This is the definitive guide for agents using SupportHQ. It covers every tool, every button, and every workflow you'll encounter when handling live customer conversations.
The Three Conversation States
When you open a conversation, you'll be in one of three states:
| State | What You See | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| Not joined | "View only — Join to reply directly to the customer" with an orange Join button | Read messages only. No sending, no replying. |
| Joined by you | Green "Live — you are in this session" indicator | Full access: send messages, upload files, record voice, use copilot, resolve, handoff, capture leads. |
| Locked by another agent | "Another agent is handling this conversation" with a lock icon | Monitor only. Wait for the other agent to transfer or delegate to you. |
To start helping a customer, click Join session. Only one agent can be active in a conversation at a time.
The Message Thread
Messages are visually distinct by sender:
- Customer — blue bubbles, right-aligned, with a user icon
- AI assistant — light gray bubbles with a bot icon
- Agent (you) — amber-tinted bubbles with a headphone icon, showing your name above the message
The thread supports rich content:
- Images — displayed as thumbnails. Click to open a full-size viewer.
- Voice messages — an inline audio player with play/pause, a seekable progress bar, and a duration display.
- Files — download links with a file icon and filename.
- Booking slots — a formatted card showing available time slots in a grid, with the date and source label.
- Markdown —
**bold**,*italic*, and[links](url)are rendered inline.
The Message Toolbar
The input area at the bottom has five tools, from left to right:
1. Emoji Picker
Click the smiley icon to open a grid of 45 emojis. Click any emoji to insert it into your message. The picker closes automatically after selection. Click the icon again or click outside to dismiss it.
2. File Upload
Click the paperclip icon to attach a file. Supports images, PDFs, documents, and more. After selecting a file, you'll see a preview above the input (thumbnail for images, icon for other types) with an X button to remove it. The file uploads immediately — you'll see a spinner while it transfers. Press Send to deliver the message with the attachment.
3. Voice Recording
Click the microphone icon to start recording a voice message. The icon turns red and a timer appears showing elapsed seconds ("Recording... 5s"). Click Stop to finish. The recording is automatically uploaded and attached to your message — press Send to deliver it.
The recording format depends on your browser (WebM Opus, OGG, or MP4). Voice messages appear as playable audio in the customer's chat widget.
4. AI Copilot Toggle
Click the sparkle icon to open the AI Copilot sidebar on the right. See the dedicated Copilot section below for full details.
5. Send Button
The amber Send button delivers your message. You can also press Enter to send. The button is disabled until you type something or attach a file. It's also disabled while uploading or recording.
Quick Replies (Slash Commands)
Type / in the message input to open the Quick Replies menu. This is the fastest way to send pre-written responses.
- Keep typing to filter —
/grefinds shortcuts starting with "gre" or titles containing "gre" - Arrow keys to navigate up and down
- Enter to insert the selected reply
- Escape to dismiss the menu
Each reply shows its /shortcut, title, and a preview of the content (first 80 characters). When you select a reply, template variables like {{visitor_name}} and {{agent_name}} are automatically replaced with real values.
If no quick replies exist, you'll see a message linking to Settings where Admins can create them.
The AI Copilot
The Copilot sidebar is your AI assistant while handling conversations. It reads the full conversation context and offers several tools:
Suggested Replies
The Copilot automatically generates 3 short reply suggestions whenever a new customer message arrives. Click any suggestion to insert it into your message input. Hit the refresh button to regenerate new suggestions.
Draft Full Response
Click Draft Full Response to generate a complete, detailed reply based on the entire conversation. The AI considers all messages, the customer's issue, and your knowledge base to craft a thorough response. The draft is inserted into your input — edit it before sending if needed.
Tone Rewriting
Already typed a message but want to adjust the tone? The Copilot offers four rewrite options:
- Professional — formal, business-appropriate language
- Friendly — warm, approachable, conversational
- Empathetic — understanding, compassionate, supportive
- Concise — shorter, to the point, no fluff
The tone rewrite buttons only appear when you have text in the input field. Click one and your message is rewritten in that tone — your original is replaced in the input, ready to send or edit further.
Sentiment Analysis
At the top of the Copilot sidebar, a sentiment indicator shows the customer's current mood:
- Positive (green) — customer is happy or satisfied
- Neutral (gray) — no strong emotion detected
- Negative (amber) — customer is unhappy or frustrated
- Frustrated (red) — customer is angry or very upset
The confidence percentage tells you how certain the AI is about its assessment. Sentiment updates automatically as new messages arrive.
Resolving a Conversation
When the issue is handled, click the green Resolve button in the panel header. This:
- Marks the conversation as resolved in the system
- Triggers the rating prompt for the customer — they see a star rating overlay in the widget
- Moves the conversation to the "Resolved" filter tab
- Hides the message input (you can no longer reply to a resolved conversation)
Capturing a Lead
Click the blue Capture Lead button to open an inline form. Fill in the customer's details:
- Email (required) — validated for format
- Name, Phone, Company, Message — optional, based on your Lead Form settings
- Custom fields — any fields your admin configured (dropdowns, text, etc.)
If the customer filled out a pre-chat form, their data is pre-populated. Click Save Lead to capture. You'll see a "Lead Saved" confirmation, and the lead appears in the Leads dashboard.
Handing Off a Conversation
Need to pass a conversation to a teammate? Two options in the panel header:
Transfer (Instant)
Click Transfer, select the target agent from the dropdown, optionally add a reason (max 200 characters), and click Transfer now. The conversation moves immediately — the other agent becomes the active handler and you're removed.
Delegate (Request)
Click Delegate, select the target agent, optionally add a reason, and click Send delegate request. The conversation stays with you until the other agent responds. They'll see a purple alert with Accept and Reject buttons.
If you're on the receiving end of a delegation, you'll see the pending request with the sender's name and reason. Accept to take over the conversation, or Reject to send it back.
Procedure Approvals
When an AI procedure reaches a step that requires agent approval (like processing a refund or creating a ticket), an amber approval card appears in the conversation panel. It shows:
- The procedure name and action description
- An expandable Context section showing all collected variables
- Approve (green) — the procedure continues executing
- Reject (red) — the procedure stops and the conversation escalates. You can add a rejection reason.
Below active approvals, a Procedure Log section shows the history of all procedure executions for this conversation, including step-by-step audit trails.
WhatsApp Conversations
WhatsApp conversations work identically, with one key difference: the 24-hour customer service window. You have 24 hours from the customer's last message to reply. If the window expires, you'll see an amber warning:
"Message saved but not delivered via WhatsApp. The 24-hour customer service window may have expired. Use a template message to re-engage."
Your reply is still saved in the thread — it just won't reach the customer's phone until they message again (reopening the window).
Real-Time Everything
The conversations page is fully real-time:
- Messages appear instantly as customers type — no refreshing
- "Needs agent" alerts pop up as toast notifications with a sound when a customer requests a human
- New conversations appear at the top of the list automatically
- Handoff events update the panel live (requested, accepted, rejected)
- Procedure approvals arrive as real-time cards
Tips for Agents
- Check "Needs agent" first — the orange badge shows customers waiting for a human. This is always your top priority.
- Use the Copilot for drafts — click "Draft Full Response" for complex questions. The AI reads the full conversation, so its drafts are context-aware. Edit slightly for your voice.
- Rewrite tone before sending — if you're unsure about your phrasing, type your message and use the Copilot's tone rewrite. "Empathetic" works great for frustrated customers.
- Quick Replies for repetitive messages — type
/for greetings, closings, and common answers. It's 10x faster than typing the same thing every time. - Voice messages for complex explanations — sometimes it's easier to explain something by talking. Record a quick voice note instead of typing a paragraph.
- Capture leads during good conversations — if a visitor is engaged and interested, grab their info with one click. Don't wait until they leave.
- Resolve promptly — resolving triggers the rating prompt. The sooner you resolve after fixing the issue, the more likely the customer rates while the experience is fresh.
- Delegate, don't abandon — if you can't handle a conversation, delegate it to someone who can. Never leave a customer waiting without action.
- Watch the sentiment indicator — if it turns red (frustrated), switch to empathetic tone and acknowledge their frustration before solving the problem.