Build a strong foundation
It only takes 30 minutes to set up Helpdesk, and it will save your brand so much time later on. A thoughtful setup ensures that every message finds its way to the right place, nothing slips through the cracks, and your team can respond quickly and consistently. Skipping or rushing these steps can create confusion later, while taking the time now will pay off with smoother workflows and better customer experiences. Your future self will thank you.
Set up email forwarding
Watch the video below to learn how to set up email forwarding so your support email is fully connected with Helpdesk.
Explore key features to streamline support
Helpdesk gives you tools to manage conversations with clarity. Use these features to control the flow of tickets, categorize issues, and respond faster.
Channels
Bring all your conversations into one place by connecting email, text messaging, WhatsApp, web chat, and even social channels like Instagram DMs. For example, a customer may email you about a missing item while another sends a quick question via text. With Helpdesk, both appear side by side in your Inbox: no more switching between platforms.
Ticket lifecycle
Each channel behaves slightly differently, and understanding this helps you manage expectations. For instance, text tickets reopen if a customer replies again, while each new web chat creates a brand new ticket. That means a chatty customer could generate multiple tickets in a day, but a text messaging subscriber will always be tied to a single ongoing ticket.
Inbox views
Views are filters that help you organize and prioritize tickets. Start with the default options like My Inbox (tickets assigned to you) and Unassigned (tickets waiting for ownership), along with team- and channel-specific views.
You can also build custom views to fit your workflow, such as a VIP Customers view to prioritize high-value clients, or an Urgent Issues view to surface tickets tagged with Returns or Shipping.
Tags
Tags are labels that keep your tickets organized. Helpdesk automatically applies tags like Returns or Shipping based on the ticket content. You can also add custom tags, such as Holiday Promo during busy sales seasons, so you can later analyze how many inquiries were related to that campaign.
Tags become especially powerful when paired with reporting, since they reveal common themes across your support conversations.
Macros
Macros save you time by letting you insert pre-written replies into tickets. Instead of typing out “Your order is on the way!” dozens of times, you can select a macro and personalize it instantly with personalization tags like {{first_name}} or {{order_id}}.
Organize your macros by categories, like Shipping, Returns, or Loyalty rewards, so you can quickly find the right response and keep your tone consistent across your team.
Set yourself up for success with Helpdesk
With your support email connected, the next step is configuring your workspace. These steps walk you through adding your team, customizing views, and enabling efficiency features so your setup is complete from day one.
Connect your channels
Make sure every customer message flows into Helpdesk. Forward emails from your support email address into Helpdesk so all customer replies land in one place.
Then, enable web chat in Customer Hub so site visitors can ask questions in real time.
If you use Klaviyo to send text messages to your customers, text messaging in Helpdesk is automatically integrated.
You can also enable WhatsApp and Instagram DMs as needed so that all of your support communications are in one convenient place.
Add your team
Decide who can see and respond to tickets.
If you're a solo operator, responding to a ticket will automatically assign it to you.
For small teams, choose how you'll distribute work:
- Round robin assignment distributes tickets evenly among the team.
- Team-based routing routes tickets based on segments and tags.
Organize your tickets
Set up your Helpdesk structure before your inbox fills up.
Create custom views to filter tickets by status, channel, or tag so agents can focus on what matters most. For example, you can create a VIP Customers view so that tickets from high-priority customers surface first and can be viewed in one place.
Tags can also be used for reporting, so think about what categories you want to report on as you create your tags. Make sure you only have one tag per topic (e.g., don't create 2 separate tags for Returns and Product returns). You can find automatic tags by navigating to Helpdesk > Reports and looking at the Tag performance report.
Taking time to define views and tags early will make your inbox easier to manage as volume grows.
Save time with macros
Build a few core macros before you start responding to tickets. Start small: 3-5 macros are enough to see an immediate impact on response times.
To create a new macro, go to Helpdesk > Settings > Macros and click Create macro.
Write clear, reusable responses to your most common questions (for example, order status or return policy).
Add personalization tags like {{first_name}} or {{order_id}} to make every message feel personal. You can use any profile properties in your macros, and you can also reference most properties about the customer's most recent order.
Stay on top of conversations
Manage open tickets with snoozing, internal notes, and auto-close.
Snoozing temporarily hides the ticket from your open messages for a set amount of time. For example, if you're waiting on warehouse confirmation, you can snooze a ticket for 2 days. After 2 days, you'll be reminded that it's time to readdress this ticket.
Use internal notes to communicate with or tag your teammates in particular tickets.
Enable auto-close to keep your queue clean by automatically closing tickets after a specific time of customer inactivity.