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Human Escalation

The co-pilot handles most questions, but sometimes users need to talk to a human. Human escalation lets you add a "Talk to Support" option that connects to your existing support tools—with full conversation context.

Why Escalation Matters

Even the best AI can't handle everything:

  • Complex edge cases that require human judgment
  • Billing disputes or account issues
  • Bugs that need engineering investigation
  • Users who simply prefer human interaction

Graceful escalation keeps users supported rather than stuck.

How It Works

1
User encounters a question the AI can't fully answer

"I was charged twice for my subscription"

2
Co-pilot offers to escalate

"I can't access billing records directly. Would you like to talk to our support team?"

3
User clicks 'Talk to Support'

A sidebar tab opens with your support widget (Intercom, Zendesk, etc.)

4
Support agent sees the conversation history

The agent knows what the user already tried, reducing repetition.

Sidebar Tabs

Escalation works through sidebar tabs—additional tabs in the panel alongside the main co-pilot chat. You can add tabs for:

TabPurpose
Talk to SupportOpens Intercom, Zendesk, or custom support widget
Schedule a CallOpens Calendly or booking integration
Submit a TicketOpens a ticket form
CommunityLinks to forums or Slack community

Users click a tab to switch views. Tab clicks trigger events you can handle to open your support tools.

Integration Patterns

Intercom

Open an Intercom chat with pre-filled context from the Pillar conversation.

Zendesk

Launch the Zendesk widget or submit a ticket with conversation history attached.

Freshdesk

Create a Freshdesk ticket with the user's question and AI responses included.

Custom Support

Build your own support form that receives the conversation context and submits to your backend.

Conversation Context

When users escalate, you can pass the conversation history to your support tool:

  • Conversation ID — Unique identifier for the chat session
  • Messages — Full transcript of user questions and AI responses
  • User context — Page they were on, user role, relevant metadata

This gives support agents immediate context without asking users to repeat themselves.

Gated Support

You can conditionally show escalation options based on user attributes:

  • Paid plans only — Only show "Talk to Support" for paying customers
  • Admin only — Restrict certain support options to account admins
  • Business hours — Show different options during/outside support hours

Next Steps