Identify which leads to escalate

The 4 rules you configured in S2L setup catch most of the human-needed moments automatically. This lesson is about the judgment — recognizing the conversations that AI didn’t auto-escalate but should have.

It’s the difference between having escalation rules and reading them.

The 5 signals that catch your eye

You’re skimming Conversations on Monday morning. Here’s what stops you.

1. Customer asked the same thing twice. AI didn’t catch the repeat. They’re getting frustrated and AI’s missing it.

2. Conversation is going in circles. AI keeps offering the same options. Customer keeps deflecting. They want something else and AI hasn’t picked up the pattern.

3. Specific numbers in customer messages. If someone says “I have $8K to put down” or “my budget is $480/month,” AI shouldn’t be playing 20 questions. That’s a human-desk conversation.

4. Emotional language AI didn’t flag. “I really wanted this for my wife’s birthday” or “I’m under pressure from my husband to decide this week.” AI’s literal — these signals are only humans catch.

5. Long gaps with the customer staying engaged. They keep replying but AI keeps stalling. Customer’s giving you patience you don’t deserve. Take over.

The rule of thumb

If reading the conversation makes you wince, escalate it.

If you’d want to be the rep on this conversation, escalate it.

Don’t override AI’s correct work — most conversations don’t need you. But the ones that do, you’ll know.

What to do once you’ve identified one

Tap Take over in the conversation. AI hands the thread to you, the customer keeps texting the same number, you pick up where AI was. Customer notices nothing.

Type your first reply. From here it’s a normal conversation.

What good looks like

Most weeks, you take over 0–3 conversations across your whole dealership. Some weeks 5.

If you’re taking over more than 10/week, your escalation rules are too loose — go back to AI Agents → Escalation Rules and tighten.

If you’re taking over zero in a month, your rules are too tight — you’re missing winnable deals. Loosen.

Mark complete and move on.