Your First Agent in 5 Minutes (No Telephony Required)

The fastest way to understand Shopbell is to hear it. You do not need a phone number, Twilio account, or payment setup for this guide. You will build a minimal agent, open a browser-based call, talk to it, and hear it respond — all inside the dashboard, all under five minutes.

Step 1 — Create a workflow

Log in at app.shopbell.ai. Click Workflows in the sidebar, then New Workflow. On the template picker, click any template — pick the closest to your business. Shopbell generates a full workflow in 5-10 seconds. You should see a graph with a Start Call node, one or more Agent nodes, and an End Call node, connected by lines.

You can click the green Test Call button right now. A panel opens. Click Allow on the browser mic prompt. The agent greets you. Talk. It responds. That is the entire demo loop.

Step 2 — Edit the greeting

Click the Start Call node in the graph. A right-side panel opens. The first field is the Greeting — the exact words the agent says when the call connects. Change it to match your business. Example: 'Thank you for calling [Your Business Name]. How can I help you today?' Save. Click Test Call again to hear the new greeting.

Step 3 — Edit the Agent system prompt

Click an Agent node. The right-side panel shows the system prompt — the instructions the agent follows for the entire conversation. Edit it. Add your hours, your services, your pricing. Add a rule like 'If the caller asks to book an appointment, ask for their name and phone number.' Save. Test again.

The system prompt is where most of your customization happens. A few paragraphs of plain English about your business, plus a few rules about how you want calls handled, is enough for a working agent. The Agent Node guide covers prompt patterns in depth.

Step 4 — Save and listen

Click the save button at the top right of the workflow editor. Then click Test Call. The browser asks for microphone permission. Click Allow. Wait one second — the agent speaks first. Talk naturally. When you are done, click End Call. The call transcript appears at the bottom of the workflow page, in the Run History section.

That transcript is gold. Read every test call. Look for places where the agent misunderstood, went off-script, or asked a weird question. Edit the system prompt, test again. Repeat until the agent sounds like the receptionist you wish you had.

When you are ready for real phone calls

Web Calls are free and unlimited — use them as much as you want for development. When the agent feels ready, move to the Connecting a Twilio Number guide. That step attaches the same agent to a real phone number. Calls to that number go through the same workflow you just built. No code changes.

Frequently Asked Questions