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Start a new ticket and email a customer first

Write to a customer before they write to you. New ticket emails them from Hushdesk, and their replies land in the same ticket, assigned to you.

Last updated 2 min read

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Sometimes you need to write first: a delayed order, a missing address, a follow-up after a phone call. New ticket emails the customer from Hushdesk and keeps the conversation in one ticket.

Before you start

  • Who can do this: agents, admins and owners with a confirmed email address.
  • Plan: all plans.
  • What you need: the customer's email address, and a connected support email so the message goes out from your address.

Step by step

  1. Press New ticket at the top of the views rail, or press N.
  2. The dialog says: "Email a customer first. Their replies land in this ticket."
  3. Type the To address and, optionally, a Name (optional).
  4. Type a Subject, for example "About your order".
  5. Write the Message, or choose Start from a macro… and edit the text.
  6. Tick Keep it open (otherwise it waits on the customer) if you still have work to do.
  7. Press Send. A message confirms Ticket sent.

What happens next

Hushdesk creates the ticket, assigns it to you and emails the customer. It starts as Waiting on customer unless you ticked Keep it open. When the customer replies, the ticket reopens and their message joins it.

The delivery line under your message shows whether the email went out. See Check if a reply was emailed.

Good reasons to write first

  • An order will ship late and you want to tell the customer before they ask.
  • An address looks incomplete and the parcel may not arrive.
  • You promised on a phone call to send details in writing.
  • A product they bought has been recalled or updated.

Tips

  • Use a clear subject. It becomes the subject line in the customer's mailbox.
  • Start from a macro for common outreach, such as "Your order is delayed".
  • To write to someone already in Customers, you can also start from their profile. See Create a ticket for a customer.

Troubleshooting

"Confirm your email address first (Your account), then start new tickets."

Confirm your own email address, then try again. See Confirm your email address.

"Could not create the ticket"

Something stopped the ticket from being created. Check the address and try again.

"Viewers can look but not change tickets. Ask an admin for agent access."

Viewers cannot start tickets.

Frequently asked questions

How do I email a customer who has not written to us?

Press New ticket at the top of the views rail, or press n. Type their email, an optional name, a subject and your message, then press Send. Hushdesk emails them from your support address and creates a ticket assigned to you, so their reply lands in the same place.

What status does a new ticket start with?

Waiting on customer, because you wrote first and are waiting for their answer. Tick Keep it open (otherwise it waits on the customer) if you want it in the open views instead, for example when you still need to do something yourself.

Can I start a new ticket from a macro?

Yes. In the New ticket dialog, use Start from a macro… above the message to fill in a saved reply, then edit it before sending. Variables are filled where the dialog knows them, such as the customer's first name from the name you typed.

Why can I not start new tickets?

You need a confirmed email address on your own account first, because new tickets email any address you type and we want to know who is sending. Confirm it with the 6-digit code we emailed you, then try again. Viewers cannot start tickets at all, whatever their email status.

Does a new ticket create a customer?

Yes, if the email address is new to your workspace. Hushdesk creates the customer with the name you typed and links the ticket to them. If the address belongs to an existing customer, the ticket is added to their history alongside earlier tickets.

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