Cold and Warm Transfers in AI Voice Agent

Automate with AI3 min readUpdated 2026-03-14

When your AI Voice Agent cannot resolve a caller's request, it can transfer the call to a live team member. JustCall supports two transfer types: cold (blind handoff) and warm (with context).

Available on: All AI Voice Agent plans

Transfer Types

Cold Transfer

The AI agent connects the caller directly to the destination number or agent without any introduction. The receiving agent answers the call with no advance context beyond what their caller ID shows.

Best for: Simple routing — the caller asked for a specific department or person, and no context summary is needed.

Warm Transfer

The AI agent briefly connects with the receiving agent first and provides a summary of the conversation so far. The receiving agent knows who is calling and why before the caller is connected.

The hand-off message is customizable — configure what information the AI agent shares during the warm introduction (caller name, reason for calling, key details from the conversation).

Best for: Complex or sensitive calls where the receiving agent needs context to continue the conversation smoothly.

Setup Requirements

To enable call transfers, your AI Voice Agent must be configured as a Front Desk Agent setup type. This is required for both cold and warm transfers.

How to Configure

Go to Dashboard > AI Voice Agent and open your agent.
Navigate to the Actions tab.
Add a Transfer Call action.
Choose the transfer type: cold or warm.
Set the destination: a JustCall team member, a specific phone number, or a department.
For warm transfers, customize the hand-off message that the AI agent delivers to the receiving agent.

How It Works During a Call

The caller asks a question or makes a request the AI agent is configured to escalate.
The AI agent tells the caller it will transfer them (e.g., "Let me connect you with our billing team").
Cold transfer: The call connects immediately to the destination.
Warm transfer: The AI agent connects to the receiving agent first, delivers the context summary, then connects the caller.

If the receiving agent is unavailable, the call follows your standard unanswered call settings (voicemail, queue, or fallback routing).

Tips

Set clear escalation criteria in your agent's role description and system prompt. Tell the agent exactly when to transfer (e.g., "Transfer to a live agent if the caller asks about billing disputes, cancellations, or legal matters").
Use warm transfers for high-value calls. The context summary reduces the "can you repeat that?" experience that frustrates callers.
Test both transfer paths by calling the agent number and triggering each scenario. Check the transcript in JustCall AI to verify the hand-off message is accurate.