--- title: "Intro to Gatekeeper Agents" url: "https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/intro-to-gatekeeper-agents" language: "en" last_updated: "2026-10-23T02:36:13.892Z" --- # Intro to Gatekeeper Agents Learn how to train sales teams to navigate gatekeeper interactions with confidence using Outdoo's gatekeeper roleplay feature, complete with realistic personas and dual-phase scoring. Outdoo AI roleplays cover discovery calls, cold calls, and objection handling. A gatekeeper adds one more step before the buyer: the AI plays a receptionist or assistant who screens the call, so team members can practice getting through to the decision-maker. ### Why use it? - Train team members to confidently and tactfully navigate conversations with gatekeepers. - Authentic scenarios with varied personalities, contexts, and difficulty levels. - Feedback on tone, phrasing, persistence, and compliance. - Managers can design gatekeeper scenarios tailored to their industry. ### Important product details - Gatekeeper roleplays use two distinct scorecards: one for the gatekeeper phase (how well the team member got past the gatekeeper) and one for the agent/buyer phase (how well the team member performed with the decision-maker after being transferred). - When a roleplay has a gatekeeper, the Background Environment (background noise) setting applies to the gatekeeper call (for example, office or reception ambience). If the roleplay has no gatekeeper, background noise applies to the main agent. ### Gatekeeper Personas The platform offers three gatekeeper personas. Each has a distinct style and a different strategy for getting past them. #### Kellie Fisher (Medium) – Professional Secretary Behavior: - Screens rigorously: always asks name, company, and purpose of call. - Spots obvious sales language (for example, "Who handles purchasing?"). - Suspicious if the caller only uses first names or tries to bluff. - Cuts off liars, rude, or pushy callers with a quick goodbye. - Moderately helpful if the caller is polite and transparent. How to get past: - Be respectful and professional. - Clearly state the boss's full name (for example, Morgan Fischer). - Be upfront about your offering and frame it as valuable or helpful. - Avoid lies or vague language. Honesty and courtesy build trust. #### Alex Carter (Busy) – Rushed Operator Behavior: - Always rushed, irritated by interruptions, keeps calls short. - Bluntly asks "Who are you? What do you want?" - Hangs up if the caller rambles, hesitates, or dodges questions. - Blocks pushy or scripted sales talk immediately. - Only considers transferring if value is stated in under 10 seconds. How to get past: - Deliver a crisp, no-fluff opener. - State name, company, and clear value proposition quickly. - Respect Alex's time. No small talk or lengthy rapport-building. - Example: *"Hi Alex, this is John from XYZ. We help teams cut invoice processing in half. Can I share a quick detail with your boss?"* Example exchange: | Gatekeeper | Team member | | --- | --- | | Hello, who is this? | Hi, this is John from XYZ. I wanted to share how we cut invoice processing times in half. | | Okay, I'll connect you now. Hold one second please. | | #### Jamie Lee (Sensible) – Helpful Receptionist Behavior: - Friendly and approachable but still protective. - Opens warmly and asks who's calling and why. - Willing to transfer or take messages if the caller is polite and credible. - Asks "Is this a sales call?" and expects honesty. - Blocks pushy, vague, or dishonest callers. How to get past: - Build rapport with politeness and professionalism. - Be transparent about why you're calling and highlight value. - Use a consultative framing (partnership, alignment, mutual benefit). - Example: *"Good morning Jamie, this is John from XYZ. We've helped firms like yours improve onboarding efficiency, and I'd like to share how we can support your team too."* Example exchange: | Gatekeeper | Team member | | --- | --- | | Good morning, how may I direct your call? | Hi, this is John from XYZ. I'd like to share a quick idea to help improve your client onboarding. | | Okay, I'll connect you now. Hold on one second please. | | ### Use Cases - New SDRs can practice getting past gatekeepers before live prospecting. - Standardize gatekeeper handling before a blitz or campaign. - Use gatekeeper and agent scorecards together to see where team members get blocked versus where they lose the deal. - Pair gatekeeper scenarios with discovery or cold-call bots for your vertical. - Reinforce polite, honest, value-focused openings and avoid pushy or deceptive language. ### Evaluation Criteria The AI evaluates team members on the following: | Criterion | What it measures | | --- | --- | | Clarity | Did the team member clearly explain the reason for the call? | | Persistence | Did the team member handle resistance tactfully without giving up or being aggressive? | | Rapport | Did they stay polite and avoid sounding aggressive or scripted? | | Outcome | Did they succeed in getting a meeting or transfer? | These criteria feed into the Gatekeeper Scorecard. The main buyer-bot conversation uses a separate scorecard (the agent scorecard). Managers can track completion, success rate, and improvement over time for both. ### Examples | Persona | Difficulty | Best strategy | | --- | --- | --- | | Kellie Fisher (Medium) | Medium | Full name, transparent purpose, professional and honest. | | Alex Carter (Busy) | Hard | Under-10-second value statement; no rambling or small talk. | | Jamie Lee (Sensible) | Easier | Polite, transparent, consultative; answer "Is this a sales call?" honestly. | ### Quick reference - Two scorecards: Gatekeeper scorecard (gatekeeper phase) and Agent scorecard (buyer phase). They must be different. - Background noise: When a gatekeeper is configured, background environment applies to the gatekeeper. Otherwise it applies to the main agent. - Call type: the **Gatekeeper** option only appears when the agent's call type is **Voice Mode**. It is not available in Chat Mode, Video Mode or In Person Mode. For setup steps, see [Create a Gatekeeper to a Roleplay](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/create-a-gatekeeper-to-a-roleplay). Hope this article was helpful. For any queries, please write to support@outdoo.ai ## Related articles - [Create a Gatekeeper to a Roleplay](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/create-a-gatekeeper-to-a-roleplay) - [Intro to Roleplay Agents](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/intro-to-roleplay-agents) - [About AI Roleplay](https://help.outdoo.ai/en/article/about-roleplay)