When to Use AI vs Human Agents in Customer Support
Define the right balance between AI automation and human agents. Guidelines for routing decisions and escalation.
In this guide
The Complementary Model
AI and humans aren't competitors - they're teammates:
AI Handles:
- Volume (many conversations simultaneously)
- Speed (instant responses)
- Consistency (same quality 24/7)
- Simple, repetitive queries
Humans Handle:
- Complexity (nuanced situations)
- Empathy (emotional customers)
- Judgment (exceptions, edge cases)
- Relationship building
Goal: AI handles the volume, humans handle the value.
AI-Perfect Scenarios
Route these to AI:
Information Retrieval:
- Order status and tracking
- Store hours, locations
- Product specs and availability
- Shipping rates and times
Simple Transactions:
- Password resets
- Account updates
- Appointment scheduling
- FAQ answers
Qualification:
- Lead capture and qualification
- Information collection for humans
- Triage and routing
Human-Required Scenarios
Always route to humans:
Emotional Situations:
- Complaints and frustration
- Sensitive issues
- When customer explicitly requests human
Complex Decisions:
- Policy exceptions
- Refund approvals
- Custom solutions
High-Stakes:
- Large transactions
- VIP customers
- Legal/compliance matters
- Safety concerns
Designing Escalation Paths
Smooth handoffs are critical:
Automatic Escalation Triggers:
- Negative sentiment detected
- Same question asked 3+ times
- Specific keywords ("manager", "refund", "complaint")
- Customer requests human
Handoff Best Practices:
- Transfer full conversation context
- Don't make customer repeat
- Set expectation for wait time
- Acknowledge they wanted human
Avoid:
- Loops with no escape
- Forcing bot when human requested
- Losing context in transfer
Frequently Asked Questions
Typical target: 60-70% AI, 30-40% human. Exact ratio depends on query complexity and customer expectations. Start conservative, increase AI as it proves reliable.
62% prefer self-service for simple issues. Key is quality - good bots are welcomed, bad bots are hated. Easy escalation to human is essential.
Lower than Intercom, Drift, Crisp
AI chatbot from ₹0/month + per conversation