Start Stage

The Start stage is the entry point for every conversation flow. It determines how the call begins and who speaks first.

Overview

Every flow agent must have exactly one Start node. It’s automatically created when you create a new agent and cannot be deleted.

The Start node is colored green to indicate it’s the entry point of your flow.

Configuration

Speaker First

Determines who initiates the conversation:

Option	Behavior
Agent	The AI speaks first with the greeting message
Caller	The AI waits for the caller to speak first

Agent Speaks First
Caller Speaks First

Best for:

Inbound calls where you want to greet callers
Professional/business contexts
When you need to set expectations immediately

"Thank you for calling Acme Corp. How can I help you today?"

Greeting Message

The initial message the agent speaks when Agent is set to speak first.

If Caller speaks first, the greeting message is ignored.

Tips for effective greetings:

Keep it concise (under 20 words)
State who you are
Invite the caller to state their needs
Match your brand’s tone

Examples:

// Professional
"Good morning, thank you for calling Acme Support. How may I assist you?"

// Friendly
"Hi there! Thanks for calling. What can I help you with today?"

// Direct
"Acme Sales, how can I help?"

Transitions

The Start node supports these transition types:

Type	Trigger	Use Case
Any Message	Caller says anything	When caller speaks first
Immediate	After greeting plays	When agent speaks first

Connecting to Next Stage

Click the handle at the bottom of the Start node
Drag to the target handle of your next stage (usually a Conversation node)
The transition type is automatically set based on your Speaker First setting

Example Configurations

Customer Support Line

Speaker First: Agent
Greeting: "Thank you for calling Acme Support.
           My name is Alex. How can I help you today?"

Connects to → Conversation node for handling inquiries

Appointment Booking

Speaker First: Agent
Greeting: "Hi! You've reached Dr. Smith's office.
           Are you calling to schedule an appointment?"

Connects to → Data Extraction node for collecting patient info

IVR Menu

Speaker First: Agent
Greeting: "Welcome to Acme Corp.
           For sales, say 'sales'.
           For support, say 'support'.
           For billing, say 'billing'."

Connects to → If/Else node for routing based on response

Best Practices

Match Your Brand Voice

Your greeting sets the tone. A law firm might use formal language while a casual brand can be more relaxed.

Keep It Short

Long greetings frustrate callers. Aim for under 5 seconds of speech.

Set Expectations

Let callers know they’re speaking with an AI if required by your use case or regulations.

Test Both Paths

Test with both agent-first and caller-first scenarios to ensure smooth handoffs.

Conversation Stage

The typical next stage after Start

Transitions

Learn about transition types

Getting Started

Agent Builder

Agent Configuration

Test Agent

Publish

Overview

Configuration

Speaker First

Greeting Message

Transitions

Connecting to Next Stage

Example Configurations

Best Practices

Match Your Brand Voice

Keep It Short

Set Expectations

Test Both Paths

Conversation Stage

Transitions

​Overview

​Configuration

​Speaker First

​Greeting Message

​Transitions

​Connecting to Next Stage

​Example Configurations

​Best Practices

Match Your Brand Voice

Keep It Short

Set Expectations

Test Both Paths

​Related

Conversation Stage

Transitions

Overview

Configuration

Speaker First

Greeting Message

Transitions

Connecting to Next Stage

Example Configurations

Best Practices

Related