Tools & Custom Actions

Tool Types Overview

Burki Voice AI supports three main categories of tools:

🔧 Built-in Tools

Ready-to-use actionsCall transfers, graceful endings, and essential call management features.

🛠️ Custom Tools

Your integrationsConnect to APIs, run Python code, or trigger Lambda functions during calls.

📚 Tool Library

Reusable & ShareableCreate once, use across multiple assistants. Build your organization’s tool ecosystem.

Built-in Tools

End Call Tool

What it does: Allows the assistant to end calls automatically when appropriate.Configuration:

Enable/Disable: Toggle the tool on or off
Scenarios: Define when the assistant should end calls
Custom Message: What to say before ending the call

Example Scenarios:

“Customer says goodbye”
“Issue resolved”
“Request completed”
“Complaint escalated”

Transfer Call Tool

What it does: Transfers calls to human agents or other phone numbers.Configuration:

Enable/Disable: Toggle the tool on or off
Transfer Numbers: List of phone numbers to transfer to
Scenarios: Define when transfers should happen
Custom Message: What to say before transferring

Example Transfer Numbers:

+1234567890 (Sales team)
+0987654321 (Technical support)
+1122334455 (Manager)

Example Scenarios:

“Technical issue beyond AI capability”
“Billing inquiry”
“Escalation request”
“Customer requests human agent”

Custom Tools

What they are: Powerful, reusable integrations that extend your assistant’s capabilities.Three Types Available:

Endpoint Tools: Call external APIs during conversations
Python Function Tools: Execute custom Python code with full library access
AWS Lambda Tools: Trigger serverless functions for scalable processing

Key Benefits:

Reusable: Create once, use across multiple assistants
Secure: Built-in sandboxing and input validation
Flexible: Support any API, database, or business logic
Scalable: From simple lookups to complex workflows

How to Configure Tools

Step 1: Enable Tools

Go to your assistant’s configuration
Navigate to the Tools section
Enable the tools you want to use
Configure each tool’s settings

Step 2: Define Scenarios

For End Call Tool:

List specific situations when calls should end
Be clear about completion criteria
Consider both successful and unsuccessful outcomes

For Transfer Call Tool:

Define when human intervention is needed
Specify different transfer destinations for different scenarios
Include escalation triggers

Example Scenarios Format:

customer says goodbye, issue resolved, request completed, complaint escalated

Step 3: Set Custom Messages

End Call Messages:

Professional and friendly
Confirm completion of the interaction
Leave a positive impression

Transfer Messages:

Explain what’s happening
Set expectations for wait time
Reassure the customer

Examples:

End Call: “Thank you for calling! I’ve helped resolve your issue. Have a great day!”
Transfer: “I’m connecting you with a specialist who can better assist you. Please hold for just a moment.”

Best Practices

Test thoroughly: Try different scenarios to ensure tools work as expected
Keep scenarios specific: Vague scenarios lead to unpredictable behavior
Monitor usage: Track when and why tools are being used
Update regularly: Refine scenarios based on real call data
Train your team: Ensure human agents are prepared for transfers

Tool Usage Examples

Customer Service Scenario

Setup:

End Call Tool: Enabled
Transfer Call Tool: Enabled
Transfer Numbers: Support team, billing department

Scenarios:

End Call: “issue resolved, customer satisfied, information provided”
Transfer: “billing question, technical problem, escalation requested”

Result: AI handles simple inquiries but transfers complex issues to appropriate teams.

Sales Scenario

Setup:

End Call Tool: Enabled
Transfer Call Tool: Enabled
Transfer Numbers: Sales team, manager

Scenarios:

End Call: “information provided, not interested, callback scheduled”
Transfer: “ready to purchase, complex pricing question, wants to speak to sales”

Result: AI qualifies leads and transfers hot prospects to sales team.

Troubleshooting

Common Tool Issues

Tools not triggering: Check scenario definitions are specific enough
Wrong transfers: Verify phone numbers are correct and active
Premature call endings: Refine end call scenarios to be more specific
Failed transfers: Ensure target numbers can receive calls
Unclear messages: Test custom messages with real users

Custom Tools Deep Dive

Creating Custom Tools

Custom tools are created and managed through the Tools Library in your dashboard. Each tool is independent and can be assigned to multiple assistants.

Endpoint Tools
Python Functions
AWS Lambda

What are Endpoint Tools?

Endpoint tools allow your assistant to make HTTP requests to external APIs during conversations. Perfect for:

CRM lookups
Database queries
Order status checks
User authentication
Third-party integrations

Configuration

Example Tool Definition

{
  "name": "get_customer_info",
  "display_name": "Customer Information Lookup",
  "description": "Look up customer information by phone number or email",
  "parameters": {
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "phone_number": {
        "type": "string",
        "description": "Customer's phone number"
      },
      "email": {
        "type": "string", 
        "description": "Customer's email address"
      }
    },
    "required": ["phone_number"]
  }
}

Endpoint Configuration

URL: https://api.yourcompany.com/customers/lookup
Method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE
Headers: Authentication, Content-Type, etc.
Authentication: API keys, Bearer tokens, Basic auth
Timeout: Maximum execution time (default: 30 seconds)

Tool Testing & Validation

Before deploying tools to production:

Testing Checklist

Parameter Validation:
- Test with valid parameters
- Test with invalid/missing parameters
- Verify parameter type conversion
Error Handling:
- Network timeouts
- API errors (4xx, 5xx)
- Invalid responses
- Service unavailability
Performance:
- Response times under load
- Timeout scenarios
- Rate limiting behavior
Security:
- Input sanitization
- Authentication validation
- Data privacy compliance

Best Practices

Tool Design Best Practices

Keep It Simple:

One tool, one purpose
Clear, descriptive names
Minimal required parameters

Handle Errors Gracefully:

Return meaningful error messages
Provide fallback responses
Log errors for debugging

Optimize Performance:

Cache frequently accessed data
Use efficient APIs
Set appropriate timeouts

Security First:

Validate all inputs
Use secure authentication
Follow data privacy rules
Audit tool usage regularly

Tool Assignment & Management

Managing Tools Across Assistants

Tool Library Workflow:

Create tools in the Tools Library
Test tools with sample data
Assign tools to specific assistants
Monitor usage and performance
Update tools as needed

Assignment Benefits:

Reusability: Use the same tool across multiple assistants
Consistency: Standardize integrations across your organization
Maintenance: Update tools in one place, apply everywhere
Governance: Control which assistants can use specific tools

Usage Analytics:

Track tool execution frequency
Monitor success/failure rates
Analyze performance metrics
Identify optimization opportunities

Tool Integration Examples

Customer Service Use Cases

CRM Integration

{
  "name": "lookup_customer",
  "tool_type": "endpoint",
  "endpoint_url": "https://api.salesforce.com/services/data/v52.0/query",
  "description": "Look up customer information from Salesforce CRM"
}

Use Case: Assistant can instantly access customer history, preferences, and previous interactions during calls.

Order Status Check

def get_order_status(order_number):
    """Look up order status from internal database"""
    import requests
    
    response = requests.get(f"https://internal-api.company.com/orders/{order_number}")
    order_data = response.json()
    
    return {
        "status": order_data["status"],
        "estimated_delivery": order_data["delivery_date"],
        "tracking_number": order_data["tracking"]
    }

Use Case: Customers can get real-time order updates without transferring to human agents.

Sales & Lead Qualification

Lead Scoring

{
  "name": "calculate_lead_score",
  "tool_type": "lambda",
  "function_name": "lead-scoring-ml-model",
  "description": "Calculate lead score using ML model"
}

Use Case: Assistant gathers information and provides real-time lead scoring to prioritize follow-ups.

Product Recommendations

def get_product_recommendations(customer_profile, budget):
    """Generate personalized product recommendations"""
    # Business logic for recommendations
    recommendations = analyze_customer_preferences(customer_profile, budget)
    
    return {
        "recommended_products": recommendations,
        "reasoning": "Based on your preferences and budget",
        "next_steps": "Schedule a demo call"
    }

Use Case: Provide personalized product suggestions during sales calls.

Technical Support

System Status Check

{
  "name": "check_system_status",
  "tool_type": "endpoint", 
  "endpoint_url": "https://status-api.company.com/health",
  "description": "Check if customer's systems are experiencing issues"
}

Use Case: Proactively identify system issues before customers report them.

Troubleshooting Assistant

def diagnose_connectivity_issue(ip_address, error_code):
    """Diagnose network connectivity issues"""
    import subprocess
    import json
    
    # Run network diagnostics
    ping_result = subprocess.run(['ping', '-c', '3', ip_address], 
                               capture_output=True, text=True)
    
    return {
        "connectivity": "good" if ping_result.returncode == 0 else "poor",
        "recommended_action": get_action_for_error(error_code),
        "escalate_to_tech": ping_result.returncode != 0
    }

Use Case: Provide first-level technical diagnostics and troubleshooting.

API Reference

For programmatic tool management, see the API documentation:

Tool Management API

Create, update, and manage tools programmatically

Tool Assignment API

Assign tools to assistants via API

Getting Started

Core Concepts

AI Providers

Features

Advanced

Help & Resources

Tool Types Overview

🔧 Built-in Tools

🛠️ Custom Tools

📚 Tool Library

Built-in Tools

How to Configure Tools

Best Practices

Tool Usage Examples

Troubleshooting

Custom Tools Deep Dive

Creating Custom Tools

What are Endpoint Tools?

Configuration

Endpoint Configuration

Tool Testing & Validation

Best Practices

Tool Assignment & Management

Tool Integration Examples

CRM Integration

Order Status Check

Lead Scoring

Product Recommendations

System Status Check

Troubleshooting Assistant

API Reference

Tool Management API

Tool Assignment API

Getting Started

Core Concepts

AI Providers

Features

Advanced

Help & Resources

​Tool Types Overview

🔧 Built-in Tools

🛠️ Custom Tools

📚 Tool Library

​Built-in Tools

​How to Configure Tools

​Best Practices

​Tool Usage Examples

​Troubleshooting

​Custom Tools Deep Dive

​Creating Custom Tools

​What are Endpoint Tools?

​Configuration

​Endpoint Configuration

​Tool Testing & Validation

​Best Practices

​Tool Assignment & Management

​Tool Integration Examples

​CRM Integration

​Order Status Check

​Lead Scoring

​Product Recommendations

​System Status Check

​Troubleshooting Assistant

​API Reference

Tool Management API

Tool Assignment API

Tool Types Overview

Built-in Tools

How to Configure Tools

Best Practices

Tool Usage Examples

Troubleshooting

Custom Tools Deep Dive

Creating Custom Tools

What are Endpoint Tools?

Configuration

Endpoint Configuration

Tool Testing & Validation

Best Practices

Tool Assignment & Management

Tool Integration Examples

CRM Integration

Order Status Check

Lead Scoring

Product Recommendations

System Status Check

Troubleshooting Assistant

API Reference