A customer spends five minutes explaining a billing problem to a support assistant. The assistant correctly decides a person should take over. The staff member opens the ticket, sees only "Customer needs help with billing," and asks the customer to start again.

The handover worked on paper, but the customer experienced it as a reset. Most of the value of a handover is in the note that travels with it.

Say why the handover happened

Start with the reason in one line. Common reasons include:

  • The customer asked for a person.
  • The request needs an action the assistant is not allowed to take, such as a refund or account change.
  • The assistant could not find an approved answer.
  • The conversation showed frustration, urgency, or a sensitive topic.

The reason tells the staff member what kind of response is needed before they read anything else.

Summarise the request in the customer's terms

Write two or three sentences on what the customer wants and what they have already said. Include the facts the staff member will need first, such as the order number, the date of the problem, and which product or plan is involved.

Mark what is confirmed and what is only claimed. "Customer says they were charged twice; one charge is visible on the account" is more useful than "double charge."

List what the assistant already tried

Note the answers or help articles the assistant shared, and whether the customer said they did not help. This stops the person from repeating a suggestion the customer has already rejected.

If the assistant looked something up, include what it found and from which system. If a lookup failed, say so rather than leaving it out.

Keep the full conversation one click away

The summary is for speed, not a replacement for the record. Link to the full transcript so the staff member can check the exact wording when it matters. Summaries can miss details or soften a complaint, so reviewers should be able to verify them.

Tell the customer what happens next

The customer should see a clear message at the moment of handover: that a person will continue, roughly when, and through which channel. Do not promise a response time the team cannot meet outside working hours.

Review handovers, not only answers

Once a week, read a sample of handover notes alongside the conversations. Did the person have to ask the customer for information that was already given? Were the reasons accurate? Use what you find to improve the summary format and the assistant's handover rules.

For the wider setup, see our AI customer service guide. To review the handover flow on an existing assistant, email Storm Nova Labs.