Cents Assist answers your store's phone calls with an AI phone agent. In Assist settings, you choose how it greets callers, what voice it uses, and when and where it sends calls it can't handle.
Use this if you want to set up or change your Assist greeting, voice, or how calls get escalated to your team.
Where to find it
In Business Manager, open Contact Center, then Assist Settings > Configuration.
Set things up globally first with the Configuration / FAQ button. These apply to all locations.
Then click a store in the Locations list for per-location settings. Location settings override global ones. Use Copy to all to apply a location's settings to every store.
Step 1: Choose when Assist answers
Set Assist to ON, OFF, or ON After Hours (only outside store hours).
You can set a different welcome message and escalation rules for each mode.
Step 2: Set your welcome message
In Configuration, find Welcome Message and click Edit.
Enter the greeting callers hear first, then Save. Keep it short, for example: "Thanks for calling [Business Name]! How can I help you today?"
Step 3: Choose a voice and speech settings
In Phone Agent Voice, click Edit. Filter by Region, Personality, or Gender, press play to preview, select one, and Save.
Adjust tone, how easily callers can interrupt, and speaking speed if those options are available to you.
A friendly, calm voice usually works best.
Step 4: Review escalation settings
These apply to your whole business.
Cents-issued number: your Assist phone number. Call it anytime to test.
My business offers Pickup & Delivery: turn on if you offer it so Assist can help with those requests. Existing customers of businesses with their own drivers can place pickup and delivery orders by phone.
Send links via SMS: click Edit and choose Send order link, Send website link, or both. Confirm your Website URL and Save. Callers get a text with your links.
Enable Cents Support: when on, Assist can send certain online ordering questions to the Cents Support team, Tuesday to Saturday, 3 PM to midnight ET (hours may change).
Bypass call transfer: when on, Assist never transfers calls. It emails and texts the contact in Notifications instead. When off, it transfers calls and doesn't send those notifications. It's one or the other.
Share Laundry Card Balance: lets Assist tell callers their laundry card balance (for example, LaundroWorks cards). LaundroWorks must be set up as a payment option for the location.
Step 5: Set your escalation numbers
Go to Default Escalation number, click Edit, enter a staffed number in full format (for example, +15551234567), and Save. Assist uses it when no rule applies.
Add a secondary escalation number as a backup if the first one doesn't answer.
Warm transfers let Assist brief your team before connecting the caller, and escalation emails include the call recording.
In Displayed Caller ID, choose what shows on your phone during a transfer: the Caller's number or the Cents-issued number. Tip: save the Cents-issued number as "Cents Assist" in your contacts.
Step 6: Add escalation rules
In Escalation Rules, click Edit.
Add a rule, like "If someone is calling for the manager," and set Transfer to in full format (+1XXXXXXXXXX).
Click Add rule for more, then Save. Start with 2 to 5 clear rules and add more over time.
Rules can be set globally or per location. Location rules take priority.
Step 7: Test your setup
Call your Cents-issued number.
Check the welcome message, the voice, that escalations reach the right person, and that SMS links arrive.
Adjust and test again as needed.
Best practices
We recommend using the Cents-issued number as the number customers call.
To keep your current number, ask your phone provider (for example, T-Mobile or Verizon) to forward calls to the Cents-issued number. If they need a PIN, it will be sent to Contact Center.
Never use your customer-facing number as an escalation number. It creates a call loop.
Troubleshooting
Calls fail to transfer ("problem transferring")?
Re-save the escalation number in full format with the country code, like +15551234567. Numbers saved without +1 look saved but won't transfer.
Calls loop back to Assist?
An escalation number matches the number customers call. Use a different, staffed number for escalations.
Escalations reach nobody?
If Bypass call transfer is on, Assist only sends an email and text. Check that your Notifications contact info is correct.
Want an email for every escalation?
Turn it on under Notifications, not in Assist settings.
An escalation rule is ignored at one store?
Location rules override global ones. Add or check the rule at that location.
Two rules seem to conflict?
Keep each rule short and distinct, like "calling for the manager" and "commercial accounts." Avoid overlapping wording.
Need to delete a rule?
Hover over the rule and click the X, then save.
Can't save an FAQ?
Fill in every field. Use "N/A" for anything that doesn't apply.
Changes don't seem to take effect?
Call your Cents-issued number to test. If nothing changes, text our Support team so we can check your Assist setup.
Callers at a multi-location business reach the wrong store?
Text our Support team. We can turn on a number-pad option so callers choose their store.
Need assistance?
Feel free to text our Cents Support team at 888-302-8809.