The best AI systems aren't fully automatic. They keep a human in the loop, and know when to stop and bring in a person.
Moments that need a human
- When a customer is upset or the conversation is going badly.
- When money, health or legal questions are involved.
- When a request falls outside what the agent was built to handle.
- When the customer simply asks for a person.
Design the handover, not just the bot
A handover should feel like a warm transfer, not a dead end. The person taking over should see the whole conversation, what the customer wants and what has already been tried.
Customers forgive an AI that hands over gracefully. They don't forgive one that traps them.
Review and improve
Every handover is a lesson. Reviewing them regularly shows where the agent needs better information or clearer rules, and where it should never try to help at all.