Customer Chat

Communicate with your customers directly from the CRM. The chat system lets you answer questions, resolve issues, and provide personal service — all in real time.

Accessing Customer Chat

1. Log in to the CRM
2. Click Chat in the sidebar
3. The chat interface loads with your recent conversations

Interface Layout

The chat screen uses a 3-column layout on desktop. On smaller screens, columns collapse so you can navigate between them.

Chat List (Left Column)

The left column shows all your customer conversations.

Header:

• "Customer Chats" title with a count of total conversations

Search and Filters:

• Search bar — type a username to find a specific customer
• "Show unread only" toggle — filter to see only conversations with unread messages

Conversation Items:

Each conversation in the list shows:

• Customer avatar and username
• Last message preview — a snippet of the most recent message
• Timestamp — when the last message was sent
• Unread badge — shows the number of unread messages (displays "99+" when there are more than 99)

Click any conversation to open it in the center column.

Conversation View (Center Column)

The center column is where you read and send messages.

Conversation Header

At the top of the conversation:

• Customer avatar and username
• Connection status — shows whether the customer is currently online
• Menu — additional actions for the conversation

Message Types

Messages appear in three styles:

Type	Alignment	Style	Description
Customer messages	Left	Light background	Messages sent by the customer
Your messages	Right	Primary color background	Messages sent by you or your staff
System messages	Center	Muted text	Automated notifications (order updates, status changes)

Order Messages

When a customer places or updates an order, a compact order progress card appears in the conversation. This card shows the order status and key details so you can track the order without leaving the chat.

Message Features

Each message can display:

• Edit indicator — a small label showing the message was edited
• Read status — visible on your sent messages:
  • Single check = message sent
  • Double check = message delivered to customer
  • Filled double check = message seen by customer
• Reactions — emoji reactions attached to the message

Hover Actions

Hover over any message to reveal quick action buttons:

Action	Availability	What It Does
Reply	All messages	Quote and respond to a specific message
Edit	Your messages only	Modify the text of a sent message
Delete	Your messages only	Remove the message from the conversation
React	All messages	Add an emoji reaction

Available reactions: thumbs up, heart, laughing, surprised, sad, fire

Sending Messages

At the bottom of the conversation:

1. Type your message in the text area (it expands automatically as you type more)
2. Click Send or press Enter
3. Your message appears on the right side of the conversation

When the customer is typing, a typing indicator appears below the message area so you know a reply is coming.

Customer Info Panel (Right Column)

On extra-large screens, a third column shows detailed information about the selected customer. This panel keeps important context visible while you chat.

Customer Profile

• Avatar and username
• Points balance — current loyalty points

Quick Actions

• Reset Balance — set the customer's points to zero (use with caution)
• Refresh — reload the customer's data
• Give Points — open a dialog to award points manually

Expandable Sections

Click to expand any of these sections for more detail:

Section	What It Shows
Vouchers	Active vouchers the customer owns
Active Orders	Orders currently in progress
Recent Orders	Completed orders from recent visits
Transactions	Full points transaction history (earned, spent, awarded)

tip

Use the Recent Orders section to quickly reference what a customer ordered last time — helpful when they have a question about a past visit.

Real-Time Updates

The chat system uses a live WebSocket connection, so everything updates instantly without refreshing the page:

• New messages appear immediately in both the list and conversation
• Typing indicators show when the customer is composing a message
• Message edits update in place when either side edits a sent message
• Message deletions remove the message from the conversation in real time
• Seen status updates as the customer reads your messages
• Unread counts in the chat list update automatically

Common Workflows

Responding to a Customer Question

1. Look for conversations with an unread badge in the chat list
2. Click the conversation to open it
3. Read the customer's message
4. Type your reply and click Send
5. Watch for the read status to confirm the customer saw your response

Checking a Customer's Order During Chat

1. Open the conversation with the customer
2. Look at the Customer Info Panel on the right
3. Expand Active Orders to see what they have in progress
4. If you need more detail, check Recent Orders for past visits

Awarding Points While Chatting

1. While in a conversation, look at the Customer Info Panel
2. Click Give Points
3. Enter the amount and confirm
4. The customer's balance updates immediately
5. Send a message letting them know about the bonus

Finding a Specific Conversation

1. Use the search bar at the top of the chat list
2. Type the customer's username
3. The list filters to show matching conversations
4. Click to open

Reviewing Only Unread Messages

1. Toggle "Show unread only" in the chat list header
2. The list filters to show only conversations with unread messages
3. Work through each one, then toggle the filter off to see all conversations again

Tips for Great Customer Communication

• Respond quickly — customers see your online status, so prompt replies build trust
• Use reactions to acknowledge messages even when a full reply is not needed
• Check the info panel before asking questions the system already answers (points, orders, vouchers)
• Keep messages concise — short, helpful answers are better than long explanations
• Use the reply feature to reference specific messages in longer conversations

Related Pages

• Receiving Orders — understanding order flow and statuses
• Points System — how points are earned and awarded