---
title: "Human Handoff Overview"
description: "Let your team step into a conversation when a customer needs a person, through live chat or Helpdesk tickets."
---

:::note[Plan]
Available on the **Standard** plan and above.
:::

Your agent can answer most questions on its own. **Human handoff** brings in your team when a customer needs a person: to solve a tricky problem, handle a complaint, or close a sale.

## How it works

1. **A conversation needs your team**

    The customer selects the **Talk to a person** button, or the agent decides the conversation matches your escalation condition.

2. **A ticket is opened**

    The conversation appears in the **Helpdesk**, and your team is notified.

3. **A teammate replies**

    A teammate takes over and replies to the customer in the same chat window, or follows up on the ticket. Customers who left the chat get the reply by email.

4. **The ticket is resolved**

    The teammate resolves the ticket and chooses whether the AI takes over again.

## Two ways to hand off

| Method | What happens | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Live chat** | The AI stops replying and a teammate takes over in real time. If nobody claims the request within a few minutes, it becomes a ticket. | Teams that can reply within minutes. |
| **Create ticket** | A Helpdesk ticket is created and the AI keeps responding. The team follows up later, and the customer gets the reply by email. | Teams that reply asynchronously. Anonymous visitors verify their email first. |

## Conversation states

| State | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **AI is replying** | The agent is handling the conversation. |
| **Waiting for a teammate** | The customer asked for a person and is waiting. |
| **You're replying** or **[Name] is replying** | A teammate has taken over. The AI is paused. |
| **Conversation ended** | The conversation was resolved. |

## Get started

1. [Configure human handoff](/docs/human-handoff/configuring) on your agent.
2. Learn how to [reply in live chat](/docs/human-handoff/live-support).
3. Learn how to [work with tickets](/docs/human-handoff/tickets).

Something not working? See [Troubleshooting human handoff and tickets](/docs/troubleshooting/human-handoff-and-tickets).