Chat: text customers and leads from one inbox

Overview#

Chat puts every call and text from customers and leads in one list, with one conversation per phone number. Open a conversation to see the texts and calls in order, the customer's record, and the text agent's state. Click I've got this so the team knows you're handling it, then reply by text, call back or book a job. A new text or call from the customer reopens a closed conversation.

Before you start#

• Role. Chat needs permission to read customers and calls: owners, admins, dispatchers, CSRs and viewers see it. Owners, admins, dispatchers and CSRs can claim, reply, close and reopen. Viewers (analysts) read only.

• Texting must be connected. Replies go out from your company's texting number. Until texting is connected and your texting registration (A2P 10DLC) is approved, replies are recorded as not sent with the reason. An owner or admin sets this up in Settings › Phones › Phone Numbers, Call Recording & Texting (steps 1 to 5).

• Consent. TradesWork never texts a number that replied STOP. See the consent section below.

Steps#

Find the conversations that need you#

1. Go to Calls › Chat. The page header reads Inbox.

2. Pick a view: Open (the default), Mine (conversations you claimed) or Closed.

3. Read the list. Each row shows:

   • A phone icon (last contact was a call) or a text icon.

   • The customer's name, the lead's name, or the number.

   • A dot when the customer is waiting for a reply (nothing went out since their last call or text).

   • The time of their last call or text and a preview.

   • Who has it: You or a teammate's name.

   • Agent replying or Agent handed off when the AI text agent is involved.

4. The Chat badge in the left nav counts open conversations nobody has claimed.

Claim and reply#

1. Click a conversation. The header says "Nobody has this yet", "Being handled by you" or "Being handled by [name]".

2. Click I've got this. If a teammate grabbed it first, you see "[name] is already handling this conversation."

3. Read the timeline. Texts appear as bubbles; calls appear as cards with direction, time, length, outcome badge and summary.

4. Type your reply in the box and click Send.

   • Replying claims the conversation for you if nobody has it.

   • If the text agent was replying, it stops on this conversation. The box warns you: "Reply by text (the text agent stops on this conversation)".

   • Your text goes out starting with your company name, for example "Acme Heating: ...".

   • The banner says Text sent., Text queued., or Not sent: with the reason.

5. Use the Customer card on the right:

   • Balance, Membership and Open jobs with the next visit.

   • Call customer rings your phone, then the customer from the company number.

   • Book a job opens the booking form, for the customer if they're on file.

Hand off, take over or close#

1. Let go releases a conversation you hold so a teammate can pick it up.

2. Take over appears when a teammate holds it. Use it when they're out. The takeover is recorded.

3. Close when the conversation is finished. You can close one someone else holds only if you're an owner or admin.

4. Reopen brings a closed conversation back. A new text or call from the customer reopens it automatically and clears the old claim.

Quiet hours#

1. Quiet hours hold automatic texts (reminders, missed-call text-back, the text agent's first reply to a new lead) until the morning. The default is 9 PM to 8 AM in your company time zone.

2. Replies you type in Chat are not held. They go out right away, because you're answering the customer.

3. Change the hours in Settings › Communications › Customer Notifications under Quiet hours.

Consent and STOP#

1. If a customer texts STOP (or UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT and similar), they are opted out. Nothing more is texted to that number, including by the agent.

2. If they text START, they're opted back in.

3. The customer page shows Opted out with how it happened ("Replied STOP", "Unsubscribed with the carrier" or "Recorded by the office").

4. If a customer asks you on the phone to stop texting, open their customer page and click Customer asked not to be texted. Only the customer can turn texts back on, by texting START.

5. Customers can also reply C to confirm their next visit or R to ask to reschedule. TradesWork adds a note to the job.

Settings that change this#

• Settings › Phones › Phone Numbers, Call Recording & Texting: texting number, texting registration, test text.

• Settings › Communications › Customer Notifications: which automatic texts go out, and quiet hours.

• Settings › Phones › AI Text Agent: whether the text agent also answers existing customers who text in.

• Settings › Phones › Escalations & Tasks: the Opening messages card sets the first text back when someone texts in.

Tips#

• Always claim before you start typing a long answer. It stops two people answering the same customer.

• Use Mine at the end of your shift and Let go of anything you won't finish.

• Picture messages arrive as text with a note such as "[1 attachment not shown]". Ask the customer to email photos if you need them.

Troubleshooting#

• "Not sent: Texting isn't connected..." Cause: no texting provider. Fix: call the customer, and ask an owner to finish phone setup.

• "Texting is limited until your texting registration is approved". Cause: carriers haven't approved your A2P 10DLC registration yet. Fix: wait for approval; the status is in Settings › Phones › Phone Numbers, Call Recording & Texting, step 4.

• "The customer replied STOP, so nothing was sent." Cause: the customer opted out. Fix: call them. Only they can opt back in by texting START.

• "This number can't receive texts." Cause: the number isn't a valid mobile number. Fix: call instead.

• I can't type a reply. Cause: a teammate holds the conversation ("... is handling this conversation. Take it over to reply.") or your role is read-only. Fix: click Take over, or ask the person holding it.

FAQ#

Is Chat the same as Bookings & Leads? No. Bookings & Leads tracks leads from marketplaces and forms, with speed to lead and booking. Chat is every text and call conversation by phone number. A lead who texts appears in both.

Do automatic texts show in Chat? Yes. Texts sent by TradesWork appear in the timeline as "Automatic", and the agent's texts as "Text agent".

Can I send texts outside quiet hours only? Your manual replies always send immediately. If you don't want to text late, wait until morning.

Coming from ServiceTitan#

• Same idea: ServiceTitan's Calls › Chat two-way texting inbox with open and closed conversations is Calls › Chat here.

• Different: calls and texts share one timeline per phone number, and I've got this shows the whole team who owns each conversation. An AI text agent can answer first and hand off to you.

• Not here yet: sending pictures (MMS). Incoming pictures aren't shown.