An AI agent combines a goal with tools it can use to work towards that goal. Before giving it access to a business process, describe the task and its limits in ordinary language.
Start with a specific job
“Help with operations” is too broad. “Read these enquiries and prepare a draft response for each” gives the system a clearer purpose. Say what a useful result contains and who will review it.
Give it the information it needs
An agent cannot reliably fill gaps in your process by guessing. Supply the relevant product information, business rules and examples of acceptable work. Tell it what to do when information is missing.
Choose tools carefully
Access should match the task. Reading an enquiry and drafting a reply do not automatically require permission to send email or change a customer record. Start with limited access and expand it only when the workflow needs it.
Keep approval at meaningful points
Decide which actions need your review. Sending a quotation, committing to a delivery date or changing a payment record deserves more control than sorting a list of ideas.
Check what happened
- Did the agent use the correct source information?
- Did it follow the business rules?
- Did it ask when something was unclear?
- Can you see what it changed or prepared?
- Can a person take over when it cannot complete the task?
A useful first experiment is to ask for drafts and compare them with your own decisions. This gives you evidence about the system before you rely on it for an important action.