It is possible to have the chatbot handoff a conversation to an agent. In this article, you will learn how to set this up.
Check out this video:
Handing off
There may be instances where you want to take over certain conversations from the chatbot to chat live with the end user. To set this up, navigate in Watermelon to Pulse, then open the chatbot for which you want to configure this, go to Situations, and then to Handoff.
Business hours
We distinguish between the chatbot's responses during business hours and outside office hours. You can enable handoff outside opening hours using the toggle switch at the top. Through 'Edit here', you can easily modify the opening hours.
Instructions
Now, you will first create the instructions. In these instructions, you give the chatbot directions on what to send when the handoff is executed. This affects the message the chatbot sends before an agent actually takes over the conversation.
Example of instructions:
During working hours:
If someone wants to speak to an agent, inform them that you will connect them and that it may take about 1 minute to get a response.
Outside working hours:
If someone wants to speak to an agent, inform them that you cannot connect them at the moment because no colleagues are available. Advise them to email or try again during working hours.
Triggers
Next, set up the triggers. These are the messages an end user can send that the chatbot can recognize as a request to speak to an agent. Based on the trigger the end user sends, the actual transfer from chatbot to agent takes place. You can add a trigger via the plus sign at the top right.
Examples of triggers:
- speak to an agent
- receive a quote
- Can I speak to Pete
- I want to file a complaint
Keep in mind that you add each trigger separately. So for each trigger, use the plus sign at the top right again.
The chatbot can recognize variations of these triggers, including spelling errors. The end user does not need to use the exact text of the trigger to be connected to an agent. However, if the input deviates too much from the trigger, the chatbot might not forward the conversation to an agent. In that case, it is important to adjust the triggers or add additional ones.
Handoff to
Per trigger, you can now set where the conversation should be forwarded. This can be:
- The ‘New’ inbox, from where any agent can pick up the conversation
- A specific user (if someone specifically requests a particular colleague)
- A team (for example, the sales team for a quote or customer service for a complaint)
An example of what this will look like
Frequently Asked Questions
I have set up a trigger, but the chatbot is not handing off the conversation to an agent. How can this happen?
If the chatbot is not forwarding a conversation to an agent, it could be that the end user has phrased their request to be forwarded slightly differently than the trigger. For example, saying ‘contact with agent’ instead of ‘speak to agent’. In such cases, it is important to add an extra trigger.
The chatbot says the conversation will be forwarded, but I don’t see the conversation in the inbox (New, Team, or specific user). How can this happen?
When an end user asks to speak to an agent (or something similar), the chatbot will respond accordingly. If your chatbot is set up with a friendly or helpful personality (configured in the domain knowledge), it may respond by saying it will involve a colleague. However, if the Handoff settings do not include a trigger to forward the conversation based on those words (because the trigger does not exist or is not correctly written), the actual handing off will not occur.
In this case, you can do two things:
- If you want this conversation to be forwarded to an agent: Add a trigger with the text that the chatbot should recognize to forward the conversation.
- If you do not want this conversation to be forwarded to an agent: Add an instruction in Instructions specifying what you want the chatbot to do.
An example for clarification:
The end user asks: ‘Can you please have my request handled by an agent?’
The chatbot responds (based on its personality): ‘Sure! I will notify an agent about your request.’
The actual handoff does not happen, so an agent is not notified.
- If you want the chatbot to handoff this conversation, add a trigger with ‘agent’ or ‘handled by an agent’.
- If you do not want the chatbot to forward this conversation, add an instruction specifying what you expect the chatbot to do in this situation. For example: ‘When someone asks for a request to be handled by an agent, ask them to send an email with their request.’
The message the chatbot sends before the conversation is forwarded is not always correct. How can this happen?
It may be that the instructions do not match the triggered message, causing the chatbot's response to be incorrect. Below is an example for clarification:
Set in Handoff
Instruction: If someone asks to speak to an agent, indicate that you will handoff the conversation.
Trigger: speak to agent
Trigger: I want contact
The Conversation
The end user says: ‘I want to contact customer service’.
The chatbot responds: ‘Great that you want to speak to our customer service. You can contact us via support@watermelon.ai’.
The conversation is then handed off to an agent, but this is not clear from the message sent.
In this situation, the chatbot recognizes the trigger ‘I want contact’ and therefore forwards the conversation. However, the chatbot does not understand from the instruction that it should indicate that the conversation is being forwarded, as the instruction only mentions speaking to an agent. The instruction should be expanded in this case, for example: ‘If someone asks to speak to an agent or wants contact, indicate that you will forward the conversation.’