Transfer Rules
Configure when and how calls get transferred to humans
When AI Isn't Enough
Not every call should stay with the AI. Emergencies need immediate human attention. Complex situations benefit from a real conversation. VIP customers might warrant preferential treatment. Transfer rules let you define exactly when the AI should hand off to a person, and how that handoff should work.
The goal is seamless escalation. When a transfer happens, the human receiving the call gets full context—who's calling, what they've discussed, why the transfer is happening. No one starts from scratch.
Trigger Types
Keyword Triggers
Certain words or phrases automatically initiate a transfer:
| Trigger | Typical Action |
|---|---|
| "Emergency" | Immediate transfer to on-call |
| "Speak to a manager" | Transfer during business hours, voicemail after |
| "Cancel my account" | Route to retention team |
| "Legal" or "lawsuit" | Flag and transfer immediately |
You define the keywords that matter for your business. The AI listens for them and responds accordingly.
Sentiment Triggers
When a caller becomes frustrated or upset, the AI can detect the shift in tone and offer to transfer. This prevents situations from escalating and ensures customers who need human empathy receive it.
Caller Recognition
High-value customers can be flagged for preferential treatment based on caller ID or account status. When they call, the AI might attempt transfer first before handling the call itself.
Fallback Triggers
If the AI can't answer a question after a reasonable attempt, it offers to connect the caller with someone who can. This prevents frustrating loops where the caller keeps trying to get information the AI doesn't have.
Transfer Methods
Warm Transfer
The AI stays on the line while connecting to the human, then introduces the call with context before dropping off. The human knows what's happening before they start speaking with the customer.
Cold Transfer
Immediate handoff to the destination number. Faster, but the human answers without context (though they can see it in the dashboard).
Scheduled Callback
If no human is available, the AI offers to schedule a callback at a specific time. The customer provides their availability, and the system queues the outbound call.
Destination Routing
By Time of Day
Different numbers for business hours versus after hours. Daytime calls might go to your main office; evening calls route to an on-call mobile.
By Issue Type
Technical questions go to your tech team. Billing questions go to accounting. Sales inquiries go to your sales line. The AI qualifies the issue and routes accordingly.
By Caller Priority
VIP customers get routed to senior staff. First-time callers go to your intake team. The routing logic can be as simple or sophisticated as your business requires.
Context Handoff
Every transfer includes a context packet that appears in your dashboard and can be sent via SMS or email to the receiving party:
- Caller name and number
- Reason for calling
- Summary of conversation so far
- Why the transfer is happening
- Any relevant customer history
The person receiving the transfer can start with "I understand you're calling about..." rather than "How can I help you?"
Transfer context reduces average handle time by giving humans a head start on every escalated call.
Best Practices
Set clear escalation paths. Every transfer rule should have a defined destination. Avoid situations where the AI tries to transfer but has nowhere to send the call.
Test your triggers. Make test calls using your trigger phrases to ensure transfers happen as expected.
Monitor transfer rates. If too many calls are transferring, the AI might need more training. If too few, you might be missing situations that warrant human attention.
Keep fallbacks simple. When all else fails, the AI should offer voicemail or a callback. Never leave callers in a loop.