AI Agent Checklist: Everything You Need Before You Launch

Launching an AI agent without a checklist is like opening a store without stocking the shelves. Use this comprehensive pre-launch checklist to ensure your agent is ready to represent your business from conversation one. For the full setup walkthrough, see our 10-minute setup guide.

Section 1: Business Information

• ☑ Business name (exactly as it appears on Google)
• ☑ Physical address (or "mobile/service-area business" designation)
• ☑ Phone number (the number customers should call back on)
• ☑ Email address (for lead notifications)
• ☑ Hours of operation (including holidays and seasonal variations)
• ☑ Service area (zip codes, radius, or city list)
• ☑ Website URL
• ☑ License and insurance information (if applicable to your trade)

Section 2: Knowledge Base

This section is the most important. Your agent's quality is directly proportional to your knowledge base depth. Follow the best practices guide for detailed knowledge base strategy.

• ☑ Complete list of services offered (with one-sentence descriptions)
• ☑ Pricing for each service (ranges are fine — "$150–$300 depending on complexity")
• ☑ Services you do NOT offer (equally important as what you do offer)
• ☑ Top 20 customer FAQs with your ideal answers
• ☑ Cancellation and rescheduling policy
• ☑ Payment methods accepted
• ☑ Warranty or guarantee terms
• ☑ Emergency vs. non-emergency protocols
• ☑ Financing options (if available)
• ☑ Discounts or promotions currently active
• ☑ Competitor differentiation points ("We offer same-day service," "Licensed and insured since 2010")

Section 3: Agent Personality

• ☑ Agent name chosen (e.g., "Alex from Apex Plumbing")
• ☑ Tone selected (friendly, professional, direct, or casual)
• ☑ Greeting message written (under 25 words, includes business name)
• ☑ AI disclosure statement enabled (required in CA, CO, WA — recommended everywhere)
• ☑ Fallback message for unknown questions ("I am not sure about that — let me connect you with our team")

Section 4: Channel Setup

• ☑ Primary channel selected (website widget, SMS, or hosted page)
• ☑ Website widget: embed code copied and added to your site
• ☑ Widget placement: bottom-right corner on all pages (or specific pages only)
• ☑ Widget colors: matched to your brand colors
• ☑ SMS (if applicable): phone number provisioned and tested
• ☑ Hosted page (if applicable): URL saved and ready to share
• ☑ Notification settings: email or SMS alerts for new leads and escalations

Section 5: Testing

Do not skip this section. Test in preview mode — conversations do not count against your plan.

• ☑ Test 1: "What are your hours?" (basic FAQ)
• ☑ Test 2: "How much does [your most popular service] cost?" (pricing)
• ☑ Test 3: "Can I schedule an appointment for [day/time]?" (booking)
• ☑ Test 4: "Do you serve [zip code outside your area]?" (boundary case)
• ☑ Test 5: "I have an emergency — [describe urgent scenario]" (urgency handling)
• ☑ Test 6: "I am unhappy with the service I received" (complaint handling / handoff trigger)
• ☑ Test 7: "Do you offer [service you do NOT provide]?" (negative knowledge)
• ☑ Test 8: Multi-part question with multiple requests in one message
• ☑ Test 9: Vague question that requires the agent to ask clarifying follow-ups
• ☑ Test 10: Request to speak with a human (handoff trigger)
• ☑ All test responses reviewed and knowledge base updated for any gaps

Section 6: Launch

• ☑ Agent deployed to selected channel(s)
• ☑ Confirmation that the widget/SMS/page is live and accessible
• ☑ Team notified that an AI agent is handling initial customer interactions
• ☑ Escalation contacts identified (who gets notified for handoffs?)
• ☑ Dashboard bookmarked for easy access to transcripts
• ☑ Calendar reminder set: "Review AI agent conversations" — daily for Week 1, weekly after that
• ☑ 30-day review date scheduled to measure initial ROI

Post-Launch: First 48 Hours

Your checklist is complete and your agent is live. For the next 48 hours:

• Monitor every conversation in real-time from your dashboard
• Be available for any human handoff escalations
• Note any knowledge gaps and update the knowledge base immediately
• Resist the urge to change the greeting or personality — give it 48 hours of data first

If you have completed every item on this checklist, your launch will be smooth. The businesses that struggle with AI agents are almost always the ones that skipped the knowledge base and testing sections. Do the work upfront, and your agent will perform from day one.

For ongoing optimization after launch, follow our agent management best practices and revisit this checklist whenever you add a new agent or channel.