Why testing matters
Before you divert a live clinic number, test the agent as if you were a patient, a new enquiry, and a busy receptionist. This catches configuration issues before patients reach the agent.
Minimum go-live checklist
Agent is created and saved.
Every Review before activation warning has been resolved or explicitly reviewed by the clinic owner.
Correct clinic locations are selected.
Opening hours are correct for each location.
Services and appointment types are correct.
Team members and practitioner mapping are correct.
Cliniko or Nookal is connected if live booking or patient lookup is expected.
Emergency handling is reviewed.
Transfer targets are configured and tested.
Phone number is connected to the correct agent.
Call logs are visible in Phone Agent > Call Logs.
Use three testing layers
Prompt preview: check that the generated instructions contain the expected locations, website, policies, workflows, and clinic information.
Playground: test the agent's voice, wording, reasoning, and tools available in the Playground session.
Real phone call: test the phone network, forwarding, caller ID, transfers, recordings, Call Logs, and end-to-end patient communications.
Start in the Playground
Open Phone Agent > Agents and select the agent.
Open Playground.
Test representative questions about locations, services, pricing, availability, workflows, and escalation.
Correct the underlying configuration, then repeat the prompt.
Playground tests the agent's voice, response behaviour, and tools available in the session. Playground does not send SMS messages. To test booking links or appointment confirmations end to end, connect the agent to a live Phone Agent number and complete a real test call. Playground is not a substitute for a real routed call, so complete the phone-call tests below before going live. Playground chat history is not saved between sessions.
Test the direct agent number before clinic forwarding
At first, keep forwarding from your clinic number switched off. Call the dedicated Phone Agent number from several mobile and landline numbers so you can review real Call Logs without sending patients to the agent.
Once the agent behaves as expected, enable temporary forwarding from the clinic number and repeat the tests. This separates agent behaviour from problems caused by the external phone provider or forwarding setup.
Test call scenarios
Run at least these test calls:
A general enquiry about services, location, opening hours, or pricing.
A new appointment request, including a booking confirmation if that action is enabled.
A request for the online booking link, including consent and SMS delivery if that action is enabled.
A reschedule or cancellation request.
A callback request.
A request the agent should transfer.
A request the agent should not transfer, such as a sales or marketing call if screening is enabled.
An out-of-hours call if your availability matters.
A forwarded call that confirms Call Logs either shows the original caller number or Forwarded call. If the agent captures a callback number, confirm it is correct and labelled separately rather than shown as caller identity.
What to review after each test
Open Phone Agent > Call Logs.
Find the test call.
Open the call details.
Review the transcript, summary, action required, urgency, tool usage, and recording if available.
Check whether the follow-up status matches what your team should do next.
Do not go live if
The agent gives wrong opening hours or availability.
The agent misses key booking information.
Transfers fail.
Emergency handling is not configured.
The call does not appear in the call log.
The wrong agent answers the test number.
What to send support
If a test fails, send the agent name, Phone Agent number, time of the test call, the number you called from, any callback number you provided, what you expected, and what happened instead.