Prompt Engineering Tips: Writing Perfect System Instructions

In the world of AI, the output is only as good as the instructions. For Herm.Chat agents, this comes down to the System Prompt.

Here are our top tips for engineering prompts that produce reliable, professional, and helpful agents.

1. Be Specific, Not General

Generic instructions lead to generic (and often incorrect) answers.

• Bad: "Be helpful to customers."
• Better: "You are a customer support agent for 'The Coffee Club'. You answer questions about coffee bean varieties, brewing methods, and subscription delivery times."

2. Define the Tone and Persona

The persona helps the AI understand the style of language it should use.

• Friendly & Casual: "Use emojis and a conversational tone. Treat the customer like a friend."
• Professional & Precise: "Remain formal. Use clear, concise language. Avoid slang or abbreviations."

3. Set Boundaries and Constraints

Don't just tell the AI what to do—tell it what not to do.

• "If you don't know the answer to a question, say 'I'm not sure about that, but let me find out for you!'"
• "Never mention competitors by name."
• "Only provide technical support for our macOS app, not the Windows version."

4. Use the "Few-Shot" Method

One of the most powerful techniques in prompt engineering is providing examples.

"When a user asks for their order status, format your response like this: Order #12345: Currently processing. Estimated delivery: Tuesday."

5. Iterate and Test

No prompt is perfect on the first try. Use the Test Chat feature in the Herm.Chat dashboard to try different edge cases:

• What happens if I'm angry?
• What happens if I'm speaking a different language?
• What happens if I ask about a topic outside the agent's scope?

Conclusion

Great prompt engineering is a superpower. By spending an extra 10 minutes refining your system instructions, you can save hours of customer support time and provide a better experience for your users.