Sticky Chat
Sticky Chat ensures that returning customers are automatically routed to the same agent they previously spoke with, creating continuity and building stronger customer relationships.
When a user is "sticky" to an agent, any new conversation they start will be automatically assigned to that agent (if available). This helps maintain context from previous conversations and provides a more personalized customer experience.
How Sticky Routing WorksWhen a sticky user sends a new message, the system checks if their assigned agent is available. If the agent is online and not at capacity, the chat is routed to them. If the agent is unavailable, the chat enters the normal queue and is assigned to another available agent.
How Users Become Sticky
Users can become sticky to an agent in two ways: automatically through bot settings, or manually through agent actions.
Automatic Sticky Assignment
Administrators can configure chatbots to automatically make chats sticky. When the Make chats sticky option is enabled in a bot's routing rules, any user who chats with that bot becomes sticky to the agent who handles their conversation. This is ideal for scenarios where ongoing relationships are important, such as account management or complex support cases.
Manual Sticky Assignment
Agents and supervisors with appropriate permissions can manually stick a user to any agent. This is useful when you want to ensure a specific customer always reaches a particular specialist or account manager.
Sticking a User to an Agent
You can manually assign a user to always be routed to a specific agent.
Stick User to Agent
Assign a user to always be routed to a specific agent for future conversations.
Steps:
- Open the user's profile by clicking their name in any user list, chat, or search result.
- Click the Actions dropdown menu.
- Select Stick User to an Agent.
- Choose the agent from the list that appears.
- Confirm your selection.
Result: The user is now sticky to the selected agent. A star icon will appear next to the user's name indicating their sticky status.
- Choose an agent who is regularly available to ensure consistent routing
- Consider the agent's workload before assigning sticky users to them
- Users can only be sticky to one agent at a time
This feature requires the UnStickUser permission.
Removing Sticky Assignments
Sticky assignments can be removed to allow chats to be redistributed through normal routing.
Unstick a User
Remove a user's sticky assignment so their future chats go through normal routing.
This feature requires the UnStickUser permission.
Steps:
- Open the user's profile by clicking their name in any user list, chat, or search result.
- Click the Actions dropdown menu.
- Select Unstick User.
- Confirm the action when prompted.
Result: The sticky assignment is removed. The next time this user starts a conversation, it will be routed through the normal queue to any available agent.
Unstick All Users from an Agent
Remove all sticky assignments for a specific agent (administrator action).
Steps:
- Navigate to Admin > Agent Status.
- Find the agent in the list.
- Click the Actions dropdown for that agent.
- Select Unstick All Chats.
- Confirm the action in the dialog that appears.
Result: All sticky assignments for that agent are removed. When those users next send messages, their chats may be routed to different available agents.
- Use this when an agent is leaving or will be unavailable for an extended period
- This action does not transfer active chats - it only affects future routing
- Consider transferring active chats separately if immediate handoff is needed
Identifying Sticky Users
Sticky users are clearly marked throughout the interface so you can easily identify their routing status.
Visual Indicators
Sticky users display a distinctive star icon and badge showing which agent they are assigned to:
| Location | Indicator |
|---|---|
| User lists (All Users) | Green star icon with agent name badge |
| User View panel | Green star badge showing the sticky agent's name |
| Waiting Queue | Star icon with agent name indicating preferred routing |
| Search Results | Green star badge with agent name |
Understanding Badge Colors
Agent badges use consistent colors to indicate different states:
| Badge | Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Green with chat icon | Chat bubbles | User has an active chat with this agent |
| Green with star icon | Star | User is sticky to this agent (for future routing) |
| Both icons visible | Chat + Star | User has active chat AND is sticky to different agents |
Best Practices
Follow these guidelines to get the most value from sticky chat functionality.
When to Use Sticky Chat
- Account Management - Assign key accounts to dedicated agents for personalized service
- Complex Cases - Keep users with ongoing issues connected to the agent who understands their situation
- VIP Customers - Route high-value customers to your most experienced agents
- Language Matching - Ensure users are routed to agents who speak their language
- Specialized Support - Connect users with technical issues to specialized support agents
Considerations
- Agent Availability - Sticky routing only works when the assigned agent is available; otherwise chats queue normally
- Workload Balance - Too many sticky users on one agent can create uneven workloads
- Agent Transitions - Remember to unstick users when agents leave or change roles
- Backup Plans - Sticky users may wait longer if their agent is busy, so consider response time expectations