Client Onboarding Playbook
Everything needed to set up a new client — intake, build, test, go live
Part 1
What We Need to Know About the Client
A — Business Basics
Full legal business name + trading name (if different)
Business type — sole trader / Ltd / partnership
Main trade and any sub-specialisms (e.g. "plumber — also bathrooms and underfloor heating")
Years in business, team size
Main phone number callers use today
Business email and website (if any)
B — Service Area
Towns and postcodes they cover
Maximum travel distance from base
Areas they will NOT go to — hard no
Do they travel further for bigger jobs? (e.g. "yes if it's £2,000+")
C — Jobs They Take
Specific jobs they do (be precise — "full bathroom installs, boiler repairs, emergency callouts")
Jobs they do NOT do (e.g. "no commercial, no new builds, nothing under £300")
Emergency / out-of-hours callouts — yes or no?
Free quotes or charge for estimates?
Rough pricing for common jobs — so agent can set expectations without quoting
Do they want the agent to give any pricing, or keep it vague?
D — Availability
Working hours and days
Do they answer calls themselves during work hours, or should agent always pick up?
Same-day jobs — available or booked out?
Current lead time (e.g. "3–4 weeks for most jobs")
Any planned holidays or closures in next 3 months
E — Booking & Admin
How do they currently take bookings? (phone, WhatsApp, text, calendar app)
Book specific appointments, or take enquiries and call back?
Preferred callback window (e.g. "I call back 5–7pm")
SMS summaries after each call — yes/no, and which number?
F — Common Questions Callers Ask
Are you VAT registered?
Do you provide written quotes?
Do you have public liability insurance? (and for how much?)
Gas Safe / NICEIC / NAPIT / trade registration? (trade-specific)
Do you guarantee your work?
Materials + labour, or labour only?
Deposits required? Payment methods accepted?
G — Tone & Personality
How do they talk to customers? (professional / friendly / straight-talking)
Anything the agent must never say or promise
Any phrase or sign-off they always use (e.g. "we'll sort it, no stress")
Part 2
What We Build for Them — Step by Step
1
Intake Form — Day 0
Send a clean intake form covering all of Part 1. Conversational tone, not corporate. Target 10–15 minutes to complete. WhatsApp follow-up if not done within 24 hours.
2
Build the Agent Script — Day 1
Using intake answers, write the full Vapi system prompt:
Identity · Purpose · Greeting · Job qualifier · Information capture · Pricing guidance · Booking flow · Objection handling · Closing · Hard rules.
The agent speaks their language, handles their specific edge cases, sounds like someone they hired — not a call centre.
Identity · Purpose · Greeting · Job qualifier · Information capture · Pricing guidance · Booking flow · Objection handling · Closing · Hard rules.
The agent speaks their language, handles their specific edge cases, sounds like someone they hired — not a call centre.
3
Configure Vapi — Day 1
Create new Vapi assistant for this client. Paste in system prompt. Set voice (ElevenLabs — match gender/tone to client preference). Configure first message. Set end-call conditions (5 min max, silence timeout). Set temperature 0.3 — consistent, no improvisation. Add business name and key details to metadata.
4
Set Up Phone Number — Day 1
Purchase a local UK number via Vonage (match area code — e.g. Glasgow 0141). Or configure divert on their existing number (diverts on no-answer / busy). Connect to Vapi assistant. Test routing.
5
SMS & Notifications — Day 1
Configure post-call SMS to client mobile: who called, what they want, callback number. Enable call recording storage. Confirm preferred summary format. Test with a dummy call.
6
Internal Testing — Day 2
Run 10 test scenarios before the client hears it:
1. Standard new enquiry — job in area, straightforward
2. Job outside service area
3. Job they don't do
4. Caller asks for a price
5. Caller asks "is this a real person?"
6. Caller is abrupt / impatient
7. Caller leaves no callback number
8. Emergency / urgent callout request
9. Same-day job when they're booked out
10. Caller very quiet or disconnects mid-call
7
Client Review — Day 2
Send 2–3 test call recordings. 15-min call or voice note: does it sound right? Common tweaks: pricing wording, area edge cases, tone. Fix same day.
8
Go Live — Day 3
Flip to production. Send client a "you're live" message with: their number / forwarding instructions, what to expect (SMS summaries, weekly report), how to request changes, emergency contact. Log go-live date.
Part 3
Rules for the Agent
ALWAYS
Answer within 2 rings
Capture: caller name, callback number, job description, location
Confirm the next step before hanging up ("We'll have someone call you back by [time]")
Sound warm, not robotic
Say "I'll make sure [Owner Name] gets this" — not "I'll pass this to the AI"
Flag urgent calls immediately with URGENT SMS to client
NEVER
Quote specific prices unless client has explicitly approved the exact wording
Claim to be human if the caller sincerely asks
Promise a callback time the client hasn't confirmed
Take card payments or deposits
Book jobs outside the defined service area
Engage with abusive callers beyond one warning — end the call politely
Give out the owner's personal mobile number
Continue talking past 5 minutes — wrap up and take a message
Part 4
Ongoing Management
Weekly — Automated
Send client weekly summary: calls answered, enquiries captured, jobs booked, any issues
Review call recordings for quality (ANALYST bot)
Flag calls where agent gave wrong info or caller was frustrated
Monthly
Review agent script — any new jobs, pricing changes, area changes?
Check if lead time has changed (agent reflects current availability)
One WhatsApp check-in — are they happy?
When Client Requests a Change
Acknowledge same day
Implement within 24 hours
Send confirmation when done
Log what changed and why — other clients may have same issue
When Client Reports a Problem
Listen to the specific call recording first — always
Agent error: fix immediately, apologise, offer 1 week free
Caller error (e.g. wrong number given): explain and log
Technical error (dropped call, SMS not arriving): escalate to Vapi/Vonage support
Part 5
What Good Looks Like
Calls answered (no drops, no agent error hang-ups)
≥ 95%
Callback number captured per call
≥ 90%
Caller complaints about the experience
0
Qualified enquiries per 10 calls answered
2–3
Client effort after go-live (hours/week)
< 5 min
Part 6
Pricing & What's Included
| Plan | Price | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £497/mo | AI agent · 1 phone number · unlimited calls · SMS summaries · weekly report |
| Pro | £997/mo | Everything in Essential + calendar booking · 3 agents (multi-trade) · priority support |
| Enterprise | £1,997/mo | Everything in Pro + multi-location (up to 5) · custom voice clone · analytics dashboard |
✓ No setup fee
✓ No contract
✓ Cancel with 30 days notice
✓ Changes included in all plans