You can connect your custom channel app to help desk, allowing support reps to respond to incoming messages from their preferred messaging app and ensuring a unified customer experience.
Custom channels create a bridge between an external messaging service and HubSpot. If you use a messaging service that doesn't have a native integration with HubSpot, you can build your own custom channel and connect it via API. Once your custom channel and public app are set up, you can install them from the marketplace and connect it as a channel in help desk, enabling reps to manage conversations across all channels in one place. Learn more about creating custom channels.
In this article, learn how to connect your custom channel to help desk.
Before you get started
You’ll need to install the custom channel app. Ensure you have App Marketplace access and the necessary credentials for your custom channel app. Some apps may have specific instructions, so it’s recommended to check with the app documentation.
You must be a Super Admin to connect channels to help desk.
Connect a custom channel to help desk
In your HubSpot account, click the settingssettings icon in the top navigation bar.
In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
In the Ticket sources and routing section, click Channels.
Click Connect a channel, then select Connect a new channel.
Select your custom channel. Your app's name, description, and logo should appear. If your custom channel does not appear, ensure the channel is installed, or re-authorize the app with your HubSpot account.
Click Continue with [channel name].
In the pop-up window, provide your credentials. The parameters shown will be dependent on your channel configuration.
To set properties for new incoming tickets created from the channel, click Set ticket properties for this channel.
To assign tickets automatically, toggle the Automatically assign tickets switch on.
No one: incoming tickets will not be assigned to any team members.
Specific users and teams: assign incoming tickets to the users or teams selected. Select the users or teams from the Specific users and teams dropdown menu.
Contact owner: assign incoming tickets to a contact's owner. The contact must have an owner assigned to their record and be tracked with a cookie. If the owner is offline, the submission will be emailed to the visitor's owner.
Click Next.
Your custom app is now connected to help desk. You can connect another account, connect a channel, go to help desk or, click Done.
Respond to messages from custom channels in help desk
Any incoming messages to your custom app will appear in help desk, and support reps can reply in real time. Messages can create new threads, or be added to existing threads, depending on your app configuration.
Messages can include media audio files, voice notes, stickers, images, and videos. You will be notified when you receive a new message, but you can turn off these notifications in your settings.
In your HubSpot account, navigate to Workspaces > Help Desk.
Click the searchsearch icon in the top left and enter a search term to lookup a conversation generated via your custom app, and apply filters to narrow your search. For example, you can apply filters that segment out messages that originated from your connected custom app channel. Learn more about creating custom views.
In the left panel, click a conversation to open it. An inboxinbox icon will appear beside conversations generated from custom channels.
To view the ticket, click the ticket name.
In the right sidebar, use the contextual information about the associated ticket, contact, and past conversations to inform your response to the contact's inquiry.
To reassign the message, in the top left click the Ticket Owner dropdown menu and select a different user. Learn more about routing tickets in help desk. .
By default, your reply will be in response to the most recent message in the thread. To reply to a specific message, click the reply icon in the top right of the message.
In the reply editor, write your response:
Use the icons across the bottom of the editor to modify your text style, insert a link, add an image, or upload a file. You can also drag and drop files from your computer into the reply editor.
During the conversation, you may need to switch to email or call the contact. Click the Channel dropdown menu above the reply editor and select a different channel.
To send the reply, click Send. You can also reply and update the ticket status in a single action:
In the bottom right, click the dropdown arrow next to the Send button and select a ticket status. The ticket statuses of the ticket's current pipeline will show here.
If the selected ticket status is conditional, you'll be prompted to enter the required properties.
Once you've selected an option, the email will be sent and the ticket status will be updated.
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