Operator Handoff

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Operator handoff is the process of transferring a conversation from the AI agent to a human operator. When configured correctly, the transition feels seamless to the user — they stay in the same chat window and simply start talking to a real person.

When does handoff happen?

The user explicitly asks to speak with a human. Common phrases include:

“I want to talk to a person”
“Can I speak to a real agent?”
“Transfer me to support”

The AI agent detects this intent and initiates the handoff automatically.

An operator can also take a conversation over from the console at any time, without the user asking.

How handoff works

Trigger — the handoff is initiated (by user request or AI decision).
Notification — the request appears in Conversations in the console. If the agent has a notify alias configured for Slack or Discord, a message is posted there as well.
Assignment — an operator accepts the conversation and takes over. Once accepted, the session belongs to that operator and a second operator sees who holds it.
Live chat — the operator responds directly to the user. The user sees the messages in the same chat window.
Resolution — once the issue is resolved, the operator can hand the conversation back to the AI or close it.

During handoff, the operator sees the full conversation history, so the user doesn’t need to repeat themselves.

Configuring handoff behavior

System prompt

The most effective way to control handoff is through the system prompt. Add instructions like:

If the user asks to speak with a human, transfer the conversation to an operator immediately. If you cannot answer a question after two attempts, offer to connect the user with a support agent.

Working hours and availability

Whether a request is accepted at all depends on the extension’s working hours and on whether any operator is online and covering that agent. See Human Handoff for those settings.

What the user sees

The handoff experience is designed to be transparent:

The agent sends a transition message (e.g., “Connecting you with a team member…”).
The operator joins and introduces themselves.
The conversation continues in the same chat window — no new tabs, no phone calls.
When the operator hands back to the AI, the agent resumes naturally.

What the operator sees

When a handoff occurs, the operator’s dashboard shows:

A notification highlighting the new conversation.
The full conversation history — every message between the user and the AI.
User context — channel (web, WhatsApp), language, and any metadata.

The operator can type responses directly, which appear to the user as live chat messages.

Handling offline scenarios

If no operators are online when a handoff is triggered, the request is refused and the agent keeps the conversation, telling the user a human is not available right now. What it says next is up to your system prompt — asking for an email address so someone can follow up is the usual choice.

Best practices

Always have a fallback — don’t leave users hanging if no operators are available. Collect contact info or set expected response times.
Keep handoff fast — users expect a human to respond within 1-2 minutes after the transfer. Staff appropriately during peak hours.
Train the AI to hand off early — it’s better to transfer proactively than to frustrate the user with unhelpful answers. Use your system prompt to set clear boundaries.
Review handoff conversations — check Conversations regularly to understand why handoffs happen. If the same topic triggers frequent handoffs, improve the knowledge base to reduce them.
Keep someone online during your stated hours — a request that arrives when nobody is covering the agent is refused, and the user is told no human is available.

Next steps

Operators overview — invite team members and manage their access.
Roles & Permissions — understand Admin vs. Operator capabilities.
Configure behavior — fine-tune the system prompt for handoff instructions.