How does Chatref handle human handoff for complex immigration cases?

Chatref’s ai-agents answer from your practice’s knowledge base. You feed it your intake forms, practice area descriptions, and FAQ documents. When a potential client asks about a straightforward extension or green card renewal, the agent replies with grounded, accurate information. But if the chat touches on factors the AI cannot resolve with high confidence—like humanitarian parole, criminal record waivers, or a rush deportation—the agent recognizes the gap and triggers an escalation. The hand off immigration chats happen automatically; the client simply sees a message that a team member will join the conversation.

Before escalation, you can use custom-actions to zero in on complexity. For example, you can configure a step that asks “Do you have a final removal order?” or “Which visa category is at issue?” Based on the response, the AI either continues handling the case or routes it to the law firm chat escalation queue. This keeps your lawyers from jumping in on every message. The custom-actions also capture structured data—client name, A-number, hearing date—and attach it to the conversation for the lawyer’s immediate review.

When escalation is triggered, the entire thread appears in your shared-inbox. Every team member sees the same conversation, complete with the AI’s history and any custom-action data. A lawyer can then take over directly in the chat widget, replying as themselves. The client never has to restart or switch platforms. Chatref human support is invisible; the lawyer simply continues where the AI left off, with full context. After the conversation, the inbox keeps the record for reference and insight.

You define what counts as complex in your knowledge base and custom-action logic. For an immigration practice, you might set triggers for keywords like “expedited,” “motion to reopen,” or “asylum interview failed.” When those appear, the handoff fires. You can also add a fallback: if the AI cannot find a relevant answer, it offers to hand off immigration chats to the team. This way no urgent matter slips through, and your lawyers only engage on cases that genuinely need their expertise.

How to train Chatref to recognize complex cases?
Add content to your knowledge base that explains which visa categories, legal situations, or client statements usually require a lawyer. Include phrases like “complex if the applicant had a prior overstay” or “escalate when there’s a criminal history.” Chatref’s ai-agents use that grounding to detect when a query shouldn’t be handled automatically. You can also build custom-actions that ask a few qualifying questions; answers that match your complexity criteria direct the chat to your shared-inbox.

Can clients chat with a lawyer directly?
Yes. Once a conversation is escalated, a lawyer opens the shared-inbox and takes over the same thread. The client sees the transition seamlessly—they’ve been chatting with the widget, and now a real attorney is typing back. There’s no separate login for the client, and the full transcript stays with the case.

What happens when Chatref can’t answer a question?
If the AI cannot find a grounded answer in your content, it tells the client it’s unable to provide a confident response and offers to transfer the chat to a human. The handoff goes to your shared-inbox, where a team member can step in. Optionally, you can use a custom-action to capture the question and contact details so you can follow up even if no one is available immediately.