When should the agent hand over to a human?

The most common mistake in agent projects is making it too difficult to reach a human. It doesn't save any money, because the customer calls anyway — only more annoyed.

Four signals that should trigger a handoff

The user has asked the same question twice without receiving help. Their wording suggests dissatisfaction. The issue concerns money, a complaint, or cancellation. Or the user explicitly asks to speak to a human — the latter should always be respected immediately.

The context must be included

A handoff where the human has to start from scratch is almost worse than having no agent at all. The customer has already explained their situation once. Make sure the entire conversation is passed on to the caseworker.

Be honest about what the agent is

Customers accept an agent that clearly identifies itself and provides effective assistance. They react strongly when they discover that they have spent ten minutes interacting with something they thought was a human.

Measure the handoff rate

The proportion of conversations that need to be handed off indicates whether the agent is useful. If it increases for a particular topic, the agent lacks knowledge in that area.