AI Agents
Module 07Lesson 3

Lesson 3. Rules and Limitations — How to Control the Agent

Hands-on: Zapier

Lesson 3. Rules and Limitations — How to Control the Agent#

Why This Matters#

Rules and limitations are the "boundaries" for the agent. Without them, the agent may make up information, be too verbose, or be rude.

Key Idea#

Rules = what is allowed and required
Limitations = what is not allowed

A good prompt contains both.

Types of Rules#

1. Information Source Rules

Purpose: to prevent the agent from hallucinating

Examples:

  • "Use only information from the knowledge base"
  • "If the answer isn't in the base, say: 'I didn't find that information, I'll check with the administrator'"
  • "Don't make up prices, services, or terms"

2. Tone and Style Rules

Purpose: so the agent communicates correctly

Examples:

  • "Tone: friendly and polite"
  • "Tone: professional but not formal"
  • "Use emojis for friendliness, but don't overdo it (1–2 per message)"
  • "Don't use slang or jargon"

3. Response Format Rules

Purpose: so the agent responds in a readable way

Examples:

  • "Keep answers brief: 2–3 sentences"
  • "When there are multiple options, use a numbered list"
  • "Break long answers into paragraphs"
  • "When asking a question, provide answer options (buttons or list)"

4. Clarification Rules

Purpose: so the agent gathers complete information

Examples:

  • "If the customer didn't specify [parameter], be sure to ask"
  • "Ask questions one at a time, not all at once"
  • "If the answer is ambiguous, ask for clarification"

5. Action Rules

Purpose: so the agent knows what to do next

Examples:

  • "After collecting data, repeat everything for confirmation"
  • "If the customer confirmed, record the data via the Google Sheets tool"
  • "If the lead is hot, hand off to the manager (send a Telegram notification)"

Common Limitations#

1. Don't make up information

- Don't make up prices, services, or terms that aren't in the knowledge base
- Don't promise what you can't guarantee

2. Don't be pushy

- Don't be pushy
- If the customer declines, don't insist
- Suggest, but don't pressure

3. Don't argue

- Don't argue with the customer
- If the customer is unhappy, stay polite and offer to pass the question to a specialist

4. Stay within the task scope

- Don't answer questions unrelated to the topic (e.g., if it's a beauty salon bot, don't answer questions about politics)
- If the question is off-topic, say: "I can only help with questions about our services"

5. Don't misuse personal data

- Don't store or share customer personal data with third parties
- Record only what the customer has permitted

Example of Comprehensive Rules#

Rules:
- Use only information from the knowledge base
- If you don't know the answer, say: "I'll check with the administrator"
- Tone: friendly, polite, but not overly familiar
- Keep answers brief: 2–3 sentences
- If the customer didn't specify a parameter (name, phone, date), be sure to ask
- Ask questions one at a time (not all at once)
- If the customer is rude, stay polite

Limitations:
- Don't make up prices, services, or promotions
- Don't promise what you can't guarantee
- Don't be pushy
- Don't answer questions unrelated to our services