AI & AUTOMATION
Custom Fallback Responses
Stay on-brand even in the edge cases. Write exactly what the AI says when it can't answer, when it hands off to your team, and when you're closed.
Key Capabilities
- Control the edge cases — set the exact wording for the moments a generic bot fumbles: no answer found, handover, and after-hours.
- Graceful "no answer" handling — when the AI can't find a relevant answer, it says so politely and reassures the customer instead of going silent.
- Two handover messages — say one thing when an agent is available to jump in, and another when your team is offline.
- After-hours message — let customers know you're closed and when you'll be back, so no one's left wondering.
- Always on-brand — every fallback is written in your voice, so even the awkward moments sound like you.
Overview
Most of the time your AI answers smoothly — but it's the edge cases that make or break the experience. A blunt "I don't understand," dead silence when no answer is found, or no reply at all after hours can undo all the goodwill a great bot builds. Custom Fallback Responses let you write exactly what the AI says in each of these moments, so even the awkward ones sound like you.
From the "no answer" reply to the "let me connect you to someone" handoff to the after-hours note, every fallback is yours to shape. The result is a chat that stays warm, clear, and on-brand right through the moments it has to pass things on.
How It Works
Open Fallback Behavior
Find the fallback settings under your General settings.
Write each message
Fill in the "answer not found" reply, both handover messages, and your after-hours note — in your own voice.
Save and you're set
Your messages go live right away. The AI uses the right one automatically in each situation.
See It In Action
One message for every situation the AI can't answer
Answer not found
Politely says it'll check and follow up — never goes silent.
Handover — agent available
Tells the customer a teammate is jumping in.
Handover — team offline
Logs the question and sets expectations for a reply.
After hours
Shares your hours and invites a message.
Why this wins: Every tricky moment — no answer, a handoff, a late-night visit — still sounds like your brand, so customers feel looked after instead of hitting a robotic dead end.
What you write is what the customer sees
Why this wins: The message you set is delivered word for word in the moment it matters — the customer gets a clear, reassuring reply instead of silence, even when your team is away.
Setting It Up
- Go to
Settings → Generaland findFallback Behavior. - Write the
Answer Not Foundmessage for when the AI has no relevant answer. - Write
Human Handover (Agents Online)— shown when a live agent is available to take over. - Write
Human Handover (Agents Offline)— shown when your team is away. - Write your
After-hours Messagefor visits outside your availability hours, then save.
FAQ
Which situations can I customize?
Four: the "answer not found" reply, two handover messages (when an agent is available and when your team is offline), and the after-hours message.
When does the "answer not found" message show?
When the AI doesn't have a relevant answer in your knowledge base. Instead of guessing or going quiet, it falls back to the wording you set.
What's the difference between the two handover messages?
One shows when a live agent is available to take over the chat; the other shows when your team is offline — so the customer always knows what to expect next.
How does the after-hours message work?
It's shown for messages that arrive outside your availability hours. Pair it with your business hours so customers always know when you'll respond.
Do my messages go live straight away?
Yes — once you save, the AI uses your wording automatically in each situation. There's nothing else to publish.