> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.artific.nl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.artific.nl/en/for-everyone/inbox/direct-chat.md).

# Direct chat

Taking over a live conversation from an assistant.

## What it is

Some assistants can hand over to a person. When a visitor asks to speak to someone, the conversation appears in a queue for a colleague to pick up.

This is live chat: someone is waiting, watching a message telling them an employee will take over shortly. It is not the e-mail Inbox, which is covered in [Working in the Inbox](/en/for-everyone/inbox.md).

Found under **AI assistants → Direct chat**.

## The two lists

| List              | What is in it                                |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Chats with AI** | Waiting for a person. Nobody has stepped in. |
| **Chats with me** | Conversations you have taken over.           |

Each card shows the assistant, a summary of the conversation, and when it last moved. A bell animates when there are new messages.

## Taking a conversation

1. Open one from **Chats with AI**.
2. Read what has already been said. The assistant's attempt tells you what the person has already been told, and what did not work.
3. Choose **Take over chat**.

The conversation moves to **Chats with me** and the visitor is told they are now talking to you. From then on you are typing, not the assistant.

{% hint style="info" %}
Takeover is first come, first served. You take a conversation yourself; you cannot hand one to a colleague. If you take one you cannot help with, say so in the chat and get the right person to look at the queue.
{% endhint %}

## While you are chatting

Type in the box and press Enter. The person sees your messages as you send them.

Some practical things:

* **Say hello and identify yourself.** They have just moved from a machine to a person; make that obvious.
* **Do not make them repeat themselves.** You can read the whole conversation. Starting with "how can I help?" after they have explained everything is the fastest way to annoy someone.
* **Say when you need a moment.** Silence in a live chat feels much longer than it is.

## Ending

The menu offers **End conversation**.

{% hint style="warning" %}
This ends the conversation immediately, with no confirmation step. Make sure you are finished, and tell the person before you do it.
{% endhint %}

## Watching the queue

Someone is waiting in real time, which makes this different from e-mail. A queue nobody watches is worse than no queue at all: the visitor was promised a person.

Agree in your team who watches it and when. Your organisation can also send e-mail notifications when someone asks for a person; if that would help, ask your administrator. See [Getting help](/en/for-everyone/getting-help.md).