Warm Transfer
Synonym for live transfer — a call handoff in which the transferring party verbally introduces the consumer before exiting the line.
Full Definition
Warm transfer is the industry term for a live transfer that includes a verbal introduction from the transferring intake agent to the receiving buying agent before the intake agent drops the call. The "warmth" refers to the human handoff — versus a "cold transfer" where the consumer is simply connected without introduction. Most compliant Medicare and Final Expense live transfer programs are warm transfers by default; the introduction also serves as a compliance record (the intake agent states what product the consumer inquired about and the consumer's confirmation). The terms warm transfer and live transfer are used interchangeably across insurance lead vendors.
Example
The intake agent stays on the line for ~15 seconds after dialing the buying agent, saying: "Hi Mike, this is Sarah from the call center. I have Robert on the line. He's 67 in Ohio, has Original Medicare, and was calling about a Medicare Advantage plan. Robert, this is Mike, he's the licensed agent who can help." Sarah drops.
Related Terms
- Live Transfer — A phone-based lead format where a screened, interested prospect is warm-transferred from an intake agent directly to the buying agent in real time.
- Inbound Call — A lead format where the consumer calls a published number (typically from a TV, radio, or search ad) and is routed to the buying agent with zero wait.