The WhatsApp inbox
Working the three-column inbox: conversations, the thread, and the customer panel.
The Messages tab is your team's WhatsApp inbox. It has three columns: your conversations on the left, the open chat in the middle, and everything you know about that customer on the right. Whether a chat is handled by the AI or by you, it all lives here.
The three columns
On a phone, the list and the thread stack: tap a conversation and the chat slides in with a Back button. The customer panel is shown on larger screens.
The conversation list
The left column lists every WhatsApp conversation, newest activity first. Each row shows the customer's name (or their phone number if you have not named them yet), a preview of the last message, and the time. Your own replies are marked with a small "You:" in the preview. A blue badge shows the number of unread messages.
Search and filter
Use the search box at the top to find a chat by name, phone number, or message text. Below it are quick filters:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| All | Every conversation in your inbox. |
| Unread | Conversations with messages you have not opened yet. |
| Needs youAct on these | Chats waiting on a human: the AI handed one over, a customer asked for a person, or a draft is waiting for your review. |
| AI | Conversations the AI agent is currently handling or drafting for. |
If you use tags, a "Filter by tag" menu lets you narrow the list to one or more tags. Learn more in Quick replies and tags.
Start with Needs you
The "Needs you" filter is the fastest way to triage. It surfaces only the chats that actually need a person, so nothing important slips past while the AI handles the rest.
Each row also carries two visual cues. A colored ring around the avatar shows where the customer sits in your funnel, from a first inquiry through to a confirmed booking. A small corner icon shows who owns the chat right now: the AI handling it, the AI drafting for you, or you in control. See Agent modes and human handoff for what each mode means.
The thread
The middle column is the live chat. Opening a conversation marks it as read and sends a read receipt back to the customer, so they see their last message turn to blue ticks.
Read receipts and typing
Messages you send show their delivery status, just like WhatsApp on your phone:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Clock | Sending. |
| Single grey tick | Sent to WhatsApp. |
| Double grey ticks | Delivered to the customer's phone. |
| Double blue ticks | Read by the customer. |
| Red icon | The message failed to send. Tap to see why. |
When you start typing, the customer sees a "typing" indicator on their side. When the AI agent is composing a reply, you see a small "AI is replying" bubble in the thread so you know not to step on it.
Replying
Open the conversation
Pick it from the list. The thread loads and scrolls to the latest message.
Write your reply
Type in the box at the bottom. Press Enter to send, or Shift + Enter for a new line.
Add emoji, media, or a voice note
Use the paperclip to attach a photo, video, or document, the smile icon for emoji, or the mic to record a voice note. See Sending media.
Use a saved reply
Tap the quick-reply icon to drop in a saved snippet instead of typing from scratch. See Quick replies and tags.
The 24-hour window
WhatsApp only lets you send a free typed reply within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, the composer asks you to send an approved template to re-open the chat. The same applies when you start a brand-new conversation. See Templates and the 24-hour window.
Typing pauses the AI
If the AI is handling a chat on its own and you start typing a reply, MAZZA pauses the AI and hands you control so your message and the AI's do not collide. You can hand the chat back any time from the mode badge at the top of the thread.
The customer panel
The right column shows who you are talking to and their history, all without leaving the inbox. It includes:
- The customer's name and phone number, with totals for their bookings and calls.
- Their current funnel stage and any booking details the AI has collected so far.
- Tags you have added to the conversation.
- Notes: a private space for context like "Prefers SUVs" or "Always pays on pickup." Notes save automatically as you type and are never shown to the customer.
- Recent bookings and recent calls, each one clickable for the full detail.
- A link to open the customer's full record in your CRM.
If a chat is from someone not yet in your contacts, an "Add to contacts" button lets you name and save them on the spot.
At the bottom of the panel you can Archive a chat to clear it from your active list, or Delete it to remove it permanently from your inbox. Deleting does not remove the chat from the customer's phone, and if they message again a fresh conversation starts.
Linked records save you clicks
Because calls and bookings are linked to the contact, you can see a customer's whole story, every call they made and every booking they hold, right next to the chat you are answering.
Related pages
Last updated June 2026