Client chats belong to the business, not to whoever’s phone they’re on.
When an agent leaves, their WhatsApp leaves with them: every client, every open deal, every promise. inChat is being built around shared business numbers for SMS and WhatsApp, so the team answers together and the history stays when people change.
inChat is in early access. Features shown are in development.
- 1Decide which numbers the business owns
- 2Complete the channel registrations
- 3Tell clients where to reach you
- 4Assign owners, not phones
- 5Hand off with the history
Personal phones are where client history goes to disappear
It starts with convenience: “just text me.” A few years later, most client relationships live on employees’ personal phones. The owner can’t see them, nobody can cover a vacation, and a resignation means losing the thread with dozens of clients.
- 01
Staff leave, and so do the conversations
When someone moves on, their chats go with them. Clients text a number that no longer answers for the business, or worse, still answers for someone who now works elsewhere.
- 02
Nobody can cover
A teammate is sick or on vacation. Their clients keep texting their personal number, and nobody else can see or answer those messages.
- 03
Work and personal blur
Staff get client messages at dinner on the same phone as their family chat. Some like the responsiveness; most don’t like being always on, and the business has no say in how clients are treated.
Moving to a shared number, step by step
This is how we suggest teams make the switch. It works best done gradually, with clients told clearly where to reach you.
Decide which numbers the business owns
Pick one SMS number and one WhatsApp number (or one per location or team). These are business assets, registered to the company, not to a person.
Complete the channel registrations
SMS business texting in the US goes through A2P 10DLC registration; WhatsApp business messaging goes through the WhatsApp Business Platform. Both take some setup time, so start early.
Tell clients where to reach you
Send a short message from the personal phone: “From now on, please text us at this number; the whole team can see it.” Update your website, cards and signatures to match.
Assign owners, not phones
In the shared inbox, each conversation has an owner. Clients keep their usual contact person, but the business can see every thread and reassign when needed.
Hand off with the history
When someone is away or leaves, reassign their conversations. The new owner sees the whole history and the internal notes, and the client never has to explain things again.
An agent hands off clients at a small real estate team
Olivia messaged the same business number she always had. Kevin picked up mid-negotiation with Rachel’s full history, and nothing left the company with her.
Fictional business and sample messages.
The parts of inChat that matter here.
A shared inbox for business numbers
SMS and WhatsApp on numbers the business controls, in one inbox the team can see.
See the unified inboxReassign when roles change
Move one person’s conversations to someone else when roles change, with ownership shown on every thread.
How assignment worksHistory that stays
Every message and note on the contact’s timeline, regardless of who sent it.
See customer historyOne contact across channels
Link a customer’s SMS and WhatsApp identities to one record so the team sees one person, not two.
See contact management- Whether and how an existing number can be brought into inChat depends on the channel and provider. We’ll confirm options with early access teams; don’t cancel any number until you know.
- Old conversations on personal phones don’t move automatically. Plan for a transition period and tell clients the new number.
- SMS requires A2P 10DLC registration for business texting in the US; WhatsApp requires a WhatsApp Business Platform setup. Check with your provider; rules change.
- Be clear with staff about what is business communication and what isn’t. A written policy helps.
Shared business number: your questions.
What inChat is designed to do for shared business number, and what’s still being decided.
Ask us something elsePossibly, but it depends on the channel and provider. We haven’t published number porting details, so ask about your specific numbers when you request early access.
They’ll see messages from the business number instead of a personal one. Most teams send a short note explaining why: the whole team can now see and answer, so replies come faster.
Yes. Each conversation has an owner, so clients keep their usual contact person. The difference is that the business can see and reassign threads when needed.
Instagram DMs are planned next after launch and would connect to your business account. SMS and WhatsApp are the launch channels, both in development.
inChat is in development and offered through early access. Pricing isn’t published yet.
Other ways teams use inChat.
Lead response
Answer new inquiries while they’re still warm, including after hours.
ExploreLead qualification
Ask the right questions in chat, record the answers, and hand off cleanly.
ExploreSales follow-up
Follow up over SMS and WhatsApp, and stop the moment the customer replies.
ExploreChat to deal
Turn a conversation into a deal with fields and stages, without copy-paste.
ExploreMake every conversation count.
Join the early-access list to see inChat in action, help shape what we build next, and be first to know when your team can start.
- A walkthrough built around your channels
- Early look at pricing and plans
- A direct line to the product team