Step 7: Transferring to a Human

Almost every production agent needs this. Settle three things and write them into the prompt:

1. When does it transfer? (Request outside its remit, complaint, emergency, an explicit request for a person, failing to understand twice)
2. Where to? Number or extension — per case if there are several.
3. What happens if nobody answers or it’s outside business hours?

Transfer when: the caller explicitly asks for a staff member, it’s a complaint, there’s an acute emergency, or you failed twice to identify the request. Destination during opening hours: the front desk. Announce it in one line — “I’ll put you through to the front desk, one moment.” — then transfer. Outside opening hours or if nobody answers: do not transfer. Take name, phone number, and request, and promise a callback on the next business day.

Test every transfer destination individually with a real call before going live. A wrong number or one that rings out is the most expensive mistake on this list — the caller is gone. If you have no reliable destination, don’t transfer; take a message instead.

If your transfer runs technically through a tool, describe it as in Writing the Prompt → Tools and have the agent announce first, then transfer — not the other way round.

Continue to Follow-up (Integration Tab).