Chat
Access: All roles.
URL: /staff/chat
Chat is the main interface for managing customer conversations. The layout is split into sessions on the left and messages on the right. Updates arrive in real time, with periodic refresh as a fallback.
Page layout
Section titled “Page layout”Session list
Section titled “Session list”The session list shows conversations in the workspace, sorted by recent activity. Each session row can show:
- Contact name, or “Anonymous” for unidentified visitors
- Last message preview
- Relative timestamp, such as “2m ago”
- Status badge
- Tag badge
- Unread indicator
- Channel label when available
Click a session row to load the full message thread.
Filters
Section titled “Filters”Use the filters above the session list to narrow conversations by:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Status | Active, Escalated, Closed, Archived |
| Tag | Product Inquiry, Project Guidance, Pricing Quote, Technical Support, Order Status, Complaint, General |
| Channel | Any channel in your workspace |
| Contact | Applied automatically when opening Chat from a contact |
Filters apply immediately.
Message thread
Section titled “Message thread”When a session is selected, the right panel shows:
- Session header with contact and channel information
- Status and tag controls
- Message timeline
- Reply composer, unless the session is closed or archived
Messages are grouped by sender. Customer and Stenbee messages appear on the left; staff replies appear on the right.
Core interactions
Section titled “Core interactions”Replying to a conversation
Section titled “Replying to a conversation”- Select a session from the left panel
- Type your message in the composer at the bottom of the right panel
- Press Enter or click Send
The message appears in the timeline after it is sent.
Editing session status
Section titled “Editing session status”Click the status badge in the session header or session row to choose a new status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | Conversation is ongoing |
| Escalated | Needs human attention |
| Closed | Conversation is resolved |
| Archived | Hidden from the default active workflow |
Editing session tags
Section titled “Editing session tags”Click the tag badge to choose a new tag. Tags help your team filter conversations and report on common customer needs.
Archiving a session
Section titled “Archiving a session”Click Archive in the session actions. The session is moved to the archived view and can still be found with the Archived status filter.
Deleting a session
Section titled “Deleting a session”Click Delete. A confirmation dialog appears. Confirm to permanently delete the session and its messages. This action cannot be undone.
Real-time updates
Section titled “Real-time updates”The chat panel stays in sync automatically:
| Event | What happens |
|---|---|
| New customer message | Session list updates and unread indicators change |
| New message in current session | The message appears in the thread |
| Status or tag change | The session list updates |
| Stenbee is responding | A typing indicator appears |
Connection recovery
Section titled “Connection recovery”If the live connection drops momentarily, the panel shows a reconnecting state and continues using periodic updates until the connection is restored.
Mobile layout
Section titled “Mobile layout”On narrow screens:
- The session list fills the screen
- Selecting a session opens the message view
- A back button returns to the session list
States
Section titled “States”| State | What you see |
|---|---|
| No sessions | ”No conversations yet” |
| No session selected | Prompt to select a session |
| No filter matches | Empty session list for the current filters |
| Session deleted | The selected session disappears and the message view resets |
- Use status filters to keep active work separate from resolved conversations
- Standardize tag usage across your team for cleaner reporting
- Archive old sessions periodically to keep the active list manageable