How do I connect my bookstore's chat to other software?

Chatref’s custom actions let you collect information from customers right in the chat—order numbers, return requests, event RSVPs—and then send that data to your other software. For example, a custom action can trigger an email to your fulfillment team or push a ticket to your helpdesk. Because Chatref grounds its answers in your store’s own content, the action flows happen inside a conversation that already knows your inventory, policies, and FAQs, not from a generic bot. Setting up a custom action is a matter of defining what to ask and where to send it, all from the Chatref dashboard.

The shared inbox in Chatref lets your team see live conversations and step in when needed, without switching platforms. You can forward chat threads to email, Slack, or any other tool your bookstore already uses—simply configure forwarding rules that match your workflow. This way, complex customer issues can be escalated to a team member who picks up the same thread in their preferred support software, complete with the full chat history and tags that provide context.

Conversation tags automatically label chats based on what customers ask—like “order status,” “returns,” or “book recommendations.” You can then route tagged conversations to specific workspaces that mirror your team’s structure: an online orders workspace, an in-store events workspace, and so on. Workspaces keep everything separated and organized, so your ecommerce team isn’t wading through chats meant for the book club. Tags and workspaces together streamline your processes, helping you integrate chat with apps used in different parts of your bookstore business.

Imagine a customer asks about a delayed shipment. The Chatref chatbot, trained on your store’s shipping policies, answers with the latest update. Simultaneously, a custom action captures the order ID and triggers an email to your inventory system. The conversation is tagged “shipping delay” and lands in the fulfillment workspace’s shared inbox. A team member sees the tag, jumps into the same chat thread directly from their helpdesk interface, and resolves the issue—all without switching apps or losing context.

How do I connect my chat to other bookstore tools?

Use custom actions in Chatref to capture details in-chat and push them to your existing tools like email, helpdesk, or order management systems. The shared inbox can then forward threaded conversations to any support software your team uses, ensuring everyone stays in sync.

What’s the best way to automate workflows from chat?

Set up custom actions that trigger real-time data sends based on what a customer says. For instance, when a chat mentions a return, the action can create a ticket in your support tool or send a notification to your warehouse. Combine this with conversation tags to automatically categorize and route the workflow.

Can I streamline my support processes with integrations?

Yes. Conversation tags categorize chats by topic, and workspaces let you assign those tagged conversations to the right team. This structure means each team only sees the chats they need to handle, reducing noise and making it easier to manage support across different bookstore functions—all integrated with the tools you already use.

How do I set up a shared inbox for my team?

In your Chatref dashboard, navigate to the workspaces section and create a workspace for your team (e.g., “Customer Support”). Then, under the shared inbox settings, add team members who will monitor and respond to chats. You can configure forwarding rules to push copies of threads to email or other apps, so everyone can work from their preferred environment.