Plan the human handoff before your AI receptionist answers

Define where the receptionist stops

List the requests your receptionist can complete and those a person should handle. Use examples from your actual calls, rather than a broad instruction to ‘escalate when needed’. Include requests outside its knowledge, exceptions to your usual process and callers who directly ask for a person.

Agree how the receptionist should respond to each situation before connecting it to live enquiries.

Make the destination specific

A handoff needs an owner, a destination and a fallback. Check that the destination is available when the receptionist says it is. If nobody can answer, give the caller an accurate explanation and the next available action.

• Which person or team receives each type of request?
• When can a live transfer be attempted?
• What information is needed for a callback?
• Who checks requests that are still waiting?

Carry the conversation forward

Pass on a short summary of the request, the details already collected and any action attempted. Collect the information needed for the next step, and make it clear when the caller needs to provide something else.

In an illustrative booking enquiry, the receptionist might pass along the requested service and preferred time. If the booking tool fails, it should describe the request as pending rather than say the appointment is confirmed.

Rehearse the difficult paths

Test an unanswered transfer, missing information, a failed tool and a caller who changes their mind. Check both what the caller hears and what your team receives. Assign someone to review failed handoffs and adjust the instructions when the same confusion appears again.