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Human Handoff Support

Human handoff lets visitors request a real support team member when they need direct assistance beyond what the AI can provide.

How the Handoff Works​

  1. The visitor asks to speak with a person from the widget.
  2. The request is recorded and shown to the support team in the dashboard.
  3. An available teammate accepts the request and continues the conversation.
  4. The visitor sees that their request is being reviewed or accepted.
Visitor-side handoff option in the widget

Agent-Side Handoff Inbox​

When a visitor requests a human, the request appears in the dashboard inbox for the support team.

Agent-side inbox showing incoming handoff requests

Agents should review:

  • visitor identity or lead details, if available
  • the conversation history that led to the request
  • urgency and ownership

Live Reply View​

After an agent accepts the request, the active conversation becomes the working context for the live reply. Teams should confirm:

  • the visitor can see that a human has joined
  • the agent has enough prior context to avoid restarting the conversation
  • the handoff status is updated as the conversation progresses

Availability and Business Hours​

Human handoff should be staffed according to your operating model.

  • If agents are online, requests can be accepted quickly from the dashboard.
  • If no agent is available, the visitor should still receive a clear waiting message.
  • If your team does not cover all hours, explain the expected response window in your workflow or site copy.

What the Visitor Sees While Waiting​

While a request is pending, the visitor should understand that:

  • a real person has been requested
  • the conversation may not continue instantly
  • a team member will reply when available

If your team collects email or lead details during the handoff request, use that information for follow-up when a live reply cannot happen immediately.

If Nobody Responds​

If no agent accepts the request:

  • the original chat history remains available for review
  • your team can continue follow-up through lead workflows
  • the visitor should not be left thinking a live reply is already active

Define an internal SLA so pending requests are checked regularly during staffed hours.