Web Chat
Learn how to create ClearFeed tickets via web chat widget
ClearFeed allows customers to create tickets by initiating conversations through a chat widget embedded on your website. This guide explains how web chat-based ticket creation works in ClearFeed.
How Web Chat Ticketing Works
When a customer initiates a chat on your website, ClearFeed automatically:
Creates a ticket from the conversation
Posts the chat messages to your configured Triage Slack channel
Syncs replies bidirectionally - Team replies in Slack appear in the chat widget in real-time
Sends email notifications - If the customer goes offline, responses are sent via email
Maintains conversation history - Customers can view and reinitiate previous conversations
Benefits:
Customers get instant support without leaving your website
Your team manages everything in Slack
Real-time bidirectional communication
Automatic fallback to email for offline customers
Full conversation history maintained
Prerequisites
Email Setup Required: Web Chat requires email integration to be configured first, as email is used to notify customers when they go offline. Set up email before configuring web chat.
Setup Steps:
Creating Tickets via Web Chat
For Customers
Customers create tickets by using the chat widget on your website:
Customer clicks the chat widget icon on your website
Types their message or question
Sends the message
A ticket is automatically created in ClearFeed
Customer receives responses in real-time in the chat widget
Can view previous conversations and reinitiate them
What the customer sees:
Real-time responses from your team
Conversation history for reference
Email notifications if they go offline
Seamless chat experience without leaving your site
For Responders
When a customer initiates a chat:
A new ticket appears in your Triage Slack channel
The chat message is posted as a new request
Team members can respond directly in the Slack thread
Responses are instantly sent to the customer via the chat widget
If customer goes offline, responses are automatically sent via email
Responding to chat tickets:
Reply in the Slack thread - customer sees it in real-time
Add internal notes for team collaboration
Convert chat to tasks if needed
Full conversation context available
Email Notification Behavior
Web chat includes intelligent email notifications to ensure customers don't miss messages:
When Customer is Offline
Agent replies are immediately sent via email
Email includes the full response
Customer can reply via email to continue the conversation
When Customer is Online
ClearFeed waits 15 minutes before sending email
If customer replies during this period, email is not sent
If customer doesn't respond within 15 minutes, a consolidated email with agent replies and a link to the conversation is sent
FAQs
What happens if the customer closes the chat? Answer: The conversation is saved and they can reinitiate it later. If an agent responds while they're offline, the response is sent via email.
Can multiple agents respond to the same chat? Answer: Yes, all agents with access to the Triage Channel can see and respond to chat tickets. We recommend coordinating to avoid duplicate responses.
How do customers access their previous chats? Answer: When they open the chat widget, they see a list of their previous conversations and can click to reinitiate any of them.
Can I set operating hours for the chat widget? Answer: Yes, you can configure operating hours in the Web Chat settings. Outside these hours, the widget can display a custom message or hide entirely.
How is the 15-minute email delay customizable? Answer: Contact ClearFeed Support to adjust the waiting period before sending consolidated emails to online customers.
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