AI Voice Agent Script Guide for Indian Callers (With Examples)
A good AI voice agent script for Indian callers is short, spoken rather than written, opens by saying it is an AI assistant and why it is calling, and keeps English words where real people keep them. Write each reply as one or two sentences, ask one question at a time, plan the objections in advance and decide up front which fields the call must capture.
Scripts for a voice are not scripts for a page
Most weak voice agents fail on the script, not on the technology. A script written like an email, with long sentences, formal vocabulary and three questions in one breath, sounds absurd when read aloud on a phone. The caller cannot scroll back, cannot skim and has about four seconds to decide whether this is worth their time.
With Outpero, an AI employee is configured from your instructions: its purpose, language, tone, the questions to ask, what it may say and which actions it may take. The sections below are the craft behind writing those instructions well, with ready examples in Hindi and Tamil that you can adapt.
The six-part call skeleton
Almost every successful outbound call, whether a Meta lead follow-up, an appointment reminder or an admission enquiry, follows the same shape.
- 01Open: greet by name, say it is an AI assistant, name your business and give the reason for the call in one sentence.
- 02Permission: ask if now is a good moment. A yes starts the conversation; a no moves to scheduling a callback.
- 03Qualify: two or three questions, one at a time, in the order the caller will find natural.
- 04Answer and handle objections: respond from your knowledge base, acknowledge the worry, then return to the goal.
- 05Next step: propose a specific action with two options, such as Saturday at 11 or Sunday at 4, instead of 'when are you free?'.
- 06Confirm and close: repeat the details back, say what happens next and end politely.
A reply on a phone call should rarely run beyond about twenty-five words. If the agent needs to explain something longer, it should explain in two short turns and check in between.
Openings that survive the first five seconds
Opening lines have to do four jobs quickly: identify the business, disclose that it is an AI, explain why the call is happening and ask permission. The strongest openings refer to something the caller did, such as an enquiry they filled in a few minutes ago, because that is the fastest way to answer the caller's real question, which is 'who is this and why are they calling me?'
- —Weak: 'Hello, this is an automated call from Sunrise Homes regarding our premium residential offerings. Please stay on the line.'
- —Better: 'Namaste Rahul ji, I am the AI assistant of Sunrise Homes. You enquired about a 3BHK on Facebook a few minutes ago. Is this a good time for two minutes?'
Do not begin with a long company introduction, a claim of being the best, or a pause. Avoid starting with 'Am I speaking to Rahul?' unless identity verification is truly needed; it makes the call sound like a collection call.
Honorifics and register
Respect is carried by small words, and getting them wrong costs more than any grammar slip. A few guidelines hold across languages.
| Language | Safe default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | Name + ji, and aap (never tum) | Sir or madam is acceptable for unknown or senior callers. Avoid bhaiya or didi unless your brand is deliberately informal. |
| Telugu | Name + garu, and meeru | Garu is the equivalent of ji and sounds respectful to every age group. |
| Tamil | Sir or madam, or name + sir | Use the respectful plural forms. Casual forms like nee are only for known, informal contexts. |
| Marathi | Name + saheb for men, tai or madam for women | Use the polite aapan or tumhi; saheb sounds natural in Maharashtra's smaller cities. |
| Kannada | Name + avare, or sir and madam | Avare is respectful and widely used. |
| Malayalam | Sir or madam; name + sir | Chettan or chechi are familiar forms. Keep to sir and madam unless the brand is informal. |
| Indian English | Mr. or Ms. + surname, or first name + sir | Match the caller: if they say 'hi', relax a little. |
When unsure, be more formal. A caller will forgive being addressed as sir; they will not forgive being addressed as a friend by a machine they did not choose to talk to.
Code-switching: write the way people speak
Indian callers mix languages constantly: Hinglish in Delhi and Lucknow, Tenglish in Hyderabad and Vijayawada, Tanglish in Chennai and Coimbatore, Kanglish in Bengaluru, Manglish in Kochi, and a Marathi-English blend in Pune and Mumbai. A script that insists on pure Hindi or pure Telugu sounds like a government notice.
Outpero's agent follows a switch into English at once, mid-sentence, in the same voice. Your script should match that reality.
- —Keep English for the words people use in English: appointment, EMI, loan, site visit, budget, test drive, WhatsApp, OTP, demo.
- —Write sentences in the native script and leave the English words in Latin letters so the voice pronounces them as English.
- —Write numbers as people say them. 'Pachaas lakh' in Hindi is natural for a budget; a bare 5000000 is not.
- —Do not translate brand and product names. Say them the way customers do.
- —Do not force a switch back. If the caller moves to English, stay in English until they move back.
Example script in Hindi, with English mixed in
This is a Facebook lead call for a property developer. Agent lines are in Devanagari with the English words that a real caller would use; each is followed by a plain English translation.
Opening and permission
नमस्ते राहुल जी, मैं Sunrise Homes की AI असिस्टेंट बोल रही हूँ। आपने कुछ देर पहले Facebook पर 3BHK flat की enquiry डाली थी। क्या अभी दो मिनट बात कर सकते हैं?
Translation: Hello Rahul ji, I am the AI assistant of Sunrise Homes. A little while ago you submitted an enquiry on Facebook about a 3BHK flat. Can we talk for two minutes now?
Qualifying questions
आप यह flat खुद रहने के लिए देख रहे हैं या investment के लिए? और budget लगभग कितना सोचा है, पचास लाख के आसपास या उससे ज़्यादा?
Translation: Are you looking at this flat to live in yourself or as an investment? And roughly what budget have you thought of, around fifty lakh or more?
Objection: the price is too high
Want to hear this working, not just read about it?
जी, मैं समझ सकती हूँ। इसमें EMI का option भी है, और site visit पर आपको सारे options साफ़ दिख जाएँगे। मैं Saturday के लिए visit book कर दूँ, सुबह ठीक रहेगा या शाम?
Translation: Yes, I understand. There is an EMI option as well, and on a site visit you will see all the options clearly. Shall I book a visit for Saturday; would morning or evening suit you?
Objection: not a good time
कोई बात नहीं सर। मैं आपको कल शाम छह बजे call कर लूँ, या आप बताइए कब ठीक रहेगा?
Translation: No problem, sir. Shall I call you tomorrow at six in the evening, or would you tell me what time suits you?
Confirm and close
तो मैं Saturday सुबह ग्यारह बजे का slot confirm कर रही हूँ। मैं अभी WhatsApp पर location भेज देती हूँ। धन्यवाद राहुल जी, आपका दिन शुभ हो।
Translation: So I am confirming a slot for Saturday at eleven in the morning. I will send the location on WhatsApp right now. Thank you, Rahul ji, have a good day.
Example script in Tamil, with English mixed in
This is a dental clinic's lead call in colloquial Tamil, the way Chennai or Coimbatore callers actually speak, with English words left in Latin letters.
வணக்கம் சார், நான் Smile Care Dental Clinic-இலிருந்து AI assistant பேசுறேன். நீங்க Facebook-ல teeth whitening பத்தி enquiry பண்ணியிருந்தீங்க. இப்போ ரெண்டு நிமிஷம் பேசலாமா?
Translation: Hello sir, I am speaking as the AI assistant from Smile Care Dental Clinic. You had enquired on Facebook about teeth whitening. Can we talk for two minutes now?
சனிக்கிழமை காலை பத்து மணிக்கு appointment வசதியா இருக்குமா, இல்ல சாயங்காலம் நல்லா இருக்குமா?
Translation: Would an appointment on Saturday at ten in the morning be convenient, or would the evening be better?
The same structure works in Telugu, Marathi, Kannada and Malayalam. Keep the skeleton, swap in natural phrases and keep the English words as they are.
Objection handling that does not sound like a script
Objections are normal and often a sign of interest. The pattern that works is acknowledge, answer briefly, then return to a small next step. Never argue, never repeat the same line twice.
| Objection | What the caller means | Reply pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 'Price kitna hai? Bahut zyada lagta hai' | Wants a justification or a way to afford it | Acknowledge, mention an EMI or payment option from your knowledge base, offer a visit or a call with someone who can explain. |
| 'Abhi busy hoon' | Not now, maybe later | Offer a specific callback time and confirm it. Do not try to squeeze in questions. |
| 'Main sirf compare kar raha hoon' | Early research | Agree that comparing is sensible, ask the one criterion that matters most to them, and offer details on WhatsApp. |
| 'Mujhe call mat karo' | Opt-out | Apologise, confirm it will not happen again, end the call and mark the number as do-not-call. |
| 'Are you a robot?' | Curiosity or distrust | Say yes plainly, an AI assistant of your business, and offer to connect them to a person. |
| 'Mujhe kisi insaan se baat karni hai' | Wants a human | Offer to transfer the call to your team, or promise a callback from a named person. |
What the call must capture
Decide the data first and write the script second. Every question in the script should either move the caller to a next step or fill a field you will use. Outpero stores the recording, transcript, summary and sentiment automatically, and the custom fields you define are added to that record and sent to your webhook.
| Field | How to ask it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Intent | 'Are you planning to buy soon, or just exploring?' | Decides whether a salesperson calls today or next week |
| Budget band | 'Roughly what range have you thought of?' | Filters unsuitable enquiries |
| Timeline | 'When do you want to decide?' | Prioritises the hot list |
| Preferred language | Noted from the call itself | Lets the next human call in the right language |
| Best time to call | 'What time suits you better, morning or evening?' | Raises the pick-up rate for retries |
| Decision-maker | 'Will anyone else be involved in the decision?' | Tells you who else to include in the visit |
| Booked slot | Offer two options and confirm one | The real outcome of the call |
Keep the list to five or six fields. Each extra question reduces the share of callers who stay on the line.
Disclosure and consent
Say that it is an AI assistant in the first sentence, in the caller's language. A caller who discovers it halfway through feels tricked, whereas a caller who is told at the start usually just carries on. If the call is recorded, say so, for example 'this call may be recorded to help us serve you better'.
Keep the call to the purpose the lead asked about, respect calling hours and DND, and stop when asked. Outpero's calling line is DLT-registered. For the legal background read our guide on AI calling agents in India; this article is not legal advice.
Writing the instructions for the agent
Behind the example lines sits a brief that tells the agent who it is and what it may do. A clear brief usually has these parts.
- —Role and goal: 'You are the AI assistant of Sunrise Homes. Your goal is to qualify the enquiry and book a site visit.'
- —Language and tone: start in Hindi, polite, warm, short sentences, switch to English if the caller does.
- —Questions in order, with the field each one fills.
- —Facts the agent may state, supplied as a knowledge base: prices, timings, locations, eligibility.
- —Rules: never promise a discount, never give legal or medical advice, offer a callback when unsure.
- —Handover triggers: angry caller, request for a person, or a question outside the knowledge base.
- —Actions allowed: book the calendar slot, send the WhatsApp location, transfer to your team.
Test with ten real calls, read the transcripts and rewrite wherever the agent sounded stiff. Fifty free credits at signup are enough to run the first rounds of testing at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an AI voice agent script be?
+
Shorter than most people expect. Keep each agent reply to one or two sentences, around twenty-five words at most, and ask one question at a time. A full lead-qualification call usually needs three or four questions and a next step. Long monologues cause callers to interrupt or hang up, so test the script by reading it aloud.
Should the script be in pure Hindi or mixed with English?
+
Mixed, the way people actually speak. Keep English for words such as appointment, EMI, loan, budget and site visit, and write the rest in Devanagari. Outpero's agent follows a caller who switches to English mid-sentence and stays in English until they switch back, so a natural mix will sound more trustworthy than formal Hindi.
Should an AI voice agent tell callers it is an AI?
+
Yes, in the first sentence and in the caller's language. Being open builds trust and avoids the feeling of being tricked later in the call. Also say if the call is recorded. If a caller asks directly whether it is a robot, answer plainly and offer to transfer them to a person on your team.
How do I handle objections like price or no time?
+
Acknowledge the worry, give a short answer from your knowledge base, then suggest a small next step such as a site visit or a callback at a specific time. Never argue, never repeat the same line, and treat a clear request not to be called again as an instruction to end the call and mark the number.
Can I use the same script in several languages?
+
Use the same skeleton, not a word-for-word translation. Outpero supports Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Indian English at the same per-minute price. Rewrite lines in natural spoken forms for each language, keep the English words people use, and adjust honorifics: ji for Hindi, garu for Telugu, avare for Kannada.
What should the agent capture during the call?
+
Capture only what you will act on: intent, budget band, timeline, decision-maker, preferred language, best callback time and any booked slot. Outpero adds the recording, transcript, summary and sentiment automatically, and the custom fields you define are saved in the dashboard and sent to your webhook for your CRM or sheet.
The Outpero team builds AI voice agents for Indian businesses, in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and English. Figures are from Outpero's own product unless another source is named.