approved FAQs, product guides, service information, current price lists and call-handling procedures. Avoid confidential material the Assistant does not need.
Can I change the training later?
Yes. Update the Assistant whenever prices, services, opening hours, policies or other important information changes.
Does AI Assistant make mistakes?
It can. Test it before going live, keep information current and tell it not to guess when an answer is not known.
How do I stop it making things up?
Give explicit instructions to use only approved information and to say it does not know when the answer is missing. Provide a message-taking or human fallback.
What are Buster Minutes?
Buster Minutes are SimBuster’s AI call minutes for supported AI Assistant and AI call-flow usage.
Are Buster Minutes the same as Speech Credit?
No. Buster Minutes are for live AI call conversations. Speech Credit is for generating supported pre-created voice audio such as greetings and IVR prompts.
Are AI minutes the same as Call Credit?
No. Call Credit is used for ordinary outgoing calls, Calling Plans and eligible calling services. AI call usage uses the relevant AI allowance or Buster Minutes.
How much does AI Assistant cost?
Current AI plan prices and included minutes are shown in the SimBuster app and on the current pricing page before purchase.
What happens when AI minutes run out?
AI call handling may no longer continue normally until the required AI allowance is available. Check your Buster Minutes or AI plan and test the route again after adding or renewing the appropriate plan.
Does AI Assistant save transcripts?
Supported AI calls can create transcripts that you can review in SimBuster.
Are transcripts always perfect?
No. Automatic transcription can mishear names, numbers, accents or speech in poor audio conditions. Verify important details.
Can AI Assistant take a callback number?
Yes. Tell it to collect and, where practical, confirm the caller’s callback details.
Can I edit AI Assistant after it goes live?
Yes. You can update its information, instructions, voice, role and supported routing setup.
How do I stop AI Assistant answering a number?
Change that number’s Where calls go destination or remove AI Assistant from the relevant Receptionist route, then test the number.
Is AI Assistant suitable for a small business?
Yes. It is especially useful for small businesses, freelancers and teams that cannot answer every incoming call.
Should I use AI Assistant for emergencies or professional advice?
Do not rely on AI Assistant as the final authority for emergency, medical, legal, financial or other high-stakes decisions. Use a qualified human or appropriate emergency service for those situations.
What should I test before going live?
Test common questions, unknown questions, caller details, messages, language, routing, interruptions, transcripts and the exact real phone-number route from an outside phone.