Convo helps during calls in two distinct ways, and knowing the difference makes both more useful. The Live Assistant is proactive: it watches the conversation and pushes help when the moment calls for it. Ask AI is on demand: it answers when you ask, and only then.
The two modes at a glance
Live Assistant (proactive)
Convo decides when to help: an objection triggers a response suggestion, a buying signal triggers a follow-up prompt, an unasked must-ask question triggers a reminder. You control which of these skills run.
Ask AI (on demand)
You decide when to ask: open the Ask panel in the toolbar, type a question (or tap a quick prompt like "How can I answer?"), and get an answer built from the live transcript, your documents, and past calls.
Live Assistant skills
The Live Assistant is a set of skills, each watching for a different moment. You can switch each one on or off in Settings → Live Assistant:
Balance the conversation
You're talking 60%+ of the time → a nudge to listen more.
Remind about must-ask questions
5 minutes left and timeline hasn't come up → a reminder to ask before the call ends.
Search knowledge and past answers
"Do you support SSO with Okta?" → the relevant answer from your documents or a past call appears, with a chip naming the source.
Catch important signals
"Budget is 100k/month" → suggested deeper follow-ups while the topic is live.
Detect hidden intent
"Why is it so expensive?" → help identifying the real concern behind the question.
Help appears where it fits: compact cards pop up from the floating toolbar, small nudges run in the ticker strip, and fuller answers land in the live insights panel. Your playbook fills itself in its own tab at the same time.
Instant Cues: your own live rules
Instant Cues let you script your own proactive help: each cue is a when → then say pair. When the trigger you described comes up in conversation, your prepared line appears. Create and edit them under Knowledge → Instant Cues in the dashboard, for example: when the prospect asks about a competitor → your best positioning line, in your words, not the AI's.
Ask AI during the call
- Open the Ask tab in the floating toolbar
- Type your question, or tap a quick prompt like "How can I answer?" or "Follow-up question"
- The answer arrives in seconds, built from the live transcript, your uploaded documents, and past conversations
Ask AI never interrupts on its own: it responds only when you ask. Good uses mid-call: "What did they say about pricing?", "What's our refund policy?", "Summarize their concerns so far".
Making both modes sharper
- Upload your documents: pricing sheets and product specs turn generic help into your answers, with source chips showing where they came from
- Set up your playbook: the must-ask reminders follow the questions you actually care about
- Write Instant Cues for the three moments that decide your calls
Control and availability
- The Live Assistant has a master switch and per-skill toggles in Settings → Live Assistant, each with an Example button showing what the skill looks like in action
- The same page tracks two setup steps that sharpen suggestions: adding knowledge, and running your first 5 calls so the assistant learns your company and product
- Live Assistant, Instant Cues, and the knowledge-powered features are part of the Convo Professional plan
- The overlay stays hidden from screen sharing by default, so only you see the help
Best practices
Do:
- Rephrase suggestions in your own words: they're guidance, not scripts
- Switch off skills you don't want: fewer, sharper interruptions beat a busy screen
- Use Ask AI for facts and the Live Assistant for moments
Don't:
- Read responses word-for-word while the prospect waits
- Stare at the toolbar instead of engaging: it'll still be there when you glance back
- Rely on AI over your own judgment: you know the deal best
Next steps
- Your first AI-assisted call - Complete walkthrough
- AI suggestions not appearing - Troubleshooting
- Sales playbooks - Qualification that fills itself
Need more help?
Visit our Help Center for more articles or contact support at itsconvo.com/contact.
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