Note: This feature will be available from December 20th, 2023.


Note: If you're looking for the Slack integration that lets you respond to customers and directly from Slack — please switch over to this article.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Efficient customer support is essential for any business, and integrating the conversational support capabilities of Freshworks and Slack platforms can significantly enhance your customer service capabilities. This integration allows agents to collaborate seamlessly with Slack users, offering real-time assistance without needing agents to be part of Slack workspaces. In this article, we'll walk you through setting up the integration and using it effectively to enhance your customer support operations.


How does the Slack integration with Freshworks (for Sales and Support) work?

The Freshchat and Slack integration empowers your agents to collaborate privately with Slack users on both private and public channels directly from the Freshchat Inbox. Here are the key features:

  • Agents do not need to be members of the Slack workspace or channels to send messages to Slack users.

  • Slack users do not require access to Freshworks products to collaborate with agents.




Getting started with the integration:


Inside Freshchat or the CS Suite

  • Navigate to Admin settings > Threads > Connect under the Slack integration section.


  • You'll be prompted to complete an OAuth handshake process. This is to grant the necessary permissions for integrating with Slack.


  • After successfully granting permission, you'll be automatically redirected to the Freshworks app (for Sales and Support) within the Slack Marketplace.


Inside Slack

  • In the Freshworks app on the Slack Marketplace, navigate to Settings.

  • Input your Freshworks account domain and the API key, which can be found in your Freshworks profile settings.


  • Once you've filled in the domain and API key, select 'Connect.'

  • You will receive a notification confirming a successful connection. Once the connection is established, the Slack Marketplace will promptly confirm the successful integration, making it effortless for you to move forward. 


Note: Please note that successful integration can only be performed by an account admin on both Freshworks and Slack Workspace.


How to configure the app?

Once you've installed the Slack app, configure it for your specific needs:

  • Open the Slack channel where you want your agents to be able to tag messages directly from the Inbox.

  • Click the drop-down menu next to the channel name to reveal the options.

  • Switch to the 'Integration' tab within the drop-down menu.

  • Select 'Add an App' to begin the integration process.


  • In the list of available apps, search for the 'Freshworks' app and add it to the desired Slack channel.



  • Repeat this process for all the channels you want to enable agents to tag from the Team Inbox. 


Note: This feature is only available for Slack Public Channels and does not include Slack Connect channels from external workspaces.


How can I collaborate with Slack users?

  • As an agent if you need help from your team for a particular conversation, you can use Slack from a private thread.


  • Create a private note and enter a hashtag (#) followed by the name of the Slack channel you want to tag within the Private Note. You can also summarize the entire conversation using Freddy AI. This will enable your team on Slack to get the full context of the conversation even if they don't have access to the conversation on Freshchat.


  • Type your message and hit the 'Send' button. This will create a Slack Private Thread within the tagged Slack channel.


  • When Slack users respond to your message within the Slack Private Thread, their replies will appear within that thread, allowing you to continue the conversation seamlessly.


  • These responses will get added as private notes to the same thread in the Team Inbox.


  • You can then choose, copy, and paste the responses from the private note into your reply editor — and rephrase it before sending it to your customers.


Note: You can tag only one Slack channel through Private Note but can create multiple Slack Private Threads. The limit for #mention pop-up is up to 100 channels.


  • If a Slack channel is archived, or deleted, or if the Freshworks app is removed from the Slack channel, conversations in Slack Private Threads will be destroyed. If Slack users delete their replies, the corresponding messages will also be deleted in Slack Private Threads.


Managing Attachments

  • Agents can not send attachments from Private Notes to Slack channels. However, any attachments sent from Slack will be converted into links that will appear in the private threads. Any agents clicking these links will be redirected to the respective Slack channel to view the attachments. 


Note: Agents must have access to the Slack Workspace to access and view these attachments. If the channel is private and the agent is not part of it, they will not be able to view the attachment.


How can a Slack user configure the Freshworks app (for Sales and Support)?

To receive messages from agents on Slack, the Freshworks app on their Slack account. Here's how they can do it:

  • Navigate to Apps > Manage > Browse Apps in Slack.

  • Search for the Freshworks app > Settings.

  • Enter the API key from your Freshworks profile settings page.



How can Slack users respond to messages from the Team Inbox?

When an agent adds a private note and tags a Slack channel, Slack users can respond to the message if they are part of the channels where the Freshworks app is installed. Here are the steps:

  • Before Slack users can respond to messages from agents, they must ensure they are part of the relevant Slack channels where the Freshworks app has been integrated. This ensures that they can receive messages and notifications from agents in real time.

  • Once Slack users are part of the channels integrated with the Freshworks app, they will receive notifications when agents send messages. These notifications contain essential information, including:

    • The agent's name: This helps Slack users identify the agent who initiated the conversation.

    • The message: The message content sent by the agent.

    • A link to the chat conversation: This link directs Slack users to the specific chat conversation for quick access.

    • Customer contact information: Slack users will also have access to the customer's contact information, which can be crucial for addressing their inquiries effectively.


  • To converse with the agent, Slack users can hover over the Slack message, select ‘Reply in thread’ type the message, and send their responses. This creates a seamless back-and-forth communication channel. 


Note: Replies sent outside of the initial message will not be delivered to the agent. It is recommended that Slack users always respond within the message provided, as this is the designated channel for communication with the agent.