> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://help.close.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://help.close.com/_mcp/server. # Voice Agents > Set up, test, and activate a Chloe Voice Agent, and manage pronunciation. Voice Agents are AI agents that call your leads for you. They run real conversations, qualify leads, and log outcomes, summaries, and transcripts back to the lead record automatically. Setting up a Voice Agent starts with a short conversation with Chloe, where she learns about your business and builds your first prompt. From there you can refine the agent, test it, and activate it when ready. ![Chloe voice agent intro screen with Talk to Chloe button and calling animation.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/chloe_setup_start_97ab3e.gif) > **Permissions** > > Creating and configuring Voice Agents requires the **Manage Voice Agents** permission. Admins and Super Users have this by default. Users have **View Voice Agents** by default - they can see agents but cannot create, edit, or delete them. See [Roles & Permissions](/account-management/roles-permissions) for details. --- ## Creating a Voice Agent Go to **Chloe > Voice Agents** in the left sidebar and select **+ New Agent**. You'll be taken through a four-step setup: **Chloe Setup**, **Test Call**, **Review Skills**, and **Select Settings**. ![Chloe voice agent landing page with call-to-action to start setup and use case cards.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/chloe_voice_agent_overview_1eac73.png) ### Step 1: Chloe Setup Select **Start your setup call** to start a short voice call that takes about 3–5 minutes. The call progresses through four stages shown on screen: 1. **Welcome! Here's how Chloe works**: Chloe introduces herself and explains what she does 2. **Share details about your business**: what you do and who you're selling to 3. **Decide how leads should move forward**: your call flow, the questions Chloe should ask, and how she handles next steps 4. **Final review before your test call**: Chloe confirms the setup and wraps up Chloe is adaptive, and she'll push back if something won't work well and suggest better approaches. At the end of the call, she transitions you automatically to the test call. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/chloe_test_call_406786.png) ### Step 2: Test Call Immediately after the setup call, Chloe calls you so you can hear her in action. The screen shows a live timer and a note that this is a test, and it won't affect any live settings. When the test call ends, a feedback panel appears. Share any feedback on tone, responses, or flow and Chloe will update the prompt in real time. You can run another test call from this screen before moving on. When you're happy, select **Review Skills** to continue. ### Step 3: Review Skills Chloe pre-selects skills based on your setup conversation. Skills marked **Setup Required** need additional configuration before they'll work. Select a skill to configure it in the panel on the right. See [Skills](/feature-guide/agents/voice-agent-setup/chloe-skills) for details on each. You can skip this step and finish skill setup later. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/review_chloe_skills_2178e5.png) ### Step 4: Select Settings Choose the phone number Chloe dials from and the email address used for sending scheduling links. Select **Complete setup** to finish, and your Voice Agent is activated immediately and ready to be assigned to call tasks. If you select **Skip for now**, the Voice Agent opens in **draft** state and will need to be activated so you can begin assigning it calls to place. Instead of a single number, you can choose **Local Presence**. The agent then picks the best number for each call from the numbers that have **Voice agents' calls** turned on in their Local Presence settings: a number the contact has connected with before if there is one, otherwise the number closest to the contact's area code. Spreading an agent's calls across several local numbers also avoids concentrating volume on one number, which helps keep it from being flagged as spam. Local Presence only chooses between numbers that have **Voice agents' calls** on. Turn it on for each number you want the agent to use under **Settings > Communication > Phone & Voicemail**, in the number's **Local Presence** section. See [Local Presence](/feature-guide/calling/outbound-caller-id#local-presence) for how the selection works. --- ## Voice Agent Editor Select **Edit** from the Voice Agent Overview to open the editor. The editor has two panels: * **Left panel**: A conversational AI interface. Describe what you want to change in plain language and Chloe updates the instructions. For example: "She sounds too formal, make it more casual", "Chloe isn't asking about budget, so add a question for that". Review the result in the **Instructions** tab, then click **Update** to save. * **Right panel**: Tabs for Summary, Instructions, Skills, Knowledge, Settings, and Test Variables, each described below. At the top: **Test call** and **Run Simulations** to validate changes, **Cancel** to discard, and **Update** to save. > **Note** > > If your Voice Agent is in **draft** state, **Update** saves your changes as a draft and they won't go live until you activate. If your Voice Agent is already **active**, clicking **Update** pushes changes live immediately. You can run a Test Call or Run Simulations before clicking Update. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/voice_agent_review_panel_597c80.png) ### Summary This shows an overview of the agent's current configuration, including goal, outcomes, skills, and knowledge sources. If any skills require additional setup before the agent can go live, a warning banner appears here with a link to review them. ### Instructions The prompt that drives Chloe's behavior on calls is structured into sections like Call Context, Opening Sequence, and Call Flow. Use the left panel to make changes in plain language, or select **Advanced edit** to edit the Company Details and User Instructions fields directly. Chloe is required to disclose at the start of every call that she is a virtual AI assistant and that the call is being recorded. This is shown as a notice in the Instructions tab and cannot be disabled or overridden. ### Skills Skills are the actions Chloe can take during a call, such as transferring to a rep, booking a meeting, or sending a scheduling link. Toggle each skill on or off. Skills with a gear icon have additional configuration options - select the gear to set them up. See [Skills](/feature-guide/agents/voice-agent-setup/chloe-skills) for details on each skill and what setup is required. ![List of Chloe skills with descriptions and toggles for transfer, alerts, scheduling, booking, and task creation.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/voice_agent_skills_6ae93a.png) ### Knowledge Connect knowledge sources Chloe can use during calls. There are two types: * **Built-in knowledge**: always available and immediately accessible. Use this for key facts about your business and products. * **Searchable knowledge sources**: Chloe looks these up when needed. May take slightly longer to access during a call. Select the sources you want this Voice Agent to use. Knowledge sources are managed centrally in **Settings > AI Knowledge Sources**. See [Knowledge Sources](/welcome-to-close-help) for details. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/add_knowledge_source_3e0032.png) Avoid adding internal or sensitive company information to knowledge sources. Chloe may surface this to contacts during calls. ### Settings | Field | Description | | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Agent Name** | The name of this Voice Agent | | **Phone Number** | The number Chloe dials from, or **Local Presence** to pick the best number for each call. There are no geographic restrictions on the number itself - the restriction is on the contact's number, and Chloe can only call US and Canadian contacts. | | **Send As Email Address** | The user email address used when sending scheduling links | | **Chloe Callback** | When enabled, Chloe can offer to call contacts back when they're busy or ask to be reached later | | **Voicemail Message** | The message Chloe leaves when she detects voicemail. Supports variables. | | **Pronunciation** | Corrects how Chloe says names, products, and acronyms. Applies to all Voice Agents in your organization. See [Pronunciation](#pronunciation). | | **Playbook / Outcomes** | Defines the call results Chloe can assign at the end of each call. See [Playbooks and Chloe](/feature-guide/agents/voice-agent-setup/chloe-playbooks). | | **Summary Guidance** | Optional instructions for how Chloe should summarize each call. Use this to define what the AI-generated call summary should cover. | | **Custom Fields** | Add custom fields that will appear on the call activity record and be automatically autofilled by Chloe based on what was said on the call. | > **Which numbers a voice agent can use** > > A voice agent can dial from any number in your organization. You can pick any number you're a member of; users with the **Manage Team Phone Numbers** permission can pick any number. > > With **Local Presence**, the agent picks from the numbers that have **Voice agents' calls** turned on in their Local Presence settings. New numbers have it off, so a number you just rented isn't in the pool until you turn it on. Changing it requires the **Manage Team Phone Numbers** permission. You can't save an agent on Local Presence until at least one number has it on. ### Test Variables Define sample values for each variable before running a Test Call. If Chloe references `{{contact.first_name}}` in her prompt, Test Variables let you set a realistic value so the call behaves as it would on a real lead. | Field | Variable | | --------------------- | --------------------------- | | Lead Name | `{{lead.name}}` | | Lead Display Name | `{{lead.display_name}}` | | Lead Status | `{{lead.status_label}}` | | Contact First Name | `{{contact.first_name}}` | | Contact Last Name | `{{contact.last_name}}` | | Contact Full Name | `{{contact.name}}` | | Contact Title | `{{contact.title}}` | | Contact Primary Email | `{{contact.primary_email}}` | | Contact Primary Phone | `{{contact.primary_phone}}` | | Organization Name | `{{organization.name}}` | | Call Task Description | `{{call_task.description}}` | ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/test_variables_panel_8f6d78.png) --- ## Running a Test Call Select **Test call** from the top bar and verify Chloe's behavior. Test calls use your current configuration and do not affect your live agent or real leads. Values from the **Test Variables** tab are used in place of real lead data. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/voice_agent_action_bar_058f7f.png) > **Regarding test calls** > > During a test call, Skills run in mock mode. Chloe will go through the motions of using them, but no tasks are created, no meetings are booked, and no scheduling links are actually sent. --- ## Run Simulations **Run Simulations** becomes available once you've made edits to a Voice Agent. It runs simulated call conversations using AI-generated contact personas. These aren't real calls, and AI credits are not used. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/test_call_conversations_13c593.png) Chloe generates a set of personas (a warm prospect, a skeptical gatekeeper, someone who wants to reschedule, etc), runs through each conversation, and returns graded results: pass/fail per criterion with transcript evidence. | | Run Simulations | Test Call | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------- | | **Dials a real number?** | No | No | | **Graded results?** | Yes | No | | **Persona scenarios?** | Yes | No | | **Best for** | Testing many scenarios quickly | Hearing how Chloe sounds on a real call | --- ## Activating your Voice Agent When a Voice Agent is in **draft** state, all changes are saved without affecting anything live. To go live: 1. Review the **Summary** tab to confirm setup is complete 2. Click **Activate** to activate the Voice Agent > **Note** > > After activation, the button changes to **Update**. Any further changes you make go live immediately when you click **Update.** There is no draft state for an active agent. Once activated, the Voice Agent is available to be assigned to call tasks via a Workflow or Batch call. Calls do not happen automatically, and Chloe only calls when triggered. ![](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/agent_ready_modal_9b46e1.png) > **Tip** > > Chloe performs best when she has clear, well-described Outcomes to choose from at the end of each call. --- ## Pronunciation Use Pronunciation to correct how Chloe says names, products, and acronyms that text-to-speech gets wrong. Pronunciation applies to all Voice Agents in your organization, so an entry you add affects every agent. ### Adding a word 1. Open the Voice Agent editor and go to the **Settings** tab. 2. Scroll to **Pronunciation** and select **Manage**. ![Open Pronunciation settings from the Settings tab.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/voice_agent_settings_tab_47de2f.png) 3. In the **Pronunciation** panel, select **+ Add word**. 4. Choose the **Alias** or **Phonetic** tab (see below), fill in the fields, and select **Save**. 5. Select **Done** to close the panel. Saved entries appear at the top of the panel as **Word → Pronunciation**, and the **Pronunciation** section shows how many words you've added. To add another word, select **+ Add word** again. ![Saved words appear at the top of the panel.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/pronunciation_settings_panel_833099.png) ### Alias An alias respells the word the way it should sound. It works for almost every case. 1. Select the **Alias** tab. 2. In **Word**, enter the word or phrase as it's written. 3. In **Say it as**, enter the respelling. For example, enter `Close` in **Word** and `Cloze` in **Say it as** so Chloe says "Cloze" instead of "Close". Another example: `Nike` → `Nigh-kee`. ![An alias respells a word the way it should sound.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/pronunciation_settings_panel_2c43d1.png) ### Phonetic Use Phonetic when an alias can't get the sound right. It's an advanced option that requires a phonetic notation (IPA or CMU). 1. Select the **Phonetic** tab. ![A phonetic entry uses IPA or CMU notation.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/pronunciation_settings_panel_427a8c.png) 2. In **Alphabet**, choose **IPA** or **CMU**. ![Choose IPA or CMU in the Alphabet dropdown.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/chloe/voice-agent-setup/chloe-voice-agent-setup/pronunciation_settings_modal_3c874d.png) 3. In **Word**, enter the word or phrase as it's written. 4. In **Phonetic spelling**, enter the word in the chosen notation. For example, "tomato" in IPA is `təˈmeɪtoʊ`. > **Tip** > > Try an alias first. It's simpler to write and fixes most pronunciation problems. --- ## Deleting a Voice Agent Open the Voice Agent editor, go to the **Settings** tab, and select **Delete Voice Agent**. When deleted: * The linked Playbook is automatically **archived** * Any Workflow steps assigned to this Voice Agent will stop functioning. Update those Workflows before deleting * All historical call data on lead records remains intact --- ## What Voice Agents don't do * **Replace your reps** — Voice Agents handle outbound calls and qualification. Relationship management and complex deal cycles still need a human. * **Send texts or SMS on their own** — The Send Scheduling Link skill can send an SMS or email after a call, but Voice Agents don't send messages independently. --- ## Credits and pricing Voice Agents use both AI credits (for AI processing) and telephony charges (per-minute rates, the same as calls made by your human reps). See [AI Credits](/account-management/variable-usage-costs-calling-sms-phone-numbers-ai-tools/ai-credits) and [Calling and SMS Usage](/account-management/variable-usage-costs-calling-sms-phone-numbers-ai-tools) for details. --- ## Known limitations * **Outbound only** — Voice Agents place outbound calls only at this time * **English only** — no other languages are supported * **US and Canadian phone numbers only** — calls to numbers outside these countries will error and will not connect ![Yellow banner warning that Chloe can only call leads in the United States and Canada.](https://close-prd-help-docs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/feature-guide/chloe/chloe/chloe_location_limitation_banner_2f66b2.png) This list will be updated as limitations are resolved. To report an issue, contact our Support Team at [support@close.com](mailto:support@close.com).