> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.contiple.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.contiple.com/eng/getting-started/chat.md).

# Chat Handling

You can start a 1:1 chat session with customers through a separate service that includes a Help Center or a Chat Widget.

***

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**Wait! Please check your contract.**

This feature is available after you enable Chat in the contract details of the service you are currently using.
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### Set agent permissions

1. Go to \[Service Management] → \[Agents] and grant chat permissions to the agents who will handle chat support.
2. Go to \[Service Management] → \[Agents] → \[Allocation Control] and enable assignment permissions for the agents.
3. Check that the chat widget appears in the bottom-right corner of the Contiple Office screen.<br>
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### Create a queue

* Go to \[Service Management] → \[Operation Settings] → \[Queue Management] to create and enable a queue.
* Go to \[Service Management] → \[Operation Settings] → \[Queue Assignment] and assign the agents set up in Step 1 to the queue you created.
* For details, see the Operation Settings guide.<br>
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### Set business hours

* Go to \[Service Management] → \[Operation Settings] → \[Business Hours] and set the business hours for the chat support channel.
* The business hours you set are applied to your service's web chat immediately.<br>
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{% step %}

### Set up the chat environment

* Go to \[Service Management] → \[Chat] to configure the settings for running chat support. Saved settings are applied to your service's web chat immediately.
* For details, see the Chat guide.<br>
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{% step %}

### Handle chats

* Click the agent chat widget in Contiple Office to open the agent screen, then set your status to Online.
* When a customer starts a chat, the chat widget on the agent screen blinks. Click the widget to open the chat support screen, where you can see waiting chats.
* Review the inquiry, then click \[Start] in the top-right corner to begin the conversation.
* A ticket is created automatically when the conversation starts. You can edit ticket details or process the ticket from the right sidebar of the agent screen.
* If another agent needs to take over the chat, click the arrow next to \[Start] to transfer it.
  * The receiving agent must belong to the service where the chat came in, have chat permissions, and be Online.
  * Customers cannot see whether a chat has been transferred.
* Chats transferred to you by another agent appear in the \[On Hold] tab. Review the inquiry, then click \[Resume] to continue the conversation.<br>
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