Channel switching — answer via email from a chat ticket

Ref: B09 · Track: Channels · Time to complete: ~3 min

Why this matters

Sometimes a chat starts, and halfway through, it's clear the rest of the conversation should happen by email — the customer is going into a meeting, the answer is long, the attachment is big. Zendesk lets you switch channels inside the same ticket without starting over.

When to switch

Switch chat → email when: - The customer is going offline and the chat would time out. - The answer needs a long written response with links, attachments, formal tone. - You need to loop in someone who isn't on messaging (e.g. legal). - The customer explicitly says "can you just email me?".

Don't switch when: - The chat is nearly done. Finish in chat. - The customer is on mobile and email is less reliable for them. - You're only switching to dodge the real-time pressure. Finish the job.

Pre-requisite: the customer needs an email on file

You can't email someone Zendesk doesn't know the email for. If the chat is unauthenticated and no email is attached yet, ask first:

"I'd like to email you the full instructions — what's the best email address?"

Update the user profile before switching.

How to switch

1. Open the chat ticket.
2. In the composer, click the channel selector (the dropdown showing "Messaging").
3. Pick Email.
4. The composer changes to email mode — you get a subject line, rich text, CCs, attachments.
5. Write your email reply.
6. Submit.

The customer receives an email with the content. The ticket timeline shows a chat stream followed by an email — all on one ticket.

What the customer experiences

• The chat widget shows: "The agent has sent you an email with the full answer."
• Their email inbox gets your message.
• If they reply to the email, the reply threads into the same ticket.
• If they open the chat widget again, they can see the email thread there too.

Gotchas

• Subject line is empty by default. Zendesk creates a chat ticket without a subject. When you switch to email, give it a subject — something useful like "Your account question — as discussed in chat today". Otherwise the customer gets an email called "(no subject)" which looks like phishing.
• Attachments that didn't fit chat now can. If you tried to share a 20MB file in the widget and failed, this is the time to attach it — email handles it fine.
• Formatting. Email composer has rich text. Chat doesn't. Keep the email concise even if you can now write longer.

Switching back to chat

You can, but usually don't need to. Once you've gone email, stay email — switching back tends to confuse the customer. If you do need real-time follow-up, just start a new chat.

Quick check — have you got this?

• You want to email the customer mid-chat but they're unauthenticated and you don't have their email. What first?
• You switch to email, send a reply, and forget to set a subject. What does the customer see?
• Does switching to email archive the chat part of the ticket?

Related articles

• B08 — Messaging: chatting with a customer in real time
• B10 — Chat macros vs email macros