Setting up Zoom Virtual Agent Receptionist

Requirements for setting up Zoom Virtual Agent Receptionists

• Any account owner or admin role with Virtual Agent permission
• Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account
• Zoom Virtual Agent and Zoom Phone license
• Access to Phone System Management in the Zoom web portal
• Access to Virtual Agents in the Zoom web portal

How to set up Zoom Virtual Agent Receptionist

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click AI Studio then Virtual Agents.
3. Click Voice agent then Receptionist.
4. Configure your receptionist settings:
   • Enter a name for your voice agent.
   • Select a language.
   • Create a custom greeting message. 
   • Select a voice actor.
5. Click Next.
6. Add a website URL (such as an FAQ page) as a knowledge base source, or upload existing PDF or document files.
7. Click Next.
8. (Optional) Enable Call routing and configure the call routing rules: 
   • Define which extension should receive calls when specific topics are mentioned.
     Tip: Set up a routing rule to direct calls to a specific extension when callers request a human operator, or when they ask questions not covered in your knowledge base or skills.
9. Click Next.
10. (Optional) Enable Transfer by name to allow callers to reach specific users by requesting them by name, which will route to their extension.
    • Click the drop-down menu and select which users or extension to be included.
11. Click Next.
12. (Optional) Enable Scheduling to allow callers to book appointments during voice calls by integrating your calendar availability with Zoom Scheduler.
    • Click the Zoom Scheduler link to select a pre-configured booking page. After selecting a booking page, copy the scheduling link and paste it into the scheduling field, then click Save.
      Note: Zoom Scheduler license is required to use this feature. Cancelling or rescheduling appointments is not supported during calls.
13. Click Next.
14. Connect your receptionist with a phone number by creating a new Auto Receptionist or select an existing Auto Receptionist.
    Tip: Assign a 10-digit phone number to your Auto Receptionist on Phone Management.

How to optimize Zoom Virtual Agent Receptionists

Enhance knowledge base configuration

Use web sync to connect a public website (such as an FAQ page) as a knowledge base source. This feature automatically syncs content on a scheduled basis.

Best practices:

• Sync regularly (manual or scheduled) to keep content current.
• Enable AI-generated queries to create and refine training prompts.
• Use only publicly accessible URLs.

Combine sitemap sync for FAQs with individual URLs for key pages, and supplement with local files for internal data.

Method 1: Using website sitemaps

Sitemaps (for example, yoursite.com/sitemap.xml) provide a structured list of pages for efficient syncing.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click AI Studio then Virtual Agents.
3. Select or create a virtual agent.
4. Click Add Knowledge Base Source then Web Sync.
5. Enter the sitemap URL.
6. Configure sync settings (Manual or Scheduled).
7. Review and exclude unnecessary pages.
8. Run the initial sync and verify imported content.
9. Review AI-generated queries for accuracy.

Method 2: Using specific URLs

Use this method when you only need selected pages or no sitemap is available.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click AI Studio then Virtual Agents.
3. Select or create a virtual agent.
4. Click Add Knowledge Base Source then Web Sync.
5. Click Add Individual URLs.
6. Enter URLs (for example, FAQ, contact info, business hours).
7. Assign priority, category tags, and crawl depth.
8. Configure sync settings and enable AI-generated queries.
9. Run the sync and test responses.

Method 3: Using local files

Upload local files for internal or confidential information not hosted online. Supported formats are PDF, DOCX, DOC, PPTX, PPT, TXT, MD, HTML, HTM, CSV, XLSX, and XLS.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click AI Studio then Virtual Agents.
3. Select or create a virtual agent.
4. Click Add Knowledge Base Source then Upload Files.
5. Upload files and assign metadata (tags, priority, titles).
6. Enable AI-generated queries and validate extraction.
7. Test responses and update files as needed.

Best practices for file structure:

• Use clear headings (H1–H3) and one topic per section.
• Write in Q&A format with concise, plain language.
• Avoid complex tables. Use lists instead.
• Include synonyms and keywords for better matching.
• Separate topics into different files and use descriptive filenames.

Poorly structured files reduce AI accuracy. Always review extracted content after upload.

Refine Virtual Agent guidelines

Agent guidelines and policies

• Enable call recording and transcription for analysis by clicking the gear button and enabling Advanced Mode
• Configure disclaimers and data retention per compliance needs.

Positioning and scope

• Focus on three core functions: transfer by name, scheduling, and FAQ retrieval.
• More complex use cases are available in the Advanced Mode. You can enable this by clicking the gear button and enabling Advanced Mode

Iterative testing process

1. Build the initial solution.
2. Test with real call scenarios.
3. Identify and correct errors.
4. Adjust skills and routing.
5. Repeat until performance meets standards.

Intent-based routing

Detect caller intent and route to the right agent or department.

1. Define common intents.
2. Create routing profiles.

Additional Capabilities under Advanced Mode

Auto receptionist settings

Customize:

• Business, closed, and holiday hours
• Greetings for different time periods

API integrations

• Use API calls from greeting actions to access databases.
• Pass caller ID as a system variable.
• MCP (Model Control Protocol) support is coming for custom agents.

Application integrations

• Salesforce: Identify callers, retrieve account info, log calls, and route by account status.
• Zendesk: Create and update tickets, retrieve ticket status, and link recordings.
• Jira: Create issues, check status, and route calls to project teams.
• ServiceNow: Create incidents, retrieve updates, and trigger workflows. 
  
  Integration best practices:

Start with read-only integrations before enabling write operations.

• Test in sandbox environments.
• Implement error handling and fallback routing.
• Monitor API rate limits.
• Secure credentials and rotate keys.
• Map data fields carefully and document workflows.

This article applies to Zoom Virtual Agent voice agent. If you are using other Zoom Virtual Agent types, such as chat agent or classic chatbot, refer to their respective documentation for setup and channel deployment instructions.