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Starting a New Call

  • 5 min read
  • Last updated September 24, 2026
On this page
  1. How to open it
  2. Step-by-step
  3. Which channel is the message sent through?
  4. If the message cannot be delivered
  5. What You Need to Know
  6. Related articles

When you want to contact a customer before they message you, you start a new conversation. The first message is sent in your name, and the conversation opens with you assigned as the agent. This article explains where to open the conversation, which channel the message will be sent through, and what you need to keep in mind.

How to open it

  • The + (New Conversation) button in the list header of the Inbox.
  • The "New Conversation" button that appears in an empty section.
  • "New Meeting" in the quick actions section of the Overview.
  • Click the "Start Conversation" button in the customer profile or select "Start Conversation" from the row menu in the customer list. In both cases, the customer will appear in the form with their information already selected.

Step-by-step

  1. Select Type — On the Call Details card, select "Request" or "Chat" in the Type field. This field is visible only when the live chat feature is enabled.
  2. Select a customer — Enter a name or email address in the "Customer" field to select a registered customer. If the customer is not registered, add them first from the "Customers" page.
  3. Enter the subject — The subject is required for the "Request" type. This field is not displayed for the "Chat" type.
  4. Type your message — In the box on the message card, you can use pre-written responses (⌘/Ctrl+K), article links, emojis, and, if BLE AI is enabled, text enhancement tools.
  5. Create — Click the Create button. A "Conversation created" notification appears, and the conversation opens.

A new conversation is assigned to you and starts in an open state; it appears in your Inbox section.

Which channel is the message sent through?

No channel is selected on this screen; the system reviews the customer’s channels and makes a decision in the following order:

  1. The most recent channel where the customer can post — The channel where the customer last posted and is currently accepting messages (e.g., WhatsApp, where the customer posted within the last 24 hours).
  2. Email — If this channel is not available and the customer has a valid email address, the message is sent via email.
  3. Closed channel — If that is not available, the most recent channel the customer is connected to but is currently closed is selected. A conversation opens, but the message cannot be delivered.
  4. Panel Only — If the customer has no channel ID or email address, the message remains only in the CRM.

If a message came from a chat channel, the channel button in the upper-left corner of the reply box displays the current channel of the conversation and the status of each channel when the conversation opens. You can change the channel from there for subsequent messages.

If a message is to be sent from a messaging channel and the customer already has a channel conversation, a second conversation will not be opened: your message will be posted to that conversation; if the conversation is closed, it will be reopened, and the screen will take you to that conversation. In this case, the subject field in the form is not used.

If the message cannot be delivered

Even if the message doesn’t reach the customer, the conversation opens and the text you typed remains in the chat; you don’t need to retype it. The most common reason is WhatsApp’s 24-hour window: if the customer hasn’t messaged in the last 24 hours, WhatsApp only accepts approved templates. In this case, after the conversation opens, use the “Select Template” button in the reply box to send a verified template. On Instagram and Messenger, if the time since the customer’s last message has expired, the channel closes and messages cannot be sent until the customer writes again.

What You Need to Know

The selection you make in the "Status" field in the form is not applied at this time; a new session always starts in the "Open" status. To change the session to a different status, use the status button on the top bar after the session has opened.

Files you upload on this screen are not sent with your first message. If you need to send a file, add it from the reply box after the conversation has started.

If your workspace contains call attributes, the Attributes card appears on the right; however, the values you enter here are not saved when the call is created. After the call is opened, fill in the attributes by clicking Edit in the Call Attributes section of the Details panel.

You must have editing permissions for conversations to start a new conversation.

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