Managing Conversations Inbox

Why use the Shared Inbox?

• Collaborative Support: View "Unassigned" chats and let staff "Attend" to them, ensuring clear ownership of every issue.
• Context at a Glance: See the customer's name and history while you chat, helping you resolve issues faster without asking "Who is this?".
• Navigate the Rules: The interface clearly indicates the 24-Hour Rule status, showing you exactly when you can chat freely (free-form text) and when you need to send a Template to re-open the window.

Handle unassigned chats

When a customer messages you for the first time, the chat appears in the Unassigned tab.

1. Click the Unassigned tab in your Inbox.
2. Select a chat to preview the message.
3. Click Attend (or Assign to me) to move it to your active list and start replying.

Start a new conversation

You can reach out to customers in two ways:

• Existing Customer: Search for their name or phone number in the sidebar.
• New Customer:
  1. Click Start conversation.
  2. Select the Country Code and enter the Phone Number.

Click Start WhatsApp

Understand the 24-hour rule

To prevent spam, WhatsApp enforces a messaging window.

• Window Closed: If a customer hasn't replied in the last 24 hours, the text box will be locked. You cannot send free-form text. You must send an approved Template Message to re-engage them.
• Window Open: Once the customer replies to your template, the window opens. You can chat freely (text, images, docs) for the next 24 hours.

Send a Template

Use this method to start a conversation, send an order update, or re-open the 24-hour window.

1. Click the (+) Plus Icon next to the chat input.
2. Select Template message.
3. Choose an approved template (e.g., Welcome).
4. If required, select the context (e.g., the specific Customer) to auto-fill the variables.
5. Click Send.

Send free-form messages

Once the customer replies to your template, the text box unlocks. You can now communicate freely.

1. Type your message in the input box and hit Enter.
2. Use the toolbar icons next to the text box to quickly share emoticons images, videos, or documents.
3. You can still click the (+) Plus Icon to access special features like Template Messages or Order Photos.

Closing & Reopening Chats

1. When a customer's issue is resolved, click the Close icon next to their name. This moves the chat to "Archived" and keeps your inbox organized
2. To access archived chats:
   • Click the All tab in the sidebar,
   • Select the conversation
   • Click the Reopen button at the bottom to bring it back to your main inbox.