---
title: "Live Support"
description: "Reply to customers in real time from the Helpdesk after a conversation is handed off from your agent."
---

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

When a customer asks for a person, their conversation appears in the **Helpdesk** with the state **Waiting for a teammate**. Select **Helpdesk** in the main sidebar to see it.

## Take over a conversation

1. **Open the ticket**

    In **Helpdesk**, select the ticket. The **Summary** at the top of the details panel explains what the customer needs.

2. **Assign it to yourself**

    Select **Assign to me**. You become the ticket's **Assignee**. Only the assignee can reply to the customer.

3. **Take over**

    Select **Take over**. The AI stops replying, and the ticket shows **You're replying**.

4. **Reply**

    Type your reply in the message box and press **Enter** to send. Use **Shift + Enter** for a new line. The customer sees your message in the same chat window, and the ticket changes to **Waiting for customer**.

A dot next to the customer's name shows whether they're still on the page: green when connected, gray when away. For WhatsApp, each of your messages shows whether it was **Sent**, **Delivered**, or **Read**.

## If the customer leaves

If the customer isn't on the page for 30 minutes, the conversation is resolved automatically, and the AI answers their next message. The customer isn't emailed about this. Messages you send after they leave reach them only if they come back to the chat within those 30 minutes, or by email if they have one, as described in [Emails to visitors](/docs/human-handoff/tickets#emails-to-visitors).

## If nobody claims the request

If no teammate claims the request within the time set in the [Escalate to Human](/docs/actions/escalate-to-human#when-nobody-claims-a-live-chat-request) action (5 minutes by default), the request becomes a ticket. The AI takes over again, and the customer is told the team will reply by email. You can still take over the ticket from the Helpdesk and reply. See [Tickets](/docs/human-handoff/tickets).

## Resolve the conversation

When you're done, select **Resolve** and choose what happens next:

| Option | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| **Resolve and return to AI** | The AI answers the customer's next messages. |
| **Resolve and keep AI paused** | The AI stays off for this conversation. |

## Internal notes

Use **Internal notes** to leave context for your team, such as what you've tried or who should follow up. Only your team can see them. Select **Add note** to save one.

## WhatsApp conversations

On WhatsApp, you can reply freely for 24 hours after the customer's last message. The ticket shows a countdown for the **WhatsApp 24-hour service window**.

After the window closes, select **Choose WhatsApp template** to contact the customer with an approved template. Only **Utility** and **Authentication** templates can be used. See [Message templates](/docs/deployments/whatsapp/message-templates).

## Tips

- Reply quickly: customers waiting for a person usually expect an answer within a few minutes.
- Turn on email notifications in the [Escalate to Human](/docs/actions/escalate-to-human#notifications) action so you know when someone is waiting.
- If your team isn't always available, keep **Create a ticket if nobody claims the request** on, so waiting customers get a ticket and an email reply instead of waiting.