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Automation and AI

What is a fallback message?

A fallback message is the reply a chatbot sends when nothing matches: no keyword, no button, no confident intent, no relevant knowledge. Instead of silence or a wrong answer, it acknowledges the message, offers a way forward (a menu, buttons, a rephrase prompt) and, after repeated misses, hands the conversation to a person.

Updated 29 Aug 2026 · 1 min read

On this page
  1. Why it matters
  2. In VGraple CRM
  3. Related terms

AUTOMATION AND AI

Fallback message

A fallback message is the reply a chatbot sends when nothing matches: no keyword, no button, no confident intent, no relevant knowledge. Instead of silence or a wrong answer, it acknowledges the message, offers a way forward (a menu, buttons, a rephrase prompt) and, after repeated misses, hands the conversation to a person.

escalationkeyword triggerintentchatbot flow

Fallback message in one line

Why it matters

The fallback is the most-seen message in many bots, because customers say unexpected things. A silent bot loses the customer; a bot that repeats "I did not understand" three times earns a block. A good fallback is short, offers buttons and escalates on the second miss.

In VGraple CRM

Each flow has a fallback node and a miss counter; the AI chatbot falls back when retrieval finds nothing relevant, and both can escalate after a configurable number of misses. Fallback wording is set per flow and per channel with a preview.

Escalation, Keyword trigger, Intent, Chatbot flow.

Frequently asked questions

How many misses before handoff?
Two is a good default.
Should the fallback include buttons?
Yes. Buttons turn a dead end into a choice.
Does the fallback count as a message for pricing?
It is a free-form message inside the customer's window, so it is free.

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