Automation holds the beginning of a conversation well and makes decisions badly. The moment of handover determines whether the deal happens.
When to hand over
- Money and deadlines. A promise a machine made is still yours to keep.
- Objections and negotiation. That needs someone who can concede.
- Anything unusual. Everything not covered by the instruction.
- An irritated counterpart. Only a person defuses that.
Doing it invisibly
Do not announce it. «I am transferring you to a specialist» turns the exchange into a support ticket. It is enough that the next reply is human and to the point — the transition goes unnoticed.
The one thing worth saying aloud is a pause: «let me check and come back in half an hour» beats silence.
What to pass along
The whole thread, not a summary. Whoever picks it up must see what was already asked and what was promised — a repeated question undoes the impression the conversation built.
A length limit
A useful rule: past a certain number of messages the exchange needs a decision anyway. Holding it with automation beyond that is paying for the appearance of work.
Handing back
Do not return the conversation to automation afterwards: the shift in style will be obvious. A thread a person started, a person finishes. Reviewing live conversations is on the automation page.