Voice
Voice lets customers speak to your agent and hear it reply. It is the same agent, with the same lookups, safety rules and records, just a different way to talk. This is useful for customers who prefer speaking, who are on the move, or who are more comfortable in their own language.
What customers experience
- The customer opens the widget or channel and chooses the microphone.
- The agent greets them, using the greeting you wrote.
- They speak. They see their words appear as they talk.
- The agent replies in a natural voice.
- They can keep talking, or switch back to typing at any time.
Languages
Achilles supports voice in Indian languages and is designed for people who mix languages mid-sentence, such as Hindi and English together. You choose the main spoken language for each agent.
Choose the language your customers actually speak. If the setting does not match, the agent may misunderstand words instead of showing an error. Test with real speakers.
What stays the same
Voice is not a separate, looser system.
- The same roles limit what each person can see. See Roles and access.
- Approvals still apply before any action. See Approvals.
- Handoff to a person still works. See Human handoff.
- Conversations are recorded in the audit trail. See Audit trail.
How to enable voice
- Open your agent in the console.
- In its settings, find Voice and turn it on.
- Choose which modes are allowed: text, voice, or both.
- Choose the spoken language and a voice.
- Write a short greeting.
- Ask your IT team to confirm the speech service is switched on for your workspace. See AI models.
- Test using the microphone in Playground. See Test your agent.
If voice does not appear, see Troubleshooting.
Tips for good voice conversations
| Tip | Why |
|---|---|
| Keep replies short. | Long answers are hard to follow by ear. |
| Read out numbers clearly, for example dates and amounts. | Customers will act on them. |
| Confirm important details back to the customer. | Speech can be misheard. |
| Ask one question at a time. | It avoids confusion. |
| Have a bridge phrase for slow lookups, such as "Let me check that for you." | Silence feels like a dropped call. |
| Offer a person when the customer sounds frustrated. | Voice carries emotion. |
Where to use it
Voice works in the website widget and in supported channels. See Website widget and Messaging channels.
Start with a small pilot group, listen to real conversations, and tune your greeting and phrasing before opening voice to everyone.