Automatic escalation
Chatonio monitors conversations for signals that a human operator should get involved. Escalation can be triggered by:
- Keywords — configurable words/phrases like "speak to a human", "manager", "complaint"
- AI detection — the AI recognizes frustration, complex issues, or situations it can't handle
The escalation mode controls how aggressively escalation triggers:
- Off — never escalates. For pure-AI projects where the AI handles everything.
- Keywords only — escalates solely on your keyword list, with no AI evaluation (and no extra AI cost).
- Auto (the default) — the AI evaluates each conversation and decides. You can steer it with your own Escalation rules, written in plain language; when set, those rules fully define the escalation policy.
- Always — escalates every conversation on the first message. Useful for sales or high-touch support.
Keywords act as hard triggers in every mode except Off. Mode, keywords and rules are set as project defaults under Settings → AI defaults (inherited by channels), and can be overridden per channel.
What happens when escalated
- The conversation status changes to Escalating
- The assignment is cleared, so the conversation returns to the shared queue
- Operators who are on shift get a push notification, as does anyone already assigned to that conversation. Operators who are off shift only get it if they have turned on Notify even when off shift under Settings → Notifications
- It appears in your inbox carrying an Escalating badge. There is no separate queue for these — to see only them, use the Assignment → Unassigned filter, or build a custom inbox filtered by status (see The optimized workflow inbox)
- By default the AI keeps answering until an operator claims the conversation — see Operator handoff below, where that is a setting rather than a rule
Operator handoff
When an operator claims a conversation:
- Status changes to Processing
- A fallback timer starts — if the operator doesn't respond within the configured time, the AI sends a fallback message
- The operator can close, reassign, or mark the conversation as waiting
Both of those behaviours are settings rather than fixed rules. Under AI responses & follow-ups you decide what the AI does while a chat is escalating (always responds / only when nobody is on shift / never) and while an operator is handling a chat (steps in if the operator goes quiet / only when nobody is on shift / never). The defaults are the behaviour described above.
Auto-close
AI-only conversations (no operator involved) are automatically closed after a configurable period of inactivity. A check-in message is sent 5 minutes before closing.