Managing Conversation Status

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Understanding Conversation Status

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Status Types and Meanings

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New Inquiry

• Message is unread
• Initial contact from architect
• No team member has responded yet
• Indicates action is needed

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Processing Inquiry

• A team member is investigating the inquiry
• Gathering product information, pricing, or specifications
• Preparing a response
• Still working internally before replying

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Awaiting Reply

• Your team has sent a message
• Waiting for architect’s response or decision
• Conversation is active but waiting on external action
• Time-sensitive for follow-up

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Completed

• All questions answered
• Project details finalized
• Lead converted to a project or proposal
• No further action needed from the architect
• Transaction complete

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On Hold

• Awaiting architect’s project timeline
• Waiting for budget confirmation
• Architect requested to follow up at a later date
• Temporarily inactive
• Planned follow-up scheduled

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How to Update Conversation Status

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In the Conversation Thread

1. Open any conversation
2. Look for the Status button or dropdown (usually in the conversation header)
3. Click to reveal status options
4. Select the new status from the list
5. The status updates immediately
6. Status change is recorded in the conversation history

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From the Conversations Dashboard

1. Go to Conversations in the main navigation
2. Find the conversation in the list
3. Click the Status column or field for that row
4. Select the new status
5. Status updates without opening the full conversation
6. Return to list view to see the change

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Adding Status Notes (Optional)

1. Click the Status field
2. Look for an optional Notes or Comments field
3. Add context like “Awaiting project budget confirmation” or “Follow up March 15”
4. Save the status update

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Status Workflow Example

1. Architect sends inquiry
   → Status: New Inquiry
   ↓
2. Team member reviews and starts working
   → Status: Processing Inquiry
   ↓
3. Team sends response with product info
   → Status: Awaiting Reply
   ↓
4. Architect responds with follow-up questions
   → Status: Processing Inquiry (restart)
   ↓
5. Team provides additional details
   → Status: Awaiting Reply
   ↓
6. Architect confirms project and moves forward
   → Status: Completed

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Using Status to Stay Organized

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Filter by Status

1. Go to the Conversations dashboard
2. Use the Status filter on the left sidebar
3. Select one or more statuses to view
4. Focus on high-priority statuses like “New Inquiry” or “Awaiting Reply”

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Monitor Conversations at a Glance

• Total conversations in each status category
• Quick indication of workload by status
• Visual representation of conversation pipeline health

• New Inquiry: 3
• Processing Inquiry: 5
• Awaiting Reply: 8
• Completed: 24
• On Hold: 2

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Prioritize Work

1. Start the day by reviewing “New Inquiry” conversations
2. Assign new inquiries to appropriate team members
3. Move to Processing once someone is actively working
4. Monitor “Awaiting Reply” for follow-ups (older ones may need reminders)
5. Archive Completed conversations to keep dashboard clean

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Best Practices for Status Management

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Keep Statuses Current

• Update immediately when status changes
• Don’t skip steps — move through statuses in order
• Assign promptly when moving to Processing

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Manage “Awaiting Reply” Conversations

• Set reminders for 24-48 hours to follow up if no response
• Don’t let them linger — archive or move to On Hold if architect doesn’t respond
• Prioritize newer awaiting replies over older ones

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Handle “On Hold” Strategically

• Always set a follow-up date when putting conversations on hold
• Add a reason in notes (“Follow up after Q3 budget approval”)
• Review on hold list weekly to resume relevant conversations
• Don’t abandon — establish a process to revisit On Hold items

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Clean Up Your Dashboard

• Archive or complete old conversations regularly
• Aim for 0 “New Inquiries” by end of business day
• Keep “Awaiting Reply” count manageable (less than 10 per person)

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Team Coordination

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Status as Communication

• New Inquiry → “Someone needs to open this”
• Processing → “Already being handled”
• Awaiting Reply → “Waiting on architect, may need follow-up soon”
• On Hold → “Check notes for context when resuming”

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Handoff Between Team Members

1. When handing off a conversation:
   • Update status to reflect current stage
   • Add a note explaining what’s been done
   • Mention any critical details
2. New owner can see status and context immediately
3. Ensures continuity even when team members change

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Troubleshooting Status Issues

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Can’t Change Status

• Verify you have permission to edit this conversation
• Check if the conversation is archived or locked
• Try refreshing the page
• Contact your administrator if the issue persists

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Status Won’t Save

• Check your internet connection
• Try updating from the dashboard list view instead of the thread
• Wait a moment and refresh to verify it saved
• Try a different status to confirm functionality

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Uncertain Which Status to Use

• Just received message → New Inquiry
• Working on it now → Processing Inquiry
• Sent our answer → Awaiting Reply
• All done → Completed
• Pausing for later → On Hold

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Next Steps

• Conversations Overview — Manage conversations in the dashboard
• Best Practices for Architect Communications — Strategies for effective engagement