> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.limecall.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.limecall.com/ai-receptionist/your-assistant.md).

# Your assistant

Name, language and the opening message callers hear.

Open **AI Receptionist → Your Assistant**. These settings are true on every channel, not just phone calls.

## Assistant name

The name the assistant uses for itself. Callers hear it in the greeting and when it refers to itself.

Use a human first name. "You're through to Sarah at Northgate Dental" is easier to talk to than "You're through to the Northgate Dental Automated Assistant".

This name is separate from the voice. You can call it Sarah and give it any of the available voices.

## Language

The language the assistant speaks. Available languages include English, French, German and Dutch, among others.

The language affects speech recognition as well as output. Setting it correctly matters more than it looks — an assistant set to the wrong language will mishear callers, not merely reply oddly.

## Opening message

The first thing a caller hears. This is the single most important line in the whole configuration, because it sets what the caller says next.

A good opening does three things:

1. Confirms they reached the right place.
2. Gives the assistant a name.
3. Asks a question that moves things forward.

> "Thanks for calling Northgate Dental, this is Sarah. Are you an existing patient, or is this your first time with us?"

That gets you a useful answer immediately. Compare:

> "Hello, how can I help you today?"

which invites a rambling reply the assistant then has to untangle.

Keep it under about three seconds of speech. Callers interrupt long greetings, and an interrupted greeting means the assistant missed the start of what they said.

## A different message for outbound calls

If your assistant also places calls, enable **Use a different message for outbound calls**. An outbound opening has to do more work — the caller was not expecting you, so it must identify who is calling and why before asking anything.

## Telling callers it is recorded

**Tell callers the call is recorded** adds a recording notice to the greeting.

Whether this is optional depends on where you and your callers are. See [Recording, consent & AI disclosure](/ai-receptionist/recording-consent-and-disclosure.md) before deciding.

## System messages

Under **System messages** you can set what the assistant says in specific situations — when it cannot hear the caller, when it needs a moment, or when it is ending the call. Editing these is optional; the defaults are reasonable.