Operation of an automated dialog system is described using a source language to conduct a real time human machine dialog process with a human user using a target language. A user query in the target language is received and automatically machine translated into the source language. An automated reply of the dialog process is then delivered to the user in the target language. If the dialog process reaches an initial assistance state, a first human agent using the source language is provided to interact in real time with the user in the target language by machine translation to continue the dialog process. Then if the dialog process reaches a further assistance state, a second human agent using the target language is provided to interact in real time with the user in the target language to continue the dialog process.