Manage Scout Roles

Roles tell Scout how to talk to your customers. A role describes your brand’s voice and tone, gives Scout instructions on what to do and what not to do when it replies, and tailors replies to the people Scout talks to. If you use Scout in more than one way — for example on your public website and inside your app — you can create a role for each one.

Create a Role

Go to Scout > Manage, click Roles under Behavior, then click Create role.

Role name

Enter a name that helps your team recognize the role, such as Website visitors or Wholesale customers. Your customers never see this name, this is just for you and your team. Character limit: 100 characters.

Character

Describe how Scout should behave when it uses this role. Include your brand’s voice and tone, any instructions on how Scout should or shouldn’t reply, and details about the audience. Limited to 2000 characters.

Applies to

Assign this role to the Beacon(s) and/or Inbox(es) where you want it to govern the conversations with your customers.

Style

You can choose to follow the company defined style, or you can specify different settings for this role for length, tone, and whether or not to use emoji.

Click Create to save the role.

Write Clear Character Guidelines

Scout follows the guidelines you give it in the Character field. Clear, specific instructions get more consistent replies.

• Describe the voice. Use a few words that describe how this role sounds, such as warm and upbeat or calm and professional. Add a sentence or two about what that means in practice to fully define it.
• Say what to do and what not to do. For example: Call our product a “membership,” not a “subscription.” or Explain technical terms in simple words, don't use jargon.
• Describe the audience. Tell Scout who it’s talking to and what they usually need. For example: you're chatting with new customers who are still learning the basics, or experienced customers who want quick, direct answers.
• Write in plain sentences. Short, direct instructions work better than long paragraphs.

Use Multiple Roles

Create more than one role when different groups of customers need different kinds of help. Each Beacon can use a different role as needed, each Inbox can too. For example:

• Trial customers and paying customers: Scout can explain features in more detail to people who are still deciding, and give quicker answers to people who already use your product.
• Retail and wholesale customers: Scout can use a friendly, casual tone with shoppers and a more formal tone with business buyers.
• Your website and your app: Scout can focus on what your product does when it talks to visitors who may be prospective customers, and on how to use your product when it talks to customers who are logged in.

Example Roles by Industry

Use these examples as a starting point, and change them so they sound like your business.

eCommerce

Role name: Shoppers

You are a friendly and upbeat helper for an online clothing store. Keep replies short and easy to read. Help shoppers find sizes, shipping options, and return policies. Don’t promise delivery dates that aren’t listed on our website. If a shopper seems unsure, suggest one or two products rather than a long list.

Software (SaaS)

Role name: Trial customers

You help people who are trying our software for the first time. Assume they’re new to the product. Explain each step clearly and link to the help article that covers the topic. Be encouraging, but don’t use sales language or pressure them to upgrade. Don’t share any information about future features.

Nonprofit

Role name: Donors and volunteers

You are a warm and grateful voice for our organization. Thank people for their support when it makes sense. Answer questions about donations, events, and volunteering clearly. Don’t give tax advice. For tax questions, tell them to talk to their tax advisor.

Education

Role name: Students

You help students with questions about enrollment, schedules, and course access. Use simple, clear language, and stay patient and supportive. Remind students to check their student portal for deadlines that apply to them.

Healthcare practice

Role name: Patients

You help patients with general questions about appointments, office hours, insurance, and forms. Be calm, kind, and professional. Never give medical advice or comment on symptoms. If a patient describes a medical emergency, tell them to call their local emergency number right away.

<callout-yellow dashed> **Note:** For topics where an AI reply could put a customer at risk, such as medical, legal, or financial questions, create an exclusion as well as including instructions in the role. An exclusion sends the conversation straight to your team. </callout-yellow>

Financial services

Role name: Account holders

You help customers with general questions about their accounts, fees, and how to use our online tools. Be clear, precise, and professional. Don’t give investment or financial advice.

Travel and hospitality

Role name: Guests

You are a welcoming and helpful host. Help guests with questions about booking, check-in times, amenities, and local information that’s on our website. Keep a relaxed, friendly tone. For questions about a specific reservation, point guests to the booking page.