> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bubblav.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chat with Customers

> Managing conversations and the live support queue

The Live Support dashboard is your command center for customer conversations. Monitor incoming chats, take over from the AI, and resolve issues efficiently.

## The Conversation Queue

### Views

Access different views to manage your workload:

| View | What You See |
| - | - |
| **All** | Complete history of all conversations and support tickets |
| **Inbox** | Conversations and tickets assigned to you |
| **Unassigned** | Support cases waiting to be assigned to an agent |

### Filters

Filter conversations by status:

| Filter | What You See |
| - | - |
| **All** | All conversations and support tickets |
| **Active** | Currently active support tickets |
| **Solved** | Resolved/archived support tickets |
| **Mine** | Support cases assigned to you |
| **Unassigned** | Support cases not yet assigned |

### Sorting

Sort conversations by:

* **Newest first**: Most recent conversations at the top
* **Oldest first**: Oldest conversations at the top
* **Unread first**: Conversations with unread messages prioritized

***

## Joining a Conversation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select a Conversation">
    Click on a conversation in the queue on the left side. Unread conversations show a blue indicator with the unread count.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review History">
    Read the conversation so far in the main chat area. See what the customer asked and how the bot responded.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Join the Conversation">
    When you start typing a message in the input box at the bottom, the conversation automatically switches to human interaction mode. The bot is paused and you can chat directly with the customer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Respond">
    Type your message and press Enter or click Send. Your messages appear on the right side with your name, while customer messages appear on the left.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### What the Customer Sees

When you join a conversation:

* The typing indicator shows you're responding
* Your messages appear like normal chat messages
* The conversation seamlessly transitions from bot to human agent

***

## The Chat Interface

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/bubblav-e553cf80/R3ckwS1UlR0o66Bf/images/live-chat-interface.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=R3ckwS1UlR0o66Bf&q=85&s=501fc9213a3136ca4693f52ec77017ab" alt="Live Chat Interface" width="875" height="856" data-path="images/live-chat-interface.png" />
</Frame>

### Message Area

* **Customer messages**: Left side, with timestamp
* **Bot messages**: Right side, labeled "AI"
* **Your messages**: Right side, labeled with your name

### Input Area

* **Text box**: Type your message
* **Send button**: Or press Enter. The button also remembers your last choice — see [Send & Archive / Send & Wait](#send--archive--send--wait) below
* **Attachment button**: Send files or images (coming soon)

### Customer Info Panel

The right sidebar shows customer insights and context. Click the info icon to view:

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/bubblav-e553cf80/R3ckwS1UlR0o66Bf/images/live-support-insight.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=R3ckwS1UlR0o66Bf&q=85&s=d595fc32cd39c73b9361dea156d18360" alt="Customer Insights Panel" width="528" height="447" data-path="images/live-support-insight.png" />
</Frame>

The insights panel displays:

| Info | Source |
| - | - |
| **Name** | From conversation or form |
| **Email** | If provided by customer |
| **Current page** | What they're viewing right now |
| **Device** | Mobile or desktop |
| **Location** | Country/region |
| **Started** | When conversation began |
| **Previous conversations** | History of past interactions |
| **Integration data** | Orders, tickets, appointments from connected platforms |

***

## Integration Context

If you have integrations connected, see relevant customer data:

### Shopify Data

* Recent orders with status
* Order totals and items
* Customer lifetime value
* Previous support interactions

### Calendly Data

* Upcoming appointments
* Past meetings
* Booking history

### Zendesk Data

* Open tickets
* Previous tickets
* Support history

<Tip>
  Integration data helps you provide personalized support without asking customers to repeat information.
</Tip>

***

## Managing Conversations

### Managing Your Inbox

Keep a busy inbox under control with these tools:

* **Status tabs**: switch the list between **Open**, **Waiting**, and **Archived** using the segmented control above the conversation list. The **Open** tab (default) shows only conversations that need your attention.
* **Waiting**: mark a conversation as *waiting on customer* after you reply — it moves out of the Open view and comes back automatically as soon as the customer replies (from any channel). Mark items as waiting from the clock icon in the chat header, the bulk action bar, or with the **Send & Wait** button.
* **Archive**: for conversations that are finished — or that you never want to see again, like spam. Archived items move to the **Archived** tab and stay there: if the customer (or a spammer) replies anyway, the message is stored silently — unread in the **Archived** tab, with no notification and nothing reopening. Use **Waiting** instead when you *do* expect a reply.
* **One-click triage**: archiving **or marking waiting** from the chat header (or pressing `E` / `W`) jumps straight to the next conversation in the list, so clearing your inbox takes one click per item instead of three. These moves are silent — no toast — the list and the next conversation speak for themselves.
* **Bulk select**: select multiple conversations and archive them or mark them as waiting in a single action. Archiving from the Waiting tab also clears the waiting state. In the **Archived** tab the bulk actions become **Restore** (moves items back to Open) and **Waiting**. Switching tabs clears the selection.
* **Pin to top**: pin important conversations so they stay at the top of the list for your whole team.
* **Filter by channel**: narrow the list to a single channel — for example, filter to **Email** to focus on support emails.

<Tip>
  Rule of thumb: **Archive = done or spam** (e.g. a phishing email, an order that shipped fine, "thanks!"), **Waiting = ball is in the customer's court**. Waiting items come back to your Open view on the customer's reply; archived items never do — their replies wait quietly, unread, in the Archived tab.
</Tip>

***

## Send & Archive / Send & Wait

Replying to a ticket usually means it's handled — so why click three times? The send button is a split button:

* Click the main button to send with your default action (**Send**, **Send & Archive**, or **Send & Wait**).
* Click the chevron next to it to choose a different action for this reply. Your choice becomes the new default, so one click is all you need next time.

| Action | What happens |
| - | - |
| **Send** | Sends your reply; the conversation stays in your Open view |
| **Send & Archive** | Sends your reply and archives the conversation |
| **Send & Wait** | Sends your reply and marks the conversation as waiting on customer |

After sending, you're taken straight to the next conversation in the list.

<Tip>
  **Send & Archive** is for "handled, done" — if the customer replies anyway, the reply waits unread in the Archived tab. Use **Send & Wait** when you expect an answer: waiting conversations return to your Open view automatically the moment the customer replies.
</Tip>

### Proactive Conversations

You can start conversations with visitors before they reach out to you:

1. Go to **Live Support** → **Online Visitors**
2. Find a visitor you want to engage
3. Click **Start Live Chat**
4. Send your greeting message

The conversation appears in your Live Support queue like any other chat.

[Learn more about Online Visitors →](/user-guide/live-support/online-visitors)

### Hand Over to Bot

When the issue is resolved, you can hand the conversation back to the bot:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Confirm Resolution">
    Make sure the customer's issue is fully addressed
  </Step>

  <Step title="Hand Over to Bot">
    Click **Hand Over to Bot** to return the conversation to AI mode. The bot will handle future messages from this customer.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  When you hand over to the bot, the conversation state changes from "human\_interaction" back to "bot". The customer can continue chatting with the AI.
</Note>

<Note>
  When you reply to a visitor's message, they will receive an email notification after 5 minutes if they haven't returned to the conversation. This ensures they never miss your response. [Configure email notifications →](/user-guide/live-support/email-notifications)
</Note>

***

## Real-time Updates

The Live Support dashboard updates in real-time:

* **New messages**: Appear instantly as customers send them
* **Unread indicators**: Blue badges show unread message counts
* **Online status**: Green dot indicates when a visitor is currently online
* **Conversation list**: Automatically refreshes when new conversations start

***

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Greet personally">
    Start with a friendly greeting using their name if available.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Acknowledge the issue">
    Summarize their problem to show you understand before solving it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use customer context">
    Reference their order, page, or history to personalize the response.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Be concise">
    Keep messages short and scannable. Break long responses into multiple messages.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Confirm resolution">
    Ask "Is there anything else I can help with?" before closing.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Keyboard Shortcuts

| Shortcut | Action |
| - | - |
| `Enter` | Send message |
| `Shift + Enter` | New line |
| `E` | Archive selected conversation (and jump to the next one) |
| `W` | Mark selected conversation as waiting |
| `Ctrl/Cmd + K` | Quick search |

\| `Esc` | Close current chat |

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Messages not sending">
    * Check your internet connection
    * Refresh the page
    * Verify you've claimed the conversation
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can't see customer info">
    * Customer info appears after they provide it
    * Integration data requires connected accounts
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Conversation disappeared">
    * Check the **Waiting** and **Archived** tabs
    * Another agent may have claimed or archived it
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI Copilot" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/user-guide/live-support/copilot">
    Get AI-powered response suggestions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reports" icon="chart-line" href="/user-guide/reports">
    View conversation analytics
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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