> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.crisp.chat/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Getting Started With Crisp for Customer Support *Learn how to set up Crisp for customer support, whether you are launching a new workspace or joining an existing team.* Crisp gives support teams one place to manage conversations, knowledge, customer context, routing, collaboration, and automation. The goal is not only to centralize messages, but to build a support setup that stays clear for your team, consistent for your customers, and easier to scale over time. __This guide is split into practical starting points:__ * [Customer support at a glance](#1-customer-support-at-a-glance) → what Crisp helps support teams centralize * [Set up a new workspace](#1-set-up-a-new-workspace) → the admin path for installation, channels, knowledge, routing, and AI * [Join an existing team](#1-join-an-existing-team) → the operator path for profile, habits, and Inbox tools * [Daily support habits](#1-daily-support-habits) → simple routines that keep support quality high * [Next steps](#1-next-steps) → useful resources to continue --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Customer support at a glance) Crisp can cover the main layers of a modern support stack: live chat, shared email, social messaging, knowledge base, routing, collaboration, customer data, workflows, and AI assistance. __Crisp can help support teams:__ * **Centralize conversations** → manage website chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Messenger, X, SMS, Line, Viber, phone integrations, and more from one Inbox * **Collaborate better** → assign conversations, add private notes, mention teammates, and keep context in one place * **Reply faster** → use shortcuts, knowledge base articles, routing, AI Tools, and Copilot when available * **Improve self-service** → publish a knowledge base and let customers find answers earlier * **Automate repetitive work** → use workflows, triggers, and Hugo for common questions, triage, and handoff * **Measure support quality** → use analytics, ratings, and conversation data to understand where support can improve You can follow the full guide from top to bottom, or jump to the section that matches your role. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Set up a new workspace) As an admin, your job is to prepare the backbone of the support system before your team starts handling volume. Start with the basics, then add structure and automation once the core channels work. #### ${color}[#445055](Watch the workspace setup tour) This video walks through the main admin steps: installation, channels, customization, teammates, and automation. ${youtube}[Crisp Setup Tutorial: From Installation to AI Automation (Full Admin Guide)](FJXQCXWf-Z0) #### ${color}[#445055](Install the Crisp chatbox) The Crisp chatbox lets website visitors start conversations with your team and access self-service resources when available. To install it manually, open [**Crisp**](https://app.crisp.chat), then go to **Settings → Workspace Settings → Setup & Integrations → Chatbox setup instructions**. Copy the script and add it to your website, usually inside the `` section or through the custom script area provided by your website builder. If your site uses a CMS, e-commerce platform, or JavaScript framework, use the platform-specific installation guide instead. This is often safer than pasting the generic script in the wrong place. __Useful installation resources:__ * [How to install the Crisp live-chat chatbox on my website](/en/article/how-do-i-add-a-live-chat-to-my-website-10wcj3l/) * [Crisp Live Chat](https://crisp.chat/en/livechat/) * [Crisp Web SDK](https://docs.crisp.chat/guides/chatbox-sdks/web-sdk/dollar-crisp/) || If you are not comfortable editing your website code, ask your webmaster or developer where custom JavaScript should be added. Crisp can guide you, but your own team usually needs to apply the change on your website. #### ${color}[#445055](Connect email and social channels) Website chat is only one part of support. Most teams also receive emails, social messages, and sometimes phone calls. Connecting these channels early prevents conversations from staying scattered across tools. __Common channels to connect first:__ * **Shared email inbox** → forward addresses like `support@company.com` or `contact@company.com` into Crisp * **Instagram DM and Messenger** → handle social messages from the same Inbox as chat and email * **WhatsApp Business Platform** → centralize WhatsApp conversations with your other support channels * **Phone integrations** → connect partners such as Aircall or Ringover when calls are part of your support process __Helpful channel guides:__ * [How to receive emails in Crisp](/en/article/how-to-receive-emails-in-crisp-wp7jug/) * [How to link Crisp with Instagram DM](/en/article/how-to-link-crisp-with-instagram-dm-14xg8xl/) * [How to link your Facebook Messenger pages to Crisp](/en/article/how-to-link-your-facebook-messenger-pages-to-crisp-1gbgm9d/) * [Connect WhatsApp Business Platform with Crisp](/en/article/connect-whatsapp-business-platform-with-crisp-11rcwkw/) * [How to connect Aircall with Crisp](/en/article/how-to-connect-aircall-with-crisp-5qq4k6/) * [How to connect Ringover with Crisp](/en/article/how-to-connect-ringover-with-crisp-r8u84t/) #### ${color}[#445055](Customize the chatbox) Once your main channel is live, customize the chatbox so it feels like part of your brand. Start with the basic appearance settings, then use advanced customization when you need deeper control over wording, colors, or languages. Open [**Crisp**](https://app.crisp.chat), then go to **Settings → Chatbox Settings → Chatbox Appearance**. From there, you can adjust theme, colors, welcome messages, layout, and advanced customization options depending on your plan. __Useful customization guides:__ * [How to customize the chatbox](/en/article/how-to-customize-my-chatbox-1hj537j/) * [How can I change the chatbox color?](/en/article/how-can-i-change-the-chatbox-color-1txcz7t/) * [How to change the chatbox position to the left](/en/article/how-to-change-to-chatbox-position-to-the-left-18gl9y0/) #### ${color}[#445055](Invite teammates and define availability) Invite the people who will answer conversations, then help them configure their profile, notifications, and availability. This keeps ownership clear and avoids customers seeing your team as online when nobody is actually available. Open **Settings → Workspace Settings → Operators and Teams** to invite operators. Each agent can then review **Settings → Account → Availability** and **Settings → Account → Notifications** from their own account. __Helpful team setup guides:__ * [How do I invite other agents to my Inbox?](/en/article/how-do-i-invite-other-agents-to-my-inbox-1rsgzkh/) * [How can I schedule when to be seen online/offline?](/en/article/how-can-i-schedule-when-to-be-seen-onlineoffline-kvso9a/) * [How do email notifications work?](/en/article/how-do-email-notifications-work-q3gel4/) * [How do I fix browser notifications settings?](/en/article/how-do-i-fix-browser-notifications-settings-1n3w8tk/) #### ${color}[#445055](Create your knowledge base) A knowledge base is one of the best support investments because it helps customers self-serve, gives agents articles to share from the Inbox, and gives Hugo stronger information when AI is configured. Start small. Write the articles your team repeats every day before trying to document every product detail. __Good first knowledge base topics include:__ * **Setup or installation guides** → useful when your product needs onboarding help * **Account and billing basics** → repeated questions customers ask before opening a chat * **Common troubleshooting steps** → quick fixes your team already explains often * **Policies and expectations** → refunds, returns, SLAs, availability, or support coverage * **Product feature explanations** → clear articles for the areas that generate the most questions __Helpful knowledge resources:__ * [How to use the Knowledge Base](/en/article/how-to-use-the-knowledge-base-i2tsm1/) * [How can I import my knowledge base from a previous provider?](/en/article/how-can-i-import-my-helpdesk-from-a-previous-provider-rpa7tv/) * [How can I format Knowledge Base articles?](/en/article/how-can-i-format-knowledge-base-articles-oiurpj/) #### ${color}[#445055](Set up routing, sub-inboxes, and customer data) As support volume grows, ownership becomes one of the easiest things to improve. Crisp lets you route conversations, separate work by team or brand, and attach customer data so replies stay contextual. This works especially well when you already know how your team wants to separate billing, technical, sales, VIP, and escalation conversations. __Useful structure resources:__ * [How does Operator routing & assignation work?](/en/article/how-does-operator-routing-assignation-work-qjl2d2/) * [How do I create a department routing Chatbot?](/en/article/how-do-i-create-a-department-routing-chatbot-11f6pij/) * [How to create and use sub-inboxes](/en/article/how-to-create-and-use-sub-inboxes-ke3xk7/) * [How to import my user data](/en/article/how-to-import-my-user-data-dcukz8/) * [Crisp REST API quickstart](https://docs.crisp.chat/guides/rest-api/quickstart/) * [How do I use the $crisp chatbox SDK?](https://docs.crisp.chat/guides/chatbox-sdks/web-sdk/dollar-crisp/) #### ${color}[#445055](Configure Hugo and AI support) Once your core setup is stable, use Hugo to automate repetitive support requests and assist your team more effectively. Hugo works best when it is trained on your website, knowledge base, Q&A snippets, and other reliable resources. Open [**Crisp**](https://app.crisp.chat), then go to **AI Agent**. Start with **Agent → Settings**, add resources in **Train**, test from **Evaluate → Playground**, and activate from **Agent → Activation** when you are confident. Agent-facing AI can also help day to day. Depending on your plan and workspace setup, your team can use composer actions such as **Predict**, **Rephrase**, **Fix grammar**, **Adjust tone**, and **Expand**, as well as Copilot for internal help inside the Inbox. __Good next reads:__ * [Getting started with Hugo AI Agent](/en/article/getting-started-with-hugo-ai-agent-w6gbux/) * [How to train Hugo AI Agent on your data](/en/article/how-to-train-hugo-ai-agent-on-your-data-ijkdrl/) * [Getting started with AI for customer service at Crisp](/en/article/getting-started-with-ai-for-customer-service-at-crisp-j6xa76/) --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Join an existing team) Joining an existing team is common with Crisp. If your company already uses Crisp, your first goal is to become comfortable with the Inbox and understand how your team expects conversations to be handled. #### ${color}[#445055](Watch the Inbox tour) This video gives a guided tour of the Crisp Inbox for new operators. It covers navigation, messages, files, collaboration, filters, shortcuts, knowledge articles, and reminders. ${youtube}[Getting Started with the Crisp Inbox (For New Operators)](k5HuG6fVZLc) #### ${color}[#445055](Set up your profile and notifications) Start by making your profile recognizable and ensuring you receive the right alerts. A clear avatar makes conversations feel more human, while correct notifications help you stay responsive without being overwhelmed. Open **Settings → Account** to review your profile, availability, and notifications. __Useful operator setup guides:__ * [How to edit my profile and add a profile picture](/en/article/how-to-edit-my-profile-and-add-a-profile-picture-eeezs4/) * [How can I schedule when to be seen online/offline?](/en/article/how-can-i-schedule-when-to-be-seen-onlineoffline-kvso9a/) * [How do email notifications work?](/en/article/how-do-email-notifications-work-q3gel4/) * [How do I fix browser notifications settings?](/en/article/how-do-i-fix-browser-notifications-settings-1n3w8tk/) #### ${color}[#445055](Learn how your team works) Every team has its own habits. Before answering a lot of conversations, ask your admin or team lead how the Inbox should be used. __Clarify these rules early:__ * **Assignment** → when to assign a conversation to yourself, another agent, or a sub-inbox * **Resolution** → when a conversation should be marked resolved and what to do if the customer replies again * **Segments and data** → which labels or custom data your team expects you to use * **Escalation** → which cases should move to billing, sales, support, success, or engineering * **Response expectations** → how urgent each channel or customer tier should be treated If your team uses segments to group users, read [How can I automatically set user segments?](/en/article/how-can-i-automatically-set-user-segments-oerdox/). #### ${color}[#445055](Use Inbox productivity tools) Most of your time will be spent in the Inbox. A few tools make daily support much faster. __Core Inbox tools to learn first:__ * **Shortcuts with `!`** → insert saved replies for common questions and keep answers consistent * **Knowledge articles with `?`** → search your knowledge base and send a relevant article directly into the conversation * **Private notes** → add internal context customers cannot see * **Mentions** → notify a teammate without exposing internal discussion * **Reminders** → bring a conversation back later when a follow-up is needed * **AI Tools** → draft, rewrite, expand, or correct replies when enabled for your workspace __Helpful daily-use guides:__ * [How can I use Shortcut replies?](/en/article/how-can-i-use-shortcut-replies-canned-messages-1bmff5q/) * [Keyboard shortcuts for your Crisp Inbox](/en/article/keyboard-shortcuts-for-your-crisp-inbox-1e7mg4k/) * [How can I preview my Knowledge Base articles before sharing them with visitors?](/en/article/how-can-i-preview-my-knowledge-base-articles-before-sharing-them-with-my-visitors-1xu6qem/) * [How do I use private notes and mentions?](/en/article/how-do-i-use-private-notes-and-mentions-54srwi/) * [How do Reminders work?](/en/article/how-do-reminders-work-q9ljb8/) #### ${color}[#445055](Escalate when needed) You do not need to have every answer yourself. When a conversation needs another department, leave a useful private note before assigning or mentioning someone. A good escalation note includes the customer's goal, what they already tried, the current blocker, any useful account data, and the next action expected from the teammate. This helps customers receive the best possible answer while keeping your team aligned. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Daily support habits) Once the workspace is configured, day-to-day quality usually depends on a few simple habits more than advanced setup. __Core habits to adopt early:__ * **Use shortcuts** → keep repeated answers fast and consistent * **Share knowledge articles** → send a help page when the answer already exists there * **Use private notes and mentions** → collaborate without exposing internal context to customers * **Escalate clearly** → reassign or mention the right teammate when another team should take over * **Keep customer data and articles up to date** → better context improves both human replies and Hugo results * **Resolve conversations intentionally** → keep the Inbox tidy without closing unresolved customer issues too early * **Review recurring questions** → turn repeated answers into articles, snippets, shortcuts, or workflows | Congratulations! Your Crisp workspace now has the foundations for scalable customer support. Keep improving one layer at a time: channels first, knowledge second, routing third, and AI fourth. --- # ${color}[#0080dd](Next steps) Once the basics are in place, the best next step is usually to improve one layer at a time instead of launching every advanced feature at once. __Helpful resources to continue:__ * [Crisp Shared Inbox](https://crisp.chat/en/shared-inbox/) * [Crisp AI](https://crisp.chat/en/ai/) * [Crisp Knowledge Base](https://crisp.chat/en/knowledge/) * [Getting started with Workflows](/en/article/getting-started-with-workflows-hrmysb/) * [How do I scale high volumes of support inquiries?](/en/article/how-do-i-scale-high-volumes-of-support-inquiries-18why88/)