Assistant-based warm transfer
Assistant-based warm transfer
Assistant-based warm transfer
Assistant-based warm transfer uses a dedicated AI assistant to handle the transfer process. You control how this assistant behaves through prompts and configuration. The assistant has access to the previous customer conversation and follows your instructions to decide whether to complete or cancel the transfer.
In this guide, you’ll learn to:
When using assistant-based warm transfer:
transferSuccessful) - Merges the calls and exitstransferCancel) - Returns the customer to the original assistantTransfer cancellation occurs when:
maxDurationSeconds is reachedThe function.name property identifies your transfer tool. Use this name when instructing your assistant to perform transfers in system prompts.
The initial message spoken by the transfer assistant when the operator answers
Controls when the transfer assistant delivers the first message:
assistant-speaks-first: The assistant immediately speaks the firstMessage when the operator answersassistant-waits-for-user: The assistant waits for the operator to speak before responding with the firstMessageMaximum duration in seconds for the operator call. The transfer is automatically cancelled if this limit is reached.
Number of seconds to wait during silence before automatically cancelling the transfer. Must be between 10 and 3600 seconds.
Assistant configuration including provider, model, and system messages that control the transfer assistant’s behavior
You can customize the audio played to the customer while they’re on hold during the transfer process using the request-complete message type. If not specified, Vapi’s default ringtone will be used.
The request-complete message with an audio URL will be played as hold music on the customer’s side of the call while the transfer assistant connects with the operator. If you don’t specify this message, Vapi’s default ringtone will play.
The transfer assistant has access to two built-in tools:
You can configure the transfer assistant to perform various tasks before making a decision, such as:
Completes the transfer by:
Cancels the transfer by:
The transfer assistant can be configured to handle various operator responses:
Configure different transfer assistants for different departments:
First message: Keep it brief and state the purpose clearly.
Timeout duration: Set maxDurationSeconds between 60-120 seconds. This limits how long the operator call can last before automatic cancellation.
System prompts: Configure your prompts to handle voicemail detection, busy signals, and operator unavailability.
Configure your transfer assistant to:
transferCancelmaxDurationSecondswarm-transfer-experimental modemaxDurationSeconds to prevent indefinite durationtransferSuccessful, transferCancel) are predefined and cannot be removedNow that you’ve configured assistant-based warm transfers: