Setting Up Escalation

Not every question can be answered by AI. Escalation lets the bot hand off a conversation to your human support team when it cannot help, when the visitor explicitly asks for a person, or when the conversation matches rules you define.

How Escalation Works

When an escalation is triggered the bot:

1. Tells the visitor that a human agent will follow up.
2. Sends a notification to your configured channel (email or Slack) with the full conversation transcript and any lead information captured.
3. Marks the conversation as "escalated" in the dashboard so you can track it.

The visitor can continue chatting with the bot while they wait, or close the widget and wait for an email reply.

Configuring Email Escalation

1. Open your chatbot in the dashboard and go to Settings > Escalation.
2. Toggle Email on.
3. Enter one or more email addresses that should receive escalation notifications.
4. Click Save.

When a conversation escalates, each listed address receives an email containing the full transcript, the visitor's name and email (if captured), and a link to view the conversation in the dashboard.

Configuring Slack Escalation

1. In Settings > Escalation, toggle Slack on.
2. Click Connect Slack and authorize HelpFaster in your Slack workspace.
3. Choose the channel where escalation notifications should be posted.
4. Click Save.

Escalation messages in Slack include the conversation summary, a link to the full transcript, and the visitor's contact information. Your team can discuss the issue directly in the Slack thread.

When Does the AI Escalate?

The AI escalates automatically when:

• It cannot find a relevant answer in the knowledge base after multiple attempts.
• The visitor explicitly asks to speak with a human (e.g., "Can I talk to a person?").
• The conversation sentiment indicates frustration or urgency beyond a configurable threshold.

You can also add custom escalation triggers in Settings > Escalation > Rules. For example, you might escalate any conversation that mentions "cancel my account" or "billing dispute."

Conversation Context

Every escalation notification includes the complete conversation history so your agent has full context. There is no need for the customer to repeat themselves. The notification also includes:

• Timestamp and duration of the conversation.
• The specific question or message that triggered escalation.
• Any lead data (name, email, phone) captured during the chat.

Best Practices

• Respond quickly. Customers expect a fast follow-up after escalation. Aim for under one hour during business hours.
• Review escalation reasons. If the same topic triggers escalations repeatedly, add content to your knowledge base to reduce future handoffs.
• Use Slack for real-time teams. Email works well for async support, but Slack gives your team instant visibility.