Choosing how Chatkit handles support requests

When the AI can't fully help a customer — or someone asks for a human — Chatkit needs to know what to do next. You choose this under Dashboard › Settings › Tickets, under "When the assistant can't help." There are three options.

Option 1: Direct them to your email

The chat shows a message asking the customer to email your support address. Simplest option — good if you already manage support entirely from an email inbox.

• Customize the message shown, or leave it blank to use the default with your store email.
• No new tools to learn, but conversations leave Chatkit and you lose the surrounding context.

Option 2: Send them to your existing support channel

The chat shows a button linking to your help center or a third-party support tool (Zendesk, Gorgias, Freshdesk, etc.).

• Set the destination URL, the button label (e.g. "Contact support"), and an optional message above the button.
• Best if your team is already committed to an external helpdesk.

Option 3: Use the built-in helpdesk (recommended)

Customers open a support ticket right from the chat, and you reply from your Chatkit Inbox — no external tool required. Tickets can also be created when customers email your support address.

Why use Chatkit's built-in support tickets?

• Everything in one place. The original chat transcript is attached to each ticket, so you have full context without switching apps or asking the customer to repeat themselves.
• AI does the heavy lifting. Generate an AI Draft reply with one click — written from your knowledge base, policies, and past resolutions, in your team's tone.
• It gets smarter over time. Resolved tickets can train your AI (see AI Training), so common issues get answered automatically in chat before they ever become tickets.
• Faster replies. Insert knowledge base articles, reuse saved templates (canned responses), and attach files directly in the reply.
• Team-friendly. Add internal notes, see each customer's contact and conversation history, and manage statuses together.
• No extra cost or tool. It's included — one less subscription and one less system to maintain.

You get a default support email address automatically. On eligible plans you can also add a custom email address so replies come from your own domain.

Which should you choose?

• Want the simplest setup and already live in email? Option 1.
• Already invested in an external helpdesk? Option 2.
• Want context, AI-assisted replies, and a system that improves your bot over time? Option 3 — the built-in helpdesk.