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Start conversations proactively. Configure your agent to greet callers first instead of waiting — essential for outbound campaigns where callers need immediate context. What you’ll learn: Opening phrase configuration, variable substitution, timing settings, and interruptibility options.

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Why Use Talk First?

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Establishes Professional Tone

Starting with a professional greeting immediately signals this is a legitimate, intentional call. Particularly important for outbound campaigns where callers might be uncertain who’s calling.

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Sets Conversation Context

Proactively stating the call’s purpose helps callers understand what to expect: “Hi, this is Alex calling about your appointment tomorrow.”

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Reduces Caller Confusion

Especially on outbound calls, callers may be unsure why they’re being contacted. An opening greeting eliminates this uncertainty immediately.

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Controls Conversation Flow

By speaking first, your agent establishes the conversational rhythm and can guide the interaction from the start.

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Saves Time

Instead of “Hello?” “Hello?” exchanges, the agent immediately states the purpose and moves the conversation forward.

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How to Configure Talk First

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Step 1: Enable Talk First

  1. Open your agent’s configuration
  2. Navigate to the Features tab
  3. Find Talk First and toggle it on

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Step 2: Configure Opening Phrase

Enter the text your agent should speak when the call connects. 
Hi, this is Sarah from Acme Corp calling about your service appointment scheduled for tomorrow. Do you have a moment to confirm?
Insert dynamic information into your greeting using double curly braces:
Hello {{customer_name}}, this is {{agent_name}} calling from {{company_name}}. I'm following up on your recent inquiry about {{product_name}}.
Supported variables:
  • Any custom variable passed when creating the call
  • {{agent_name}} - The agent’s configured name
  • {{customer_name}} - Caller’s name if provided
  • {{company_name}} - Your company name
  • {{appointment_time}} - Appointment details
  • Any other data passed via API

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Step 3: Set Delay Before Speaking

Control when the agent begins speaking after the call connects: Delay Range: 0-10 seconds (adjustable in 0.5 second increments) Recommended delays:
  • 0 seconds: Immediate greeting, agent speaks instantly
  • 0.5-1 second: Brief pause, feels more natural (recommended for most cases)
  • 2-3 seconds: Longer pause, gives caller time to settle
  • 4+ seconds: Extended pause, rarely needed
Why delay matters:
  • Very short delays (0-0.5s) can feel abrupt
  • Moderate delays (0.5-1.5s) feel most natural to callers
  • Long delays (2s+) may cause callers to speak first, defeating Talk First’s purpose
Recommended starting point: 0.5 seconds

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Step 4: Configure Interruptibility

Choose whether callers can interrupt the opening greeting:

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Interruptible (Enabled)

Callers can start speaking at any point during the greeting. The agent stops and listens. When to use:
  • Professional conversations where caller input is valued
  • Scenarios where callers might need to quickly say “Wrong number” or “Not a good time”
  • Most customer service applications

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Non-Interruptible (Disabled)

Agent completes the entire greeting before listening for caller response. When to use:
  • Critical information that must be delivered completely
  • Legal disclaimers or compliance statements
  • Very brief greetings (under 5 seconds) where interruption is unnecessary
Recommended: Enable interruptibility for most use cases (gives callers control).

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Configuration Examples

{
  "talkFirst": "enabled",
  "openingPhrase": "Hi {{customer_name}}, this is Alex from {{clinic_name}} calling to remind you about your appointment tomorrow at {{appointment_time}}. Can you confirm you'll be able to make it?",
  "delay": 0.5,
  "interruptible": true
}
Result: Professional, immediate greeting with dynamic personalization. Caller can interrupt if needed.
{
  "talkFirst": "enabled",
  "openingPhrase": "Hello, this is Jordan from Market Research Inc. Do you have 3 minutes for a brief survey?",
  "delay": 1,
  "interruptible": true
}
Result: Clear, concise purpose statement. Respects caller’s time by stating duration upfront.
{
  "talkFirst": "enabled",
  "openingPhrase": "Hi {{customer_name}}, it's Taylor from {{company_name}}. I'm calling to follow up on your recent purchase of {{product_name}}. How has everything been working for you?",
  "delay": 0.5,
  "interruptible": true
}
Result: Warm, personalized greeting that immediately establishes context and shows care.
{
  "talkFirst": "enabled",
  "openingPhrase": "This is an emergency notification from {{organization_name}}. Please listen carefully to the following important information.",
  "delay": 0.5,
  "interruptible": false
}
Result: Critical information delivered without interruption. Appropriate for urgent alerts.

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Common Use Cases

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Appointment Reminders

  • Configuration: Brief greeting, caller’s name, specific appointment details, confirmation question
  • Why: Callers expect reminder calls to state appointment time immediately

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Sales Follow-ups

  • Configuration: Friendly greeting, reference to previous interaction, value proposition
  • Why: Establishes context for relationship and reason for follow-up

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Customer Service Callbacks

  • Configuration: Personalized greeting, reference to support ticket or inquiry
  • Why: Immediately reminds caller of their request and shows responsiveness

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Survey Invitations

  • Configuration: Brief introduction, estimated time commitment, optional incentive mention
  • Why: Respects caller’s time by being upfront about what’s being asked

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Emergency Notifications

  • Configuration: Clear identification, urgency indicator, non-interruptible if critical
  • Why: Ensures critical information is delivered completely and quickly

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Technical Considerations

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Call Connection Timing

Talk First activates when:
  • Outbound calls: Call is answered
  • Inbound calls: Connection is established
  • Web calls: Session begins
The configured delay begins counting from the moment of connection.

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Variable Interpolation

Variables are replaced with actual values at call time:
  • Variables must be passed when creating the call (via API or dashboard)
  • Undefined variables render as empty strings
  • Ensure all required variables are provided to avoid awkward gaps

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Multi-language Support

Talk First works with all configured agent languages:
  • Opening phrase is spoken in the agent’s primary language
  • Language Switching can occur after greeting
  • Consider crafting opening phrases that work across languages if language is caller-selected

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Compatibility

Talk First works across all call types:
  • ✅ Outbound phone calls (most common use case)
  • ✅ Inbound phone calls
  • ✅ Web-based voice calls
  • ⚠️ Inbound calls: Callers may expect to speak first, use carefully

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Troubleshooting

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Problem: Caller Speaks Over Greeting

Solution: Reduce delay to 0.3-0.5 seconds so agent begins speaking faster. Verify interruptibility is enabled so agent can respond when interrupted.

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Problem: Greeting Feels Abrupt

Solution: Increase delay to 0.8-1.2 seconds. Very short delays can feel robotic.

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Problem: Greeting Too Long

Solution: Shorten opening phrase to under 15 seconds. Get to the point faster—long introductions lose caller attention.

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Problem: Variables Not Replacing

Solution: Verify variable names match exactly (case-sensitive). Ensure variables are passed when creating the call. Check for typos in variable names.

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Problem: Callers Confused About Call Purpose

Solution: Revise opening phrase to state purpose within first 5 seconds. Be explicit about why you’re calling.

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Measuring Effectiveness

Track these metrics to evaluate Talk First impact:
  • Call completion rate - Clear greetings may improve completions
  • Time to caller response - Measure how quickly callers engage after greeting
  • Wrong number rate - Clear identification reduces wrong number complaints
  • Caller satisfaction - Survey whether callers appreciated knowing call purpose immediately

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Next steps

Ambient Noise

Background sounds improve professionalism

Language Switching

Adapt language after greeting if needed

Fillers

Natural pauses during processing

Voice & Speech

Configure voice settings