# Initiate New Chat

Learn how to start a chat with a customer using **3** methods.

If the contact has sent you a message, it will appear in your Inbox list. You can chat with the customer, transfer an existing conversation to yourself, or you can search for the target user's WhatsApp number and send a WhatsApp template.

## Respond to Customer Messages

When a customer sends you a message, you can reply immediately and start a chat conversation.

Through the filter on the left, the conversation list will display open conversations. Select one of the conversations, and the conversation window will expand on the right.

<figure><img src="/files/3X1BZzRSVATvREGV5piw" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Transfer the Conversation to Yourself

Click the prompt button in the chat box to transfer the conversation to yourself.

<figure><img src="/files/SzrYEKsVb9cuvp3cr4YD" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Start a Conversation with Any User

If you want to send a message to a contact that is not saved in your Inbox, you can search for them and send a WhatsApp template as the first interaction.

### Step 1: Enter the customer's phone number in the search box

<figure><img src="/files/lhqEcw8USjA1EMWv2839" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 2: Click the button below “+ Create a new conversation” to create a new session

<figure><img src="/files/NfAiwROG7a42BOKUJNs1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 3: Select the WhatsApp number to send to

After selection, click “Next”

<figure><img src="/files/aQC3b0AbL03MEr65wOlr" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 4: Choose the template to send

Quickly filter templates by category

<figure><img src="/files/qroum5vbhY9uZccQEHR6" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 5: Confirm the template content/set template variables

After confirming, click “Send”

<figure><img src="/files/JIelnzWz3ElKXe4RkXqX" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


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