Take over a conversation
Pause AI replies to handle a conversation yourself, then release back to AI when done.
What takeover does
Takeover pauses AI on a single conversation so you can handle it directly. While you're in control, no AI replies are generated or scheduled for that contact. Other conversations continue as normal.
When to take over
- A customer has a sensitive complaint that needs a personal touch
- The conversation is too complex for automated replies
- A VIP customer needs immediate, hands-on attention
- You need to negotiate, de-escalate, or make a judgment call
Step 1: Take over the conversation
Open the conversation thread and click the Take Over button (hand icon) in the thread header. An orange banner appears at the top of the thread confirming you've taken control. AI stops generating replies for this contact immediately.
Step 2: Reply manually
Type and send your reply as you normally would. You can send SMS or email directly from the conversation thread.
Note: If you send an SMS in a conversation that hasn't been taken over yet, the system automatically activates takeover for you. There's no need to click the button first if you're already composing a message.
Step 3: Release back to AI
When you're done, click Release to AI in the orange banner. AI resumes handling the conversation from that point.
Auto-release at end of business hours
If you forget to release a conversation, the system automatically releases it when your business hours end. A banner warns you beforehand:
"AI resumes at 5:00 PM CST"
This prevents conversations from being stuck in manual mode overnight. When the next business day starts, AI is back in control and ready to respond.
Scheduled reply banner
When reply cadence is enabled (see below), AI replies are held briefly before sending. A banner appears above the compose area showing:
- A countdown: "Sending in ~45 s"
- Send Now—send the AI reply immediately
- Edit & Send—modify the reply before sending
- Cancel—prevent the reply from sending
This gives you time to review what AI is about to send or take over before the reply goes out.
Reply cadence settings
Reply cadence adds a natural delay between AI replies, giving you time to review or take over before the message is sent.
To configure it, go to AI & Automation → Routing Rules → AI Routing tab:
- Toggle Reply Cadence on
- Set the minimum and maximum delay
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Min delay | 30 s | Shortest wait before AI sends a reply |
| Max delay | 120 s | Longest wait before AI sends a reply |
The actual delay is randomized between min and max for each reply, so conversations feel natural rather than robotic.
Tips
- Start with one conversation. Take over a single thread to get comfortable with the flow before using it broadly.
- Reply cadence helps teams. Even a 30-second delay gives agents enough time to review and intervene before AI sends.
- Auto-release is your safety net. You don't need to worry about forgetting to release—conversations are automatically returned to AI at the end of each business day.
- Check the scheduled reply banner. If reply cadence is on, always glance at the banner before composing your own reply to avoid sending a duplicate.