Summary
The Bot Behavior & Messages tab controls how your chatbot looks and speaks: name, welcome message, input labels, main AI instructions, avatar, and working hours.
Prerequisites
- Open
/edit-chat?id={bot_id}→ Bot Behavior & Messages tab
Settings reference
| Field | Required | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Chatbot Name | Yes | Display name in widget header |
| Bot’s First Message (Welcome Text) | Yes | Greeting when chat opens |
| Input Placeholder | No | Text in message input (default: “Enter your message…”) |
| Send Button Text | No | Send button label (default: “Send”) |
| Bot Instructions (Main Prompt) | Recommended | Personality, tone, scope, fallback behavior |
| Bot Avatar | No | Image shown next to bot messages |
| Working Hours / Timezone | No | Optional availability messaging |
Step-by-step: Basic customization
- Open Edit Chatbot from Dashboard
- Select Bot Behavior & Messages in the left sidebar
- Set Chatbot Name (e.g. “Support Assistant”)
- Write a clear Welcome Text (e.g. “Hi! Ask me anything about our services.”)
- Add Bot Instructions describing tone and topics
- Click Save Changes
Writing effective Bot Instructions
Include:
- Tone (friendly, professional, concise)
- Topics the bot should answer
- What to do when the answer is unknown (“Suggest contacting support at…”)
- Language preferences if not using language packs
Example:
You are a helpful support assistant for Acme Corp. Answer only using
provided knowledge. If unsure, ask the user to email support@acme.com.
Be concise and polite.
What triggers a rebuild
| Action | Rebuild needed? |
|---|---|
| Change name, welcome, placeholder, send button | No |
| Change Bot Instructions | No (applied on next message) |
| Change avatar | No |
| Change working hours | No |
Limitations
- Instructions do not replace missing knowledge — add Knowledge Sources
- Very long prompts increase token usage per message
Troubleshooting
Symptom: Bot ignores instructions
Cause: Conflicting knowledge or weak prompt.
Fix: Strengthen instructions; reduce conflicting context sources.
Symptom: Welcome message not updating on site
Cause: Browser cache or old widget session.
Fix: Hard refresh; open widget in incognito.