Live Chat Handoff for AI Chatbots
Live Chat Tool
The Live Chat tool lets a person from your team step into a conversation the chatbot was handling. It starts in two ways: the visitor asks for a person, for example "Can I talk to someone from your team, please?", or the chatbot cannot answer a question and offers to hand over. A team member picks up the conversation in the Live Chat Dashboard and chats with the visitor directly. When the live chat ends, the chatbot answers again.
Live chat works in the floating chat widget and in the inline chat. It is not available in the AI Team Wiki.
Configuration
Open Dashboard → your assistant → Functions. The Live chat & takeover card is in the group Help in person. Its settings appear once the switch next to the card title is on.
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Switch next to Live chat & takeover | Turns live chat on for this chatbot. | Off |
| What does the chatbot ask before handing over? | Name and Email address, each set to Required, If possible or Don't ask. | Name: Required, email address: If possible |
| Only at certain times | Off: visitors can ask for a person at any time. On: only within the hours you set per weekday. | Off |
| Waiting time | No time limit or 1 to 60 minutes. If nobody joins within this time, the chatbot answers again. | 5 minutes |
| Receive email notifications for new live chat requests | Sends an email for every new live chat request. | Off |
What the chatbot asks before handing over
These details tell your team who they are talking to. If possible means the chatbot asks once but does not insist.
Example: you only need the name. Set Name to Required and Email address to Don't ask. The chatbot asks for the name and then hands over.
If both are set to Don't ask, the chatbot hands over as soon as the visitor asks for a person.
Only at certain times
Switch this on if your team is only available at certain hours. For each weekday, tick the box and enter the time from and to. The preset is Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00.
Example: your team answers Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 16:00 and Friday from 08:00 to 13:00. Enter these times for Monday to Thursday and for Friday, and leave Saturday and Sunday unticked.
The hours follow the chatbot's time zone. You set it in the Settings tab under Language & Time Zone, see Dashboard & Settings.
Outside these hours the chatbot does not offer a person. If Collect contact details is on, it offers to pass the request on instead, and the request appears under Leads. With the switch off, visitors can ask for a person at any time.
Waiting time
The waiting time starts when the visitor asks for a person, not at the last message. If no team member joins within this time, the chatbot answers again and the visitor sees a short note. With No time limit, the live chat stays open until it is ended.
Email notifications
Switch on Receive email notifications for new live chat requests to get an email for every new request. Without further addresses, the email goes to your account address. To add recipients, type an address and press Enter.
The View live chats button at the bottom of the card opens the Live Chat Dashboard.
How It Works
- Visitor asks for a person: The visitor writes it in the chat, or accepts when the chatbot offers to hand over
- Details: The chatbot asks for the name and email address as set on the card
- Agent notification: All online agents and configured email recipients are notified
- Agent takeover: An agent takes over the session from the Live Chat Dashboard, and the visitor sees "An agent has joined this chat."
- Conversation: The agent chats directly with the visitor in real time
- Session end: The agent ends the session, or the visitor chooses End live chat in the chat menu. After that, the chatbot answers again
Best Practices
- Set the hours your team is really there: Outside them, the chatbot does not promise a person
- Pick a suitable waiting time: 5 to 10 minutes is typical. Too short frustrates visitors, too long keeps the chatbot silent
- Add multiple recipients: Ensure someone is always available to respond
- Monitor the Live Chat Dashboard: Keep it open while your team is available, so you can respond at once
- Use message templates: Pre-written responses speed up agent replies (configure in the Live Chat Dashboard)