Understanding the Sources of Latency
Your choice of AI engine directly affects how quickly callers hear a response:Fast Engine + Filler Audio
Minimal perceived latency. The assistant responds quickly and uses natural filler sounds (“one moment”, “hmm”) to mask any processing time. Best for most call types.
Standard or Accurate Engine
Longer processing time but more considered responses. Better suited for complex conversations where accuracy matters more than speed.
Quick Fixes
If callers are noticing pauses, robotic audio, or dropped words, try these steps in order:Run a test call
Use the Test Call feature in your assistant settings to reproduce the issue in a controlled environment before troubleshooting live traffic.
Switch to Fast Engine
In your assistant’s AI Engine Configuration, select Fast Engine to reduce response latency.
Enable Filler Audio
Turn on Filler Audio in your assistant settings. This covers processing pauses with natural sounds, making conversations feel more fluid even when the engine needs a moment.
Check your network
Poor network connectivity on your end — or at your SIP provider — can introduce jitter, packet loss, and audio degradation. Verify your internet connection and, if using SIP, check with your VoIP provider.
Common Issues
Callers hear long silences between turns
Callers hear long silences between turns
This is usually an AI engine latency issue. Switch to Fast Engine and enable Filler Audio. If the problem persists on Fast Engine, simplify your system prompt — large prompts increase processing time.
Audio sounds choppy or distorted
Audio sounds choppy or distorted
Choppy audio typically indicates network packet loss or jitter, especially on SIP integrations. Check:
- Your internet connection stability
- Whether your SIP provider is experiencing issues
- Firewall or QoS settings that may be throttling SIP/RTP traffic
Assistant doesn't respond or transcript shows missing speech
Assistant doesn't respond or transcript shows missing speech
If speech isn’t being detected or the assistant stops responding mid-call, noise cancellation may be filtering out the caller’s voice.
- Go to your assistant settings → Audio Enhancement Settings
- Disable Noise Cancellation
- Run a test call to confirm speech is now detected correctly
Voice sounds robotic or unnatural
Voice sounds robotic or unnatural
Try a different voice model in your assistant settings. Adjust the speech speed setting if the voice is too fast or slow for clear comprehension. If you need a specific voice characteristic, consider using a cloned voice.
Optimizing by Call Type
| Call type | Recommended setup |
|---|---|
| Outbound sales | Fast Engine + Filler Audio |
| Inbound support | Standard or Accurate Engine; test with Filler Audio enabled |
| After-hours coverage | Fast Engine for responsiveness |
| Complex data gathering | Accurate Engine; callers expect slower, more deliberate responses |