A topic shift is a change in the main subject of a call, such as moving from troubleshooting to billing, from one product to another, or from the original request to a new concern. It can be initiated by the caller or the agent and may happen multiple times within a single interaction.
Operationally, topic shifts matter because they often drive longer handle times, missed steps, and inconsistent outcomes when agents don’t recognize the change and adjust their workflow. Tracking where topic shifts occur helps identify unclear IVR routing, knowledge gaps, policy confusion, and moments where agents need better prompts or handoff guidance.
