Escalation Rules
Configure when and how Raya hands conversations to human teammates, with topic-based routing and priority controls.
What It Is
Escalation rules are a rules engine that determines when Raya should route a conversation to a human teammate. You define the topics, keywords, and conditions that trigger an escalation, and Raya follows them across all channels (chat, email, WhatsApp, social). Well-configured escalation rules ensure that sensitive or complex issues reach the right person fast, while routine questions stay with Raya.
How It Works
Raya evaluates escalation rules in three steps for every incoming message.
- 1
Classify the message
Raya analyzes the customer's message to identify the topic, sentiment, and intent. She uses natural language understanding, not just keyword matching.
- 2
Check rules
Raya compares the classification against your escalation rules. Rules are evaluated in priority order, and the first matching rule wins.
- 3
Action on match
When a rule matches, Raya forwards the conversation to the specified destination (email address, Slack channel, or CRM queue). She includes the full conversation history and her classification summary.
Rule Configuration
Each escalation rule has the following fields.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| match_topics_any | List of topics that trigger this rule (match any one) | ["billing", "refund", "cancellation"] |
| priority | Rule evaluation order (lower number = higher priority) | 1 (highest), 2, 3, etc. |
| forward_to | Destination for escalated conversations | finance@company.com, #slack-channel |
| custom escalation prompt | Optional message Raya sends to the customer when escalating | "I'm connecting you with our billing team." |
| stop processing | Whether Raya stops replying after escalation | true (default) / false |
Example Rules
Below are common escalation configurations for a support team.
| Topic | Priority | Forward To |
|---|---|---|
| Billing, Refund | 1 | finance@company.com |
| Outage, Downtime | 1 | eng-oncall@company.com |
| VIP Customer | 2 | vip-support@company.com |
| Legal, Compliance | 1 | legal@company.com |
Limitations
Escalation rules evaluate topics and intent, not exact keyword matches. Raya may classify a message differently than expected if the customer uses indirect language. Review the escalation log regularly and adjust topic lists as needed. Rules do not support time-based conditions (e.g., "escalate after 5 PM") at this time. Use business hours settings in the widget for time-based behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I escalate to a Slack channel instead of an email address?▾
What happens if no escalation rule matches?▾
Can Raya escalate a conversation to Adam for sales follow-up?▾
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