Reply to a conversation

Replying is the single most common thing you’ll do in Atender. The flow is built for speed — keyboard-first, snippet-aware, and resolution-friendly so most replies double as the conversation’s resolution.

Open the reply editor

Three ways:

• Click the reply area at the bottom of the conversation — You’re already moused over the conversation
• Press Enter with the conversation focused — You’re navigating with the keyboard
• Click Reply on a specific message — You want the editor pre-populated as a quoted reply

The editor expands inline at the bottom of the conversation thread.

Compose your reply

Type directly. The editor supports rich text basics:

• Cmd + B — Bold
• Cmd + I — Italic
• Cmd + K — Insert link

For longer or repeated content, use a snippet: type / followed by the snippet shortcode, and the snippet expands inline with merge tags resolved. If the snippet includes file attachments, those files are added to the draft too.

/refund

→ expands to your “refund explanation” snippet with the customer’s name and order details auto-filled.

Choose how to send

Two send modes:

• Send — Cmd + Enter — Sends the reply, leaves the conversation Active
• Send and close — Cmd + Shift + Enter — Sends the reply AND marks Done in one action

Use Send and close when you believe the reply resolves the conversation. Most replies fall here — you’ve answered the question, given them what they need, the issue is handled. If the customer comes back, the conversation reopens automatically.

Use Send when you expect a follow-up — you’ve asked a clarifying question, sent step 1 of a multi-message exchange, or you’re not confident the issue is resolved yet.

When in doubt, use Send and close. Done is not terminal — the customer can always reopen by replying. Treating Done as the default keeps your Active inbox lean.

Channel-aware sending

Atender automatically uses the right channel for the reply:

• The customer wrote in via email → reply goes via email
• The customer wrote in via SMS → reply goes via SMS
• Web chat → web chat
• WhatsApp → WhatsApp
• And so on

For voice conversations, replying typically means a callback or post-call message rather than a real-time response. See Voice channel concepts.

Internal notes vs replies

The reply editor has a tab toggle: Reply (default — sent to the customer) and Note (internal only — visible to your team but not the customer).

Use notes for:

• Coaching the next agent who picks up the conversation
• Documenting context that doesn’t belong in the customer-facing reply
• Asking a teammate a question via @mention

Notes do not affect engagement state or trigger automation rules that key off outbound messages.

Adding attachments

Add attachments manually by dragging and dropping files into the editor or clicking the paperclip in the editor toolbar. Attachments can also arrive from an inserted snippet when that snippet includes files. Snippet-derived files behave like regular draft attachments: you can review them before send, and they are scanned and uploaded before the reply goes out. File size limits and type restrictions follow channel rules — email allows large files; SMS does not support attachments at all.

Send and watch what happens

After send:

• The conversation flips to Engaged (we replied; ball in customer’s court). See engagement state
• If you used Send and close, status flips to Done
• If you used plain Send, status remains Active
• Atender opens the next conversation in your queue automatically (configurable in your profile)

Common patterns

• Quick answer — Enter → type → Cmd-Shift-Enter
• Snippet-driven — Enter → /code → review → Cmd-Shift-Enter
• Multi-step — Send first message with Cmd-Enter, leave Active, customer replies, continue
• Need to wait — Reply, then Z to snooze with appropriate window

See also

• Keyboard shortcuts
• Mark Done or reopen
• Snooze a conversation
• What are Snippets?