Multilingual AI Setup
Configure primary language, enable bilingual mode, and serve multilingual customers effectively.
Setting Your Primary Language
- Go to Voice & AI settings in your dashboard.
- Select your primary language (English or Spanish).
- The primary language determines:
- The default greeting language.
- The language used when the AI is uncertain which language the caller prefers.
- The language of system messages (hold music, transfer announcements).
Enabling Bilingual Mode (English + Spanish)
- In Voice & AI settings, toggle Bilingual Mode on.
- Choose your secondary language.
- Click Save.
When bilingual mode is active, the AI:
- Starts the call in your primary language.
- Listens for cues that the caller speaks the secondary language.
- Switches languages seamlessly within the same call.
- Can switch back if the caller switches.
How the AI Detects and Switches Languages
The AI uses two signals to detect language:
- Speech recognition - The STT engine identifies the spoken language within the first few seconds.
- Keyword triggers - If a caller says "Hola" or "Habla espanol?", the AI switches to Spanish immediately.
Language Switching Rules
- The AI switches after detecting 2 or more consecutive sentences in the other language.
- Single foreign words (e.g., "gracias" in an English conversation) do not trigger a switch.
- The caller can explicitly request a language: "Can you speak in Spanish?" or "English, please."
Tips for Serving Multilingual Customers
1. Provide Knowledge Base Content in Both Languages
For each article, create a version in your secondary language. The AI draws from the matching language version when responding.
If a translated version does not exist, the AI will translate on the fly from the primary-language article. This works but may miss cultural nuances. Written translations are always better.
2. Customize Greetings for Each Language
Go to Voice & AI settings to set separate greetings:
- English greeting: "Thank you for calling [Business]. How can I help you?"
- Spanish greeting: "Gracias por llamar a [Business]. Como puedo ayudarle?"
3. Choose Appropriate Voices
Some voices sound more natural in certain languages. Preview voices in both languages before selecting.
4. Test in Both Languages
Use the Test Call feature and have conversations entirely in each language. Check that:
- The AI understands your questions.
- Answers are accurate and natural.
- Language switching is smooth.
5. Train Your Knowledge Base with Regional Terms
Customers may use local slang or regional terms. Add these as alternate phrasings in your knowledge base. For example, if you run a restaurant, include both "check" and "cuenta" for the bill.
Was this article helpful?