> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.argide.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Escalation & handover

> Decide what the agent does when an end user needs a person, and pick it up in the inbox

Sometimes your agent can't help, or the end user simply wants a person. Escalation decides what the agent does next: hand the conversation to your team, or close it with a message that points elsewhere.

Configure it in **Agent** → **Escalation**. Only an organization admin can save changes.

## When the agent escalates

The agent escalates when:

* The end user asks to speak to a human, agent, or person. It escalates right away, unless [**Collect information before handover**](#collect-information-before-handover) is on.
* The end user is clearly frustrated after the agent has tried at least once to help.
* The end user has restated the same unresolved issue three or more times.

It won't escalate for mild dissatisfaction it can still address, clarifying questions, or normal conversation.

Escalation applies to conversations in the chat widget and copilot.

## Choose what happens

Under **When asked for human support, the agent should**, pick one option and click **Save**.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Hand over to your team">
    **Hand over to a team in the Inbox** is the default.

    The agent tells the end user that a human agent will be with them shortly. The conversation moves to **Conversations** → **Escalated & Handoff**, where your team picks it up.

    Under **Assign a conversation to**, choose the team the conversation is for: **Unassigned**, **Support Team**, **Engineering Team**, **Sales Team**, or **Billing Team**. The team appears in the escalation email.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Close with a message">
    **Close the conversation and offer other ways to get help** has the agent end with a closing message you write, such as a link to your help center or a support email address.

    Write the message under **Agent's closing message**. The agent still records the escalation, so the conversation still appears under **Escalated & Handoff**.

    <Note>
      The agent sends the first message you write, as text. Images and GIFs added in the editor aren't saved.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Collect information before handover

Turn on **Collect information before handover** to have the agent try once more before it escalates. It's off by default and applies when you hand over to your team.

With it on, the agent:

1. Asks the end user for more details about their issue.
2. Tries to resolve it with what they share.
3. Escalates only if it still can't help, or if the end user asks for a person a second time.

To shape how the agent answers specific questions before it gets that far, add guidance in **Agent** → **Instructions**. See [Identity & instructions](/agent/identity-instructions).

## What your team gets

When the agent escalates a conversation:

* **It appears under Escalated & Handoff** in the [inbox](/conversations/inbox).
* **Argide sends an escalation email** with the reason, the transcript, the assigned team, and a link to the conversation. It goes to the person who created the product, or to every organization admin if that person is no longer a member. Each conversation triggers one email, and each product sends at most 20 escalation emails an hour. Escalations past that limit still show up in the inbox.

## Take over the conversation

The agent keeps answering until someone on your team replies. That way the end user isn't left waiting in silence.

To take over, open the conversation, choose **Reply** in the composer, and send your message.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Your reply reaches the end user">
    The widget shows **Support Agent joined the conversation**, and your messages are labeled **Support Agent**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="The AI agent stops answering">
    From your first reply on, the conversation belongs to your team. The AI agent no longer answers in it, even if the end user writes again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow up if they've left">
    If the end user doesn't see your reply within a few minutes, Argide can email it to them. See [Email notifications](/conversations/email-notifications).
  </Step>
</Steps>

Use a **Note** instead to leave context for teammates without the end user seeing it. A note doesn't take the conversation over.

When you're done, click **Close**. If [satisfaction surveys](/conversations/satisfaction) are on, the end user is asked to rate your team.


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