Blog · Teams
The shared WhatsApp inbox playbook: who replies, when, and how
Moving from one phone to a shared inbox is a big step up — but only if the team agrees how to work in it. Without a few simple rules, two people answer the same customer, or nobody does. Here’s a playbook you can adopt in an afternoon.
1. Decide how chats get assigned
- By topic: sales enquiries to sales, order problems to support.
- By owner: a returning customer goes to the person who handled them before.
- Round-robin: new chats are shared evenly in busy periods.
Pick one default and write it down. Automation can do the assigning for you.
2. One conversation, one owner
Once a chat is assigned, others leave it alone unless asked. If someone else needs to step in, they leave an internal note first. Customers should never get two different answers from the same business.
3. Use internal notes, not side chats
Discussing a customer in a separate group chat splits the context. Write notes on the contact instead — “prefers calls after 6pm”, “quoted ₹12,000 on 3rd” — so whoever picks it up next sees everything.
4. Agree on response-time targets
- New enquiries: first reply within 15 minutes in working hours.
- Existing customers: within the hour.
- Out of hours: an automatic reply that says when you’ll be back.
5. Build a library of quick replies
Price lists, delivery terms, payment details, directions — save them once, keep them up to date, and everyone answers consistently. Review the library monthly.
6. Close the loop
When a conversation is done, mark it resolved and tag the outcome (“ordered”, “not interested”, “follow up next month”). Tags turn your inbox into data you can act on.
7. Use roles and permissions
Not everyone needs to export contacts or send campaigns. Give agents what they need to reply, and keep sensitive actions with managers.
Putting it into practice with Clio
Clio’s shared inbox gives each teammate their own login on the same WhatsApp number, with assignment, internal notes, tags, quick replies and role-based permissions. Workflows can assign and route chats automatically, and analytics show response times by person.