Sona AI Agent

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Overview

Sona is OpenPhone’s AI agent that ensures you never miss a call. Available 24/7, Sona answers calls professionally, provides instant responses to customer questions using your knowledge base, takes detailed messages, and seamlessly transfers to human agents when needed. It’s like having an always-on receptionist that’s smarter than voicemail and more affordable than an answering service.

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What Sona can do

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Core capabilities

Professional call answering:

• Answers calls 24/7 when you’re unavailable
• Introduces itself with customizable greetings
• Maintains professional conversation flow
• Records and transcribes every interaction

Intelligent question answering:

• Provides instant responses using your knowledge base
• Handles common customer inquiries automatically
• Shares business information (hours, location, services)
• Escalates complex questions to human agents

Message taking and follow-up:

• Captures caller details and reason for calling
• Collects specific information you define
• Creates structured call summaries for team review
• Ensures no important details are missed

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Advanced features

Natural conversation:

• Uses advanced AI for human-like interactions
• Understands context and caller intent
• Adapts responses based on conversation flow
• Maintains professional tone throughout calls

Seamless integration:

• Works within your existing call flows
• Multiple Sona steps can be configured differently
• Coordinates with business hours and phone menus
• Preserves your current calling experience

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How Sona works

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AI-powered conversation

Understanding callers:

• Listens to and processes caller requests
• Uses natural language understanding
• Identifies caller intent and needs
• Responds appropriately based on available knowledge

Knowledge-based responses:

• Accesses your custom knowledge base
• Provides accurate, up-to-date information
• Maintains consistency across all interactions
• Updates responses as you modify knowledge

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Call flow integration

Flexible placement:

• After Ring users step (for missed calls)
• After phone menu options
• After business hours checks
• Multiple positions in same call flow

Configuration options:

• Custom greetings for different scenarios
• Specific knowledge sets for different contexts
• Tailored message collection requirements
• Unique settings for each Sona step

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Getting started with Sona

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Prerequisites

Plan requirements:

• Available as add-on for Starter, Business, and Scale plans
• Must be on paid OpenPhone plan (not free trial)
• Requires Stripe billing (not iOS App Store billing)
• Admin or Owner permissions needed for setup

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Trial and pricing

7-day free trial:

• Unlimited calls during trial period
• Full feature access including knowledge base
• No interruption of service
• Automatic conversion to paid after trial

Subscription pricing:

• $49/month base subscription
• Includes 50 calls per month
• $1 per additional call beyond included amount
• Billed according to your OpenPhone billing cycle

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Setting up Sona

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Initial configuration

1. Access Sona dashboard in left sidebar of OpenPhone
2. Select inbox to configure Sona for
3. Add Sona to call flow using call flow builder
4. Configure greeting and introduction message
5. Set up knowledge base for question answering
6. Define message collection requirements

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Customization options

Greeting personalization:

• Include your business name and identity
• Clearly identify Sona as AI assistant
• Mention call recording for transparency
• Maintain brand voice and tone

Knowledge management:

• Add business information and FAQs
• Include product or service details
• Provide contact information and hours
• Update knowledge as business evolves

Message collection:

• Default: caller name and reason for calling
• Custom: specific information relevant to your business
• Conditional logic for follow-up questions
• Structured data for easy team review

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Best practices

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Effective Sona deployment

Professional introduction:

• Clear identification as AI assistant
• Mention of call recording for compliance
• Welcoming and helpful tone
• Business name and context

Knowledge optimization:

• Comprehensive FAQ coverage
• Current business information
• Clear, concise responses
• Regular updates and maintenance

Team coordination:

• Train team on Sona capabilities
• Establish follow-up procedures for messages
• Monitor call summaries for quality
• Regular review of Sona performance

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Common use cases

After-hours coverage:

• Handle calls outside business hours
• Provide basic information and take messages
• Set expectations for callback timing
• Emergency contact information

Overflow management:

• Handle calls when team is busy
• Reduce wait times for customers
• Capture leads during high-volume periods
• Maintain professional experience

Reception services:

• Screen and route calls appropriately
• Provide business information
• Schedule appointments and callbacks
• Reduce administrative burden

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Learn more about Sona

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Detailed guides

Explore comprehensive documentation for Sona setup and management:

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Troubleshooting