# Call transfer

> When a caller asks for a real person, the AI can hand the call to a colleague on your team, brief them first, and then connect the two.

Source: https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/docs/call-transfer

## How it works

1. During a call, the customer asks to speak to a person, or the conversation matches the instructions you wrote for when to transfer.
2. The AI picks one of your transfer numbers — by its name (Sales, Support, Billing…) and the "when to transfer here" words you wrote for it — and rings it.
3. Your colleague is briefed first, in the language you choose: who is calling and what they want. That way they can pick up mid-conversation.
4. The customer and your colleague are connected.

It works on calls you place and on calls you receive, each with its own switch.

## Who can set it up

- **Call transfer** is under **Phone system** in the left menu.
- Only the workspace **Owner** sees and changes it.
- It works in your **Live** workspace only. Test calls never transfer.

> **Note:** If the card says transfer is not switched on for the platform yet, your settings are still saved and will apply once it is.

## Set it up

1. Open **Phone system → Call transfer**.
2. Under **Transfer numbers**, fill in the first number:
   - **Name**: who answers it, for example "Sales" or "Support". Every number needs a name; the AI chooses by it.
   - **Number**: choose the country and enter the number.
   - **When to transfer here**: in your own words, for example "when they want to buy, or ask about a bulk order". Up to 100 characters, so keep it to one line.
     Write it in any language. A moment after you stop typing, **AI suggestions** show two or three short versions in English, because the call gets English. The top one is ticked and put in the box for you; tick another to switch. What you typed only tells the AI what you mean: the line that is saved is the ticked suggestion.
   - **Briefing language**: the language your colleague on this number hears the briefing in. A new number starts on **Hinglish**.
3. Press **Add number** for each further number. The line above the list shows how many you have used and how many your account allows. **Remove** takes a number off.
4. Choose **Longest a transfer may last**: 1 to 10 minutes, or **Custom** for a different whole number of minutes. The card shows the highest number you can enter.
5. Under **Use transfer on**, tick **Use on outbound calls**, **Use on inbound calls**, or both.
6. Press **Save**.

_Call transfer settings: two named numbers (Sales and Support), each with its own when-to-transfer and briefing language, the allowed count, Add number, and the settings for all numbers: max length and Use transfer on_

> **Tip:** Make the names and "when to transfer here" lines clearly different from each other. Two numbers that both say "when they ask for a person" leave the AI guessing.

Each name and each number can be used once. How many numbers you can add is set for your account; ask your account manager if you need more.

Transfer stays off until there is a number to hand the call to. If you tick a box without a number, the card asks you to add one and the save is refused.

## Billing

The minutes your colleague is on the line are billed separately, on top of the AI's time, at the transfer rate shown at the bottom of the card. Check that line before you switch transfer on; it is the rate your workspace pays.

On **outbound** calls, your wallet must be able to cover the longest possible transfer on top of the AI part of the call. If it cannot, the call still goes ahead, but without the option to transfer.

> **Tip:** The **Longest a transfer may last** setting caps what one transfer can cost, and on outbound calls it also decides how much balance is held before dialling. A shorter limit means less is held.

## Seeing transfers in your reports

Calls that were transferred show the split of duration and cost:

- **Call Logs** shows the AI charge and the transfer charge separately, and its download includes **Transfer duration (s)** and **Transfer charge (Rs)** columns.
- **Detailed Report** has **Transfer duration** and **Transfer charges** columns. A call that was never handed over shows "—" there.

See [Call logs](https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/docs/call-logs) and [Analytics and reports](https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/docs/analytics-reports).

## Transfer and follow-ups

Without transfer, a customer who asks for a person gets a **Call from a person** follow-up, which somebody on your team has to ring back. Transfer lets you connect them during the call instead. See [Follow-ups](https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/docs/follow-ups).

## Troubleshooting

| Message | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| Add a transfer number to switch transfer on. | Enter at least one number before ticking either box. |
| Give every transfer number a name, like Sales or Support. | Fill in the **Name** of every number you added. |
| Two transfer numbers are both called "…". | Give each number its own name. |
| … is added twice. | Each number can be added only once. |
| Your plan allows up to … transfer numbers. | Remove a number, or ask your account manager for a higher limit. |
| That does not look like a phone number we can dial. | Check the number and the selected country. |
| The longest transfer must be whole minutes, 1 to the limit shown. | Enter a whole number inside the range shown on the card. |
| Only the workspace owner can change support settings. | Ask the Owner to make the change. |

## Related

- [AI voice agents](https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/features/ai-voice-assistants): where transfer sits among outbound, inbound and chat-triggered calls.
- [AI inbound call answering](https://business.mysmartassistant.ai/features/inbound-calls) for transfer on calls you receive.