Once your AI Receptionist is set up, the next step is to add the information it uses to answer calls and messages.
Your AI Receptionist relies on this knowledge to introduce your business, respond to common questions, and share accurate details with callers and texters.
Each Beside line has its own AI Receptionist and knowledge base.
Access your Knowledge settings
From the web app
Go to app.beside.com and click AI Receptionist in the sidebar
If you're on the 👥 Business plan with multiple lines, select the line you want to edit from the switcher at the top left of the sidebar
Make sure the Phone tab is selected at the top
Scroll to Knowledge to expand and edit it.
When you're done, scroll back to the top of the page and click Save Changes to apply your edits.
From the mobile app
Open the Beside mobile app.
Tap on AI Receptionist.
If you're on a 👥 Business plan with multiple lines, first tap the line you want to edit.Under Phone, go to Knowledge.
Provide business details
1. General details
Help your AI Receptionist introduce your business properly and share accurate contact info.
You can include:
Preferred Name - how your AI Receptionist refers to you during conversations.
Your role - shared if someone requests your contact details.
Email Address - provided when someone asks how to reach you.
Company Name - used when your AI introduces who it represents.
Industry - provides context so responses are tailored to your field.
Website - shared when someone asks to learn more.
Address - given if location details are requested.
Operating hours - helps set the right expectations for availability.
On the web app, these fields are found under the Phone tab → Knowledge (under Company Details and Contact Information). When you're done, scroll back to the top of the page and click Save Changes to apply your edits.
💡 Tips:
Keep this section updated whenever your hours, address, or contact info change.
The "Preferred name" and "Company name" settings can significantly influence how the AI addresses and interacts with callers, ensuring a consistent professional tone. 📖 Your AI Receptionist's name and identity
To ensure proper pronunciation, test how your company name sounds in the AI's responses. If it is mispronounced, add a phonetic spelling using the Pronunciation feature on iPhone. 📖 Customize your AI Receptionist's voice and language
2. FAQ
Add frequently asked questions (and their answers) so your AI Receptionist can handle common inquiries.
You can:
Copy and paste FAQs directly from your website.
Include both short and detailed answers, your AI Receptionist adjusts tone automatically.
Update regularly as new questions arise.
📌 Note: The more detailed and relevant your FAQs are, the better your AI can respond.
3. Additional Knowledge
Use this section to add any extra details unique to your business, like policies, pricing, or special services. Provide as much information as possible to cover common requests.
📌 Note: Think of this as your AI Receptionist's "extended brain" - add anything that helps it sound more like you.
4. Products & Services
Give your AI Receptionist a list of what you offer so it can reference them naturally in calls or texts.
In the mobile app, tap the + sign at the top right.
Enter a product or service name (e.g., Dry cleaning).
Optionally add a price, choose the currency, and select if it's per item, per hour, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.
Toggle whether pricing requires an invoice.
Add an optional description (e.g., Clearing clogged drains).
Press Save to add each product/service, and save again to confirm.
On the web app, this is found under the Phone tab → Knowledge → Products & Services. When you're done, scroll back to the top of the page and click Save Changes to apply your edits.
Best practices for training your AI
The quality of your AI Receptionist's responses depends directly on the knowledge you provide. Here are proven tips to get better results:
Be specific, not generic. Instead of "We offer cleaning services", write "We offer residential deep cleaning, move-in/move-out cleaning, and weekly maintenance cleaning in the Greater Montreal area." The more detail, the more accurately your AI can answer.
Write like you talk. Your AI Receptionist mirrors the tone of what you write. If your knowledge is formal, the AI sounds formal. If it's conversational, the AI sounds friendly. Match the tone to your brand.
Cover your top 5 questions. Think about the questions you get most often on calls. Add them as FAQs with clear answers. This alone can dramatically improve how your AI handles conversations.
Test, listen, iterate. After updating your knowledge, use Test Receptionist in the mobile app to simulate a call and hear how the AI uses your new content. If something sounds off, adjust the wording and test again. 📖 Test your AI Receptionist
Update after every change. New service? Changed hours? Updated pricing? Go back to Knowledge and update the relevant section. Your AI will use the latest version on the next call.
💡 Pro tip:
For a name, company, or specific word, the cleanest fix is to add a phonetic spelling under Pronunciation on iPhone. 📖 Customize your AI Receptionist's voice and language
For email addresses or other read-aloud rules (e.g. "Please always spell our email address when telling it: Support at Beside dot com"), use Additional Knowledge instead.
Review and test your AI Receptionist
When your Knowledge is set up, you can test how your AI responds.
In the mobile app, at the bottom of the AI Receptionist screen, tap Test Receptionist to simulate a call and review how it responds using your Knowledge.
FAQ
How can I fix the pronunciation of an email address or specific word?
How can I fix the pronunciation of an email address or specific word?
For a name, company, or specific word (iPhone only): use the Pronunciation feature. Go to AI Receptionist → 📞 Phone → Preferences → Pronunciation, tap New Word, then enter the word and how it should be said (e.g. Acme → Ak-mee). 📖 Customize your AI Receptionist's voice and language
For an email address or other read-aloud rule (any platform): use Additional Knowledge. Go to AI Receptionist → Knowledge → Additional Knowledge and add a line such as "Please always spell our email address when telling it: Support at Beside dot com" (for [email protected]).
Can I adjust the number of rings before the call is answered by my AI Receptionist?
Can I adjust the number of rings before the call is answered by my AI Receptionist?
Yes. Navigate to AI Receptionist → 📞 Calls tab.
If you're on a 👥 Business plan with multiple lines, first tap the line you want to edit.
Then locate the ring count option. Adjust as needed.
My AI gives wrong or vague answers - what should I do?
My AI gives wrong or vague answers - what should I do?
This usually means the Knowledge section needs more detail. Check your FAQ and Additional Knowledge sections - if the answer to a question isn't there, your AI won't know it. Add the missing information, be as specific as possible, then test again with Test Receptionist.
Can I import information from my website?
Can I import information from my website?
Yes. In the Knowledge section, you can paste your website URL and the AI will automatically learn your services, hours, and FAQs from your site. This is one of the fastest ways to train your AI Receptionist.
Does each line have its own knowledge base?
Does each line have its own knowledge base?
Yes. If you're on a 👥 Business plan with multiple lines, each line has its own AI Receptionist and its own independent knowledge base. Changes to one line's knowledge don't affect the others.