Warm transfer — introduce before handing over

Ref: B03 · Track: Channels · Time to complete: ~5 min

Why this matters

"Cold transfer" = you dump the call on another agent and they pick up with no context. The customer has to explain everything again. "Warm transfer" = you introduce the customer first. It takes 30 seconds, it's what separates good support from bad, and Zendesk Talk is built around it.

The warm transfer flow

You are on an active call. You want to bring in a colleague.

1. On the call widget, click Transfer.
2. Dial the colleague's name, an agent ID, or an external number.
3. The customer goes on hold automatically. They can't hear what happens next.
4. The receiving agent's Zendesk rings. They answer.
5. You explain the context to them, live: "Hi Claire — I've got Sarah from Acme on the line, she's asking about her November invoice and I think this is one for you."
6. The receiving agent says "put her through".
7. Click Add to call. The customer is unheld and now hears all three of you briefly.
8. Greet the customer back in: "Sarah, you're back — I've got Claire from billing who's going to help."
9. Click Leave call. Claire and Sarah continue, you drop off.

Transfer vs Add to call

Two buttons, different behaviours:

Use Transfer when you want to brief the third party first (the warm transfer). Use Add to call when the customer already knows you're bringing someone in (e.g. "I'll get my colleague on the line now").

Transferring to an external number

You can transfer to a phone number outside Zendesk too:

• Mobile numbers — dial the full number with country code.
• Another support line — some orgs have dedicated external lines for specialties (e.g. billing team on a different PBX).

The call record on the ticket shows the external number it was transferred to, but Zendesk can't follow what happens on the other side.

If the receiving agent doesn't answer

• Their status is checked first. If they're Offline, you'll see that.
• If they're Online/Transfers-only but not picking up, the dial rings for ~30 seconds.
• If they don't answer, click Cancel transfer. Your customer is still on hold — just unhold them.

Never leave a held customer on hold longer than ~2 minutes without checking in. Unhold and say "still working on it, one moment more" so they know you haven't disappeared.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to introduce. Clicking Transfer → immediately clicking Add to call → dropping off. The receiving agent picks up cold. That's a cold transfer dressed up as warm. Take the 30 seconds.
• Talking about the customer while they're on hold. They can't hear you if the hold light is on. If you accidentally clicked Add to call instead of Transfer, they can hear everything. Double-check the UI before venting.
• Leaving the call before the two parties are actually connected. Watch for the "all connected" state before clicking Leave.

Quick check — have you got this?

• You click Transfer and dial Claire. Can the customer hear you briefing Claire?
• Claire says "yep put her through". What button do you click?
• You're now all three on the call and you want to drop off. What button?

Related articles

• B01 — Setting your online status for Talk
• B02 — Answer your first phone call in Talk
• B04 — Outbound calls and calling back from a ticket