Skip to main contentMarketrix agents can help users in three powerful ways: Tell, Show, and Do. Understanding these modes and when to use each one will help you create more effective agents that provide the right type of help for different situations.
The Three Interaction Modes
Tell Mode - Answering Questions
What it does: Provides information and answers questions
How it works: Your agent searches through your knowledge base to find relevant information and provides clear, helpful answers to user questions.
Examples:
- “What are your business hours?”
- “How do I reset my password?”
- “What features does your product have?”
- “Can you explain how this works?”
- “What’s your return policy?”
Best for:
- Customer support questions
- Product information
- Policy explanations
- General inquiries
- FAQ responses
Show Mode - Demonstrating Tasks
What it does: Shows users how to perform tasks with step-by-step guidance
How it works: Your agent provides detailed, step-by-step instructions and guidance to help users accomplish specific tasks or learn how to use features.
Examples:
- “Show me how to create an account”
- “Show me how to use this feature”
- “Show me how to navigate your website”
- “Show me how to set up the product”
- “Show me how to troubleshoot this issue”
Best for:
- Tutorials and guides
- Feature demonstrations
- Process explanations
- How-to instructions
- User onboarding
What it does: Actually performs tasks on behalf of users
How it works: Your agent can take actions on your website or application, such as filling out forms, navigating through processes, or completing tasks for users.
Examples:
- “Help me fill out this form”
- “Guide me through the checkout process”
- “Automate this task for me”
- “Complete this process for me”
- “Help me book an appointment”
Best for:
- Form filling
- Account setup
- Process automation
- Task completion
- Complex workflows
When to Use Each Mode
Use Tell Mode When:
Users need information:
- Asking about products or services
- Need to understand policies
- Want to know business details
- Have general questions
Users need explanations:
- How something works
- What features are available
- What options they have
- How to understand something
Users need quick answers:
- Simple questions
- Basic information
- Quick clarifications
- General inquiries
Use Show Mode When:
Users need guidance:
- Learning how to use features
- Following step-by-step processes
- Understanding workflows
- Getting started with something
Users need tutorials:
- How-to instructions
- Feature demonstrations
- Process explanations
- Learning new skills
Users need help with tasks:
- Completing forms
- Setting up accounts
- Configuring settings
- Troubleshooting issues
Use Do Mode When:
Users want automation:
- Repetitive tasks
- Complex processes
- Time-consuming activities
- Multi-step workflows
Users need assistance:
- Form filling
- Account setup
- Process completion
- Task automation
Users want convenience:
- Quick task completion
- Hands-free operation
- Streamlined processes
- Automated assistance
Configuring Interaction Modes
Enabling Modes
You can configure which modes your agent supports:
Tell Mode (Always enabled):
- Perfect for customer support
- Handles most common questions
- Provides information and answers
Show Mode (Optional):
- Enable for tutorial and guidance
- Great for user onboarding
- Shows step-by-step processes
Do Mode (Optional):
- Enable for task automation
- Handles form filling and processes
- Performs actions on behalf of users
Mode Configuration
In your agent settings:
- Go to your agent’s configuration
- Select “Interaction Modes”
- Choose which modes to enable
- Save your settings
Recommended configurations:
- Customer Support Agent: Tell + Show
- Sales Agent: Tell + Show + Do
- Onboarding Agent: Show + Do
- General Assistant: Tell + Show + Do
Mode Examples by Use Case
E-commerce Support
Tell Mode Examples:
- “What are your shipping options?”
- “How long does delivery take?”
- “What’s your return policy?”
- “Do you offer international shipping?”
Show Mode Examples:
- “Show me how to track my order”
- “Show me how to return an item”
- “Show me how to update my address”
- “Show me how to use a discount code”
Do Mode Examples:
- “Help me complete my purchase”
- “Guide me through the checkout process”
- “Help me set up my account”
- “Automate my order tracking”
SaaS Application Support
Tell Mode Examples:
- “What features does this plan include?”
- “How much does the premium plan cost?”
- “What integrations are available?”
- “How do I contact support?”
Show Mode Examples:
- “Show me how to set up two-factor authentication”
- “Show me how to create a project”
- “Show me how to invite team members”
- “Show me how to configure notifications”
Do Mode Examples:
- “Help me set up my account”
- “Guide me through the onboarding process”
- “Help me configure my workspace”
- “Automate my team setup”
Service Business Support
Tell Mode Examples:
- “What services do you offer?”
- “How much does a massage cost?”
- “What are your business hours?”
- “Do you accept insurance?”
Show Mode Examples:
- “Show me how to book an appointment”
- “Show me how to cancel a reservation”
- “Show me how to update my profile”
- “Show me how to view my appointment history”
Do Mode Examples:
- “Help me book an appointment”
- “Guide me through the registration process”
- “Help me complete my health form”
- “Automate my appointment reminders”
Best Practices for Each Mode
Tell Mode Best Practices
Provide clear, accurate information:
- Use your knowledge base effectively
- Give complete, helpful answers
- Include relevant context
- Be specific and detailed
Handle different question types:
- Direct questions
- Follow-up questions
- Clarification requests
- General inquiries
Maintain consistency:
- Use consistent terminology
- Provide similar information for similar questions
- Maintain your brand voice
- Be helpful and professional
Show Mode Best Practices
Provide step-by-step guidance:
- Break down complex processes
- Use clear, numbered steps
- Include helpful tips and notes
- Provide context and explanations
Make instructions actionable:
- Use clear, specific language
- Include what to click or do
- Provide expected outcomes
- Include troubleshooting tips
Test your instructions:
- Follow your own instructions
- Check for clarity and accuracy
- Update based on feedback
- Improve over time
Do Mode Best Practices
Ensure user consent:
- Explain what you’re going to do
- Ask for permission before taking actions
- Provide clear feedback on progress
- Allow users to stop or modify actions
Handle errors gracefully:
- Provide clear error messages
- Offer alternative solutions
- Escalate when needed
- Maintain user trust
Provide clear feedback:
- Show progress on actions
- Confirm when tasks are complete
- Explain what was accomplished
- Offer next steps
Testing Interaction Modes
Test Each Mode
Test Tell Mode:
- Ask information questions
- Check response accuracy
- Verify knowledge usage
- Test follow-up questions
Test Show Mode:
- Request step-by-step guidance
- Follow the instructions
- Check for clarity and accuracy
- Test different scenarios
Test Do Mode:
- Request task completion
- Verify actions are performed correctly
- Check error handling
- Test user consent and feedback
Improve Based on Testing
Based on test results:
- Refine instructions for better clarity
- Add missing information to your knowledge
- Improve error handling for better user experience
- Update mode configuration based on user needs
Common Mode Issues
Tell Mode Issues
Problem: Agent gives generic or unhelpful answers
Solutions:
- Improve your knowledge base
- Refine agent instructions
- Add more specific information
- Test with different question types
Problem: Agent doesn’t use your knowledge effectively
Solutions:
- Check knowledge assignment
- Improve knowledge organization
- Add more relevant content
- Test knowledge search
Show Mode Issues
Problem: Instructions are unclear or incomplete
Solutions:
- Break down steps more clearly
- Add more detail and context
- Include helpful tips and notes
- Test instructions yourself
Problem: Users can’t follow the guidance
Solutions:
- Simplify complex processes
- Add visual cues and descriptions
- Provide alternative approaches
- Gather user feedback
Do Mode Issues
Problem: Agent doesn’t perform actions correctly
Solutions:
- Check action configuration
- Test with different scenarios
- Improve error handling
- Verify user permissions
Problem: Users don’t trust the automation
Solutions:
- Explain actions clearly
- Provide progress feedback
- Allow user control
- Handle errors gracefully
Mode Configuration Tips
Start Simple
Begin with Tell Mode:
- Enable Tell mode first
- Test with basic questions
- Ensure knowledge is working
- Add other modes gradually
Add Modes Gradually
Expand capabilities over time:
- Add Show mode for tutorials
- Add Do mode for automation
- Test each mode thoroughly
- Improve based on feedback
Track mode usage:
- See which modes are used most
- Identify popular use cases
- Improve underutilized modes
- Optimize based on data
Next Steps
Now that you understand interaction modes, you’re ready to:
- Create agents - Build agents with the right modes for your use case
- Test in the playground - Verify your agents work correctly in each mode
- Create integrations - Deploy your agents with the right mode configuration
- Monitor performance - Track how well each mode is working
Understanding and configuring interaction modes correctly will help you create agents that provide the right type of help for different user needs and situations.
Getting Help
If you need assistance with interaction modes:
- Check the troubleshooting guide for common issues
- Test each mode thoroughly in the playground
- Review mode configuration for your use case
- Contact support for additional help
You’re now ready to create agents that can help users in multiple ways! 🚀 
