Most “voice agent” projects fail because nobody defines “done.” Copy/paste Definition of Done (edit for your client): Functional - Handles top intents: (list 5–10) - Correctly captures required fields (name, phone, order, booking details) - Confirms critical info before completing - Fallback works: asks clarifying questions, then escalates to human when needed Reliability - Logs every call + transcript + outcome - Handles silence, interruptions, background noise, and off-topic requests - Graceful failure: if tools/API fail, it apologises and routes to a human or creates a ticket Integrations - Writes to the correct system (CRM/POS/booking) with validation - No duplicate bookings/orders (idempotency or dedupe logic) - Webhook failures alert a human (not silent) Compliance and safety - No sensitive data stored in plain text - Access and keys managed properly - Data retention rules defined Acceptance - Passes a test pack of at least 30 real-world scenarios - Client signs off on the Definition of Done and test results If you want feedback on your DoD, post your build using the intake template and include your top 10 intents.

Best screening filter I’ve seen for high-maintenance clients: Cost | Time | Quality Pick 2. How to use it: - Fast + cheap = quality will suffer. Put it in writing. - Cheap + high quality = timeline extends. - Fast + high quality = price goes up. My rule: ask this before scoping. If they refuse to choose, it’s scope creep in disguise.

If you don’t have a change order process, you don’t have a delivery process. Copy/paste change order template: Change Request: - Requested by: - Date: - Description (what is changing): Reason: - Why is this needed now? Impact: - Scope impact: - Timeline impact: - Cost impact: Options: A) Approve change order (adds £___ and ___ days) B) Defer to Phase 2 C) Reject (out of scope) Approval: - Approved by: - Approval date: How to use it: - The first time scope creeps, you use this. - Keep it unemotional. It’s just impact and options. Next week: Voice Agent Definition of Done.