Human hand-off

An AI chatbot that hands the chat to your team

Kiko answers your customers, and hands the chat to a person on your team the moment someone asks for one, or when your knowledge doesn't cover the question. Your team replies from one shared inbox with the whole conversation in front of them, and Kiko stays paused for that customer until you hand the chat back.

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Updated 5 November 2026

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How it works

How a hand-off works

  1. Step 1Kiko answers first

    From your website, files and product catalogue, on your website chat, WhatsApp and Telegram.

  2. Step 2A hand-off starts

    The customer asks for a person, or one of your rules applies. They get your hand-off message, or your closed message outside opening hours.

  3. Step 3Your team takes over

    The chat appears under “Needs you” in the inbox and the right person is alerted. Replying pauses Kiko and assigns the chat to whoever replied.

  4. Step 4Hand it back

    When you're done, hand the chat back. Kiko answers the customer's next message; nothing it missed is replayed.

On every plan, after a 14-day free trial. See pricing

InboxAll 12Needs you 1
OHOmar HaddadCan I talk to someone about my bill?Needs you
PNPriya NairKiko: You're booked for SaturdayBooked
DLDaniel LeeKiko: I've emailed you the detailsNew lead
SKSara KhanKiko: Parking is free for patientsAnswered
Kiko handed this chat to you
Hi Omar, it's Maya. Let me check that payment for you.9:31 · Seen
You're replyingKiko is paused

When Kiko hands off

  • The customer asks for a person

    “Can I talk to someone?”, in their own words and language, and any phrases you add. Asking “am I talking to a bot?” isn't a request: Kiko says it's an AI and carries on.

  • Your knowledge doesn't cover it

    Optional. When your knowledge barely matches a real question, Kiko hands off instead of guessing. Greetings and small talk never trigger it.

  • The agent's budget runs out

    Optional. If you cap an agent's AI credits, you can have it pass chats to your team when the cap is reached.

  • On a WhatsApp call

    A caller who asks for a person is flagged for your team to follow up on WhatsApp, and the call shows as needing a call-back.

    Learn more

What your team gets

  • One inbox for every channel

    Website, WhatsApp and Telegram chats in one list, each with the whole conversation, so nobody asks the customer to repeat themselves.

  • An alert where they'll see it

    By email, WhatsApp, Telegram or in the app; each person chooses in their alert settings.

  • The right person, or a backstop

    Send every hand-off to one person, and get told when nobody has replied after the number of minutes you choose.

  • Replies with files

    Send an image or a PDF with your reply, on any channel.

  • Open a case from the chat

    For a refund or a request that needs an approval, open a case without leaving the conversation.

  • Why chats were handed off

    The hand-off page shows the last 30 days: how many chats were handed off and for what reason.

What you can set

In Actions › Hand-off, for each agent.

Human hand-off settings
SettingWhat it does
Automatic hand-offOn by default. Off: Kiko tells the customer nobody is on the chat right now, gives your contact details and tries to sort it out itself.
Your own wordsPhrases that mean “I want a person” in your business, added to the ones Kiko already understands.
Hand-off messageWhat the customer is told when a person takes over.
Closed messageSent instead outside your opening hours, which you set in Bookings › Booking settings › Hours.
Hand off when knowledge doesn't cover itOff by default, with how strict to be.
Send every hand-off toOne team member, or whoever replies first.
Tell me if nobody replies afterA number of minutes, or never.

Good to know

  • Nothing is charged while a person is handling it

    While your team has the chat, Kiko doesn't run for that customer, so no AI credits are used.

  • WhatsApp's 24-hour window

    WhatsApp lets a business send free-text replies only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. HeyKiko checks before your reply goes, and tells you if the window has closed.

    Source: Meta: customer service windows
  • The inbox refreshes, it doesn't stream

    Open chats refresh every few seconds and the list every 15 seconds, and the customer's web chat checks for your reply every few seconds while a person is handling it.

  • Your reply arrives before it's saved

    HeyKiko sends your reply on the channel first and saves it after, so the transcript never shows a message the customer didn't get.

How other tools handle it

From each tool's own pricing and product pages, checked 4 November 2026.

Human hand-off in other tools
ToolHuman hand-off
HeyKikoYes, every plan
ChatbaseYes: Helpdesk, Basic and up
SiteGPTYes: Every plan; iPhone app Growth and up
TidioYes: Every plan, with mobile apps
Respond.ioYes: Every plan, with mobile apps
Intercom FinYes: Intercom, or your own helpdesk
BotpressYes: Botpress Desk, or your helpdesk
FAQ

Questions about human hand-off

Straight answers before you set it up.

Still have a question?Ask Kiko. It's a HeyKiko agent trained on everything here.
Ask KikoBook a demo

Yes. Kiko hands the chat to your team when a customer asks for a person in their own words, and optionally when your knowledge doesn't cover the question. Your team replies from the shared inbox with the whole conversation, and Kiko stays paused for that customer until the chat is handed back.

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