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Learn how to start a chat with a customer using 3 methods. If the contact has sent you a message, it will appear in your Inbox list. You can chat with the customer, transfer an existing conversation to yourself, or you can search for the target user’s WhatsApp number and send a WhatsApp template.

Respond to Customer Messages

When a customer sends you a message, you can reply immediately and start a chat conversation. Through the filter on the left, the conversation list will display open conversations. Select one of the conversations, and the conversation window will expand on the right.
Full Inbox with navigation, conversation list, customer message and reply

Select a customer conversation to view its history and reply in the message box.

Transfer the Conversation to Yourself

Click Assign to me above the message box to transfer the conversation to yourself.
Full Inbox with an unassigned conversation and Assign to me action

Click Assign to me above the message box to take ownership of an unassigned conversation.

Start a Conversation with Any User

If you want to send a message to a contact that is not saved in your Inbox, you can search for them and send a WhatsApp template as the first interaction.

Step 1: Search for the customer’s phone number

Click the search icon beside Conversation, select Contact, and enter the phone number.
Full Inbox with contact phone search

Open Contact search and enter the customer phone number.

Step 2: Click the button below “+ Create a new conversation” to create a new session

Create a new conversation below contact search results

Click Create a new conversation below the search results.

Step 3: Select the WhatsApp Business Number to send from

Select your sending number, then click Next.
Full Inbox with recipient and WhatsApp Business Number dialog

Enter the recipient and select your WhatsApp Business Number.

Step 4: Choose the template to send

Search by template name or body, or filter templates by category, language, or creator.
Full Inbox with approved template search results

Search for an approved template and filter by category or language.

Step 5: Confirm the template content/set template variables

Check the preview and variable values, then click Send.
Full Inbox with template variables and message preview

Set the template variables and review the message before sending.