### Answer The issue you're experiencing—where the agent says "I'm sorry I can't help you with that" before actually executing the transfer—is typically caused by unclear or insufficient prompt instructions about when to use the transfer_call tool [(1) ]() . To fix this, you need to enhance the agent's understanding by incorporating clear transfer call conditions into the prompt . The documentation specifically recommends including instructions such as: "If the user is angry or frustrated, use the transfer_call tool to transfer the conversation to a human agent" . Key steps to resolve this: 1. Update your prompt with specific, explicit conditions for when to trigger the transfer 2. Make sure the transfer conditions are clear and unambiguous 3. Avoid vague language that might confuse the agent about when it should transfer The hesitation you're seeing suggests the agent isn't confident about when to use the tool. By making the transfer conditions more explicit in your prompt, the agent should execute the transfer immediately when the conditions are met, rather than initially declining and only transferring after the user persists .

​ To learn more, see the sources I considered: [[1] Transfer call](https://docs.retellai.com/build/single-multi-prompt/transfer-call) ​

Feel free to tag @AI Evy with additional questions. I also appreciate feedback, it helps me improve.

### Answer I don't have specific information in the available sources about why transfer_call behavior would differ between text testing and voice/live calls. However, based on the available documentation, I can suggest checking that your

transfer_call

tool configuration includes all required fields [(1) ]() . According to a Discord discussion, missing the

transfer_option

field in the transfer_call configuration can cause unexpected behavior . Your transfer_call tool should include :

python
{
    "type": "transfer_call",
    "name": "transfer_to_agent",
    "description": "Transfer the call to a human agent",
    "transfer_destination": {
        "type": "predefined",
        "number": "+1234567890"
    },
    "transfer_option": {
        "type": "cold_transfer",  # or "warm_transfer"
        "show_transferee_as_caller": false
    }
}

The difference between text and voice behavior could be related to how the ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) transcribes the user's intent versus direct text input [(2) ]() . Voice interactions involve real-time speech-to-text conversion which may introduce slight variations in how the LLM interprets the request . I'd recommend ensuring you're using the latest SDK and that all required fields are present in your transfer_call configuration [(1) ]() .

​ To learn more, see the sources I considered: [[1] GeneralToolTransferCallTool is being created but the agent is calling the wrong number.](https://discord.com/channels/1186424376300679209/1392948823155933214) [[2] Speech Processing](https://www.retellai.com/glossary/speech-processing) ​

Feel free to tag @AI Evy with additional questions. I also appreciate feedback, it helps me improve.