Start with a narrow customer job
An assistant that answers every question imaginable is hard to test and easy to overpromise. Start with one use case: respond to frequently asked questions, collect a few details from an inquiry, suggest a tour or service visit, and pass the request to a person.
Five things to configure before launch
- Approved knowledge: Create a reviewed knowledge source describing supported services, hours, service areas, contact details and how to request an appointment. Identify facts that must be checked live.
- Qualification questions: Decide which details are genuinely necessary. For an office lease, ask team size, desired move-in window and tour preference—not confidential personal information.
- Human escalation: Identify questions involving quotes, contract commitments, urgent safety issues, disputes or uncertainty. The agent must route them rather than bluff.
- Systems and permissions: Define which CRM or scheduling actions can be suggested, which require approval, and which are entirely prohibited. Use least-privilege access.
- Evaluation and monitoring: Test normal requests, ambiguous questions, unavailable services, unsupported claims, handoff failures and changes to approved knowledge before going live.
What a useful handoff looks like
A prospect sends a message: “Do you have a private office for two people? Can we tour Thursday?” The system may ask for the move-in window and preferred time, record the request and notify the leasing manager. It should not claim Thursday is available until a human or authoritative scheduling system confirms it.
Choose configure-versus-build deliberately
Start by evaluating agent capabilities already included in the customer's Meta messaging, CRM or productivity systems. If those tools cover the needed workflow safely, configure them. Build custom behavior only when a measurable requirement cannot be met by supported capabilities. Provider features and access can vary by account, plan and region.
Hutchgroup principle: We don't arrive with a preselected agent. We discover the business problem, configure the right tools and measure the result.
Try a synthetic business-agent scenario
The Ops flexible-office demo illustrates inquiry capture, qualification, human approval and follow-up. It is a simulation, not a live Meta or CRM integration.