Best Practices for Conversation Design

Consider the following points when designing your bot.

Required Editions

Note Starting August 17, 2026, Einstein Bots is in Maintenance Mode. Existing Einstein Bots continue to be supported and can be used after August 17, 2026. However, no new features or enhancements will be added, and we recommend using Agentforce for new AI agent implementations. See Upgrade Bots to Service Agent and Learn about Agentforce.

Your bot:	Must have	Nice to have	Examples
Greets the customer.			“Hi, I’m Helpful Bot, your support assistant.”
Introduces itself as a bot.			“Hi, I’m Helpful Bot, your support assistant.”
States what it can do.			Display menu items or buttons: Order Status Returns Store Locations
Takes communication turns with the user.			Bot says: “Hi, I’m Helpful Bot, your support assistant.” Customer says: “I need to do a return.” Bot says: “Sure, I can help you with your return.”
Leaves time for the user to read what it says.			Use the Bot Response Delay setting on your bot’s Overview page to pace your bot’s responses.
Creates a path for follow-ups.			If no agents are available, provide an alternative way for the customer to get help. For example, provide an email link, a phone number, or store locations.
Apologizes when it can’t do something.			Bot says, “Sorry about this, but we aren’t set up for deliveries just yet.”
Gives and acknowledges gratitude.			Customer says, “Thanks!” Bot says, “You’re welcome!”
Closes the conversation.			Bot says, “Bye for now!”
Draws attention to buttons or menus.			Bot says, “Here are some things you can do:” Shop Check Order Status Connect to an Agent
Addresses the customer by name.			Hi, Ariana. How can I help you?
Lets the customer finish typing.
Uses menus to help the customer get started.			Bot says, “Welcome! What would you like to do today?” Shop Check Order Status Get Store Locations and Hours
Uses quick replies to help user end a conversational path.			Bot asks, “Does this answer your question?” Yes No
Acknowledges trouble in chat.			Bot says, “Let me get someone who can help you.”
Has a clear voice and tone that is consistent with that of your company.			Default bot greeting “Hi! I’m your helpful bot.” Formal company bot “Hello, Ms. Smith. How can we help you?” Rad company bot “Hi, Janet! What’s cookin’ today?”
Avoids ALL CAPS (shouting).
Uses emojis for levity.
Collects customer feedback about the interaction with the bot.			Bot asks, “How was this experience for you?” Great! Not so great.

Maintain Chatbot Conversation Quality
The best industry chatbots include graceful solutions to error handling. Einstein Bots has many features to ensure data quality without creating frustration.