# Voice agent call script and escalation map (inbound calls)

Template v1 - 2026-10-18 - MiniAI Labs - https://miniailabs.in/resources/templates/
Free to use and adapt for your own projects. A generic template, not legal advice: disclosure, recording and consent rules differ by country and, in the US, by state. Confirm yours before launch. Outbound calls carry stricter consent rules and are out of scope for this template.

Fill this in with the people who answer the phone today. The script tells the agent what to say; the escalation map tells it when to stop and hand the call to a person. Lines in quotes are sample wording: rewrite them in your own voice.

## 1. Line details

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Phone number(s) | |
| When the agent answers (all hours, after hours, overflow only) | |
| Languages | |
| Who takes transferred calls, and in which hours | |
| Where call summaries go (CRM, helpdesk, email) | |
| Who approves script changes | |

## 2. Opening

1. Greeting and disclosure, in the first sentence of every call:
   "Thanks for calling [business]. I'm an automated assistant. This call is recorded and transcribed so we can help you. To speak with a person at any time, just say 'person'."
2. Purpose:
   "I can help with [bookings, opening hours, order status]. What can I do for you?"

- [ ] The disclosure and the way to reach a person stay in the greeting through every script change.
- [ ] If recording needs consent where you operate, the agent offers to continue without recording, or transfers.

## 3. What the agent handles

| Intent | Callers say things like | Details to collect | Read back before acting | System action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book an appointment | "Can I come in on Tuesday?" | Name, service, day and time, phone number | "That's [service] on [day] at [time]. Shall I book it?" | Create the booking in [calendar] |
| Change or cancel a booking | "I need to move my appointment" | Booking reference or phone number | "Your booking on [day] is cancelled. Is that right?" | Update [calendar] |
| Opening hours and location | "When are you open?" | None | Not needed | Answer from approved content |
| [Your intent] | | | | |

Rules for collecting details:

- Ask for one detail at a time.
- Read back names, numbers, dates and times before any action.
- Spell email addresses back letter by letter, or confirm them by text message instead.

## 4. When the agent does not understand

| Situation | What the agent does |
|---|---|
| Silence | Asks "Are you still there?"; after a second silence, says goodbye, logs the call and calls or texts back if your rules allow it. |
| Not understood once | Rephrases with options: "Is this about a booking, an existing order, or something else?" |
| Not understood twice | Transfers to a person, or takes a message if nobody is available. |
| Caller asks for a person | Transfers straight away, without trying to keep the call. |
| Caller is upset | Acknowledges it once, then transfers. |

## 5. Escalation map

| Trigger | How it is detected | Action | Goes to | Passed along | Outside staffed hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caller asks for a person | Phrase or keypress | Warm transfer | [Front desk] | Summary, caller number, intent | Take a message and give a callback time |
| Emergency or safety risk | Words you list: [____] | Read the emergency instruction you approved, then transfer | [____] | Everything said so far | Emergency instruction only |
| Complaint or legal threat | Intent | Transfer | [Manager on duty] | Summary | Message, callback next working day |
| Caller starts reading card or bank details | Pattern of digits | Stop the caller politely; send a secure payment link or transfer | [Billing] | Nothing sensitive | Payment link by text |
| Medical, legal or financial advice requested | Intent | Decline and transfer | [Qualified person] | Summary | Message |
| No progress after two attempts | Turn count | Transfer | [Front desk] | Summary and transcript | Message |
| Identity cannot be verified | Verification step fails | Share no account details; transfer | [____] | Reason | Message |
| [Your trigger] | | | | | |

What the agent says to the person who picks up a warm transfer:
"Caller [name] about [intent]. They want [request]. Already collected: [details]."

## 6. The agent must never

- [ ] Take card numbers, bank details or passwords by voice.
- [ ] Give medical, legal or financial advice.
- [ ] Promise refunds, discounts or exceptions it is not set up to grant.
- [ ] Share account or booking details before the caller is verified.
- [ ] Claim to be a person, or deny being automated when asked.
- [ ] [Your rule]

## 7. Closing and call summary

Closing: "Is there anything else I can help with? Thanks for calling [business]. You'll get a text confirming [what was done]."

Saved after every call:

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Caller number | |
| Intent | |
| Outcome (completed, transferred, message taken, dropped) | |
| Details collected | |
| Action taken, and in which system | |
| Transfer reason, if any | |
| Where the recording and transcript are kept | |

## 8. Test calls before launch

Run each with people who did not write the script:

- [ ] Every intent in section 3, asked three different ways.
- [ ] Every trigger in section 5, inside and outside staffed hours.
- [ ] A noisy line, a caller who interrupts, and a caller who gives details out of order.
- [ ] Every language you support.
- [ ] A transfer that nobody picks up.

Cost, delay and consent for voice agents: https://miniailabs.in/resources/guides/voice-agent-buyers-guide/