Step 1: Set up the Inbox for your support team
Set up your custom email address so you can start sending emails from your own support address.
Auto-forward your own support emails (e.g. help@examply.io) to Intercom so you can manage all of your messages from the one place.
Assign incoming messages to the right teams and teammates.
Create macros to help you answer common questions your customers are asking again and again.
Step 2: Configure the Inbox to suit your needs
Check out this onboarding tour to familiarize yourself with the core features of the Inbox. You'll choose your language and theme (don't worry, you can always change your customization preferences later) and it's a great way to get your bearings.
Read our article on how to customize your inbox to suit you.
Decide to self-assign by replying or keep the conversation in the team inbox. Assignment preferences can be updated under Settings > Help Desk > Assignments > General.
Assignment preferences are teammate-specific (each teammate is in control of their preferences).
Step 3: Learn how to use keyboard shortcuts and Command-K
Learn how to use Command-K ⌘ K and you'll soon be blazing through conversations and performing your everyday actions faster without lifting your fingers off the keyboard. This might take some getting used to but it’ll soon start saving you valuable time.
Use direct shortcuts to the most popular actions, such as composing replies, inserting content, snoozing conversations, and moving between inboxes. Find a full list of available shortcuts here.
Want an interactive way to learn shortcuts? Click on Manage > Keyboard shortcuts from the left sidebar in the Inbox.
Step 4: Learn how to do bulk actions
To bulk assign/reply/close conversations, first select the checkboxes next to the conversations you want, and then click the "Assign", "Edit selection", or "Close" button that appears:
Select the pencil icon to bulk edit your conversations which will allow you to perform the following actions:
Send a Reply/Note (and insert a macro)
Assign to team
Assign to teammate
Add tag
Snooze
Close
Change priority
Custom Action (using API)
Add topic
If you have more than a handful of conversations that need to be updated and you don't want to manually select them, your best bet would be using the REST API and creating a loop over.
The REST API allows you to perform a number of bulk updates to conversations, including closing, replying, snoozing, and assigning conversations.
To perform any of these actions you will need a list of the conversation IDs for your chosen criterium. Directions for how to search for conversations using our API are located here.
As an example, the API request to close a conversation will look like this 👇
$ curl https://api.intercom.io/conversations/<id>/parts -X POST -H 'Authorization:Bearer <Your access token>' -H 'Accept:application/json' -H 'Content-Type:application/json' -d { "message_type": "close", "type": "admin", "admin_id": 5784329, "body": "Closed conversation because of X." }
Read our best practice guide to customer support.
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