Summary
Assigning chats to the same agent who previously assisted a customer helps create a smoother and more consistent support experience. In Wati, you can automate this by creating a rule that routes returning conversations to the last agent who handled the chat.
This guide explains how to set up an automation rule that automatically assigns new incoming chats to the last assignee (excluding bots). This ensures customers can continue their conversation with the same support agent whenever possible.
Instructions
Why use this feature?
Maintaining continuity in customer conversations improves both efficiency and customer satisfaction.
By automatically assigning chats to the last agent, you can:
Provide a more personalized experience for returning customers
Allow the same agent to continue the conversation with full context
Reduce repeated explanations from customers
Improve support efficiency for your team
Steps to assign chats to the last assignee
Follow these steps to create the automation rule.
1. Navigate to automation rules
Log in to your Wati account.
Go to Automation.
Select Rules from the left menu.
Click + Create Rules.
Enter a clear name for the rule.
For example: Route chat to last assignee.
2. Set the trigger
Next, configure the event that will start the automation.
Under Incoming message-based triggers, select New WhatsApp message is received.
This trigger ensures the rule runs whenever a new WhatsApp message is received.
3. Add filters
Filters define when the rule should apply.
Click Add a Filter.
Add the following conditions:
Contact initiates a new chat
No keyword(s) matches
The No keyword(s) matches condition ensures that keyword-based automations do not override this rule.
4. Configure the action
Now define what should happen when the rule is triggered.
Click Add an Action.
Choose the following settings:
Action Type: Route chat
Routing Option: To last assignee (non-Bot)
This ensures the chat is routed to the last human agent who handled the conversation, excluding bots.
5. Save and activate the rule
Review the rule configuration.
Click Save.
Make sure the rule is turned On.
Once saved, the rule will automatically assign new chats to the previous agent whenever possible.
Important note
This routing rule works only if the conversation is within the 24-hour WhatsApp messaging window.
After setting up this rule, returning customers will be routed to the same agent who previously assisted them, helping maintain continuity and improving the overall support experience in Wati.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Routing chats to the last agent in Wati
1. What does assigning chats to the last assignee mean in Wati?
Assigning chats to the last assignee in Wati means automatically routing a returning customer’s conversation to the same human agent who previously handled the chat, excluding bots.
2. Why should chats be assigned to the last agent who handled the conversation?
Assigning chats to the last agent helps maintain continuity in customer conversations. It allows the same agent to continue the discussion with full context, reduces repeated explanations from customers, and improves support efficiency.
3. What benefits does routing chats to the last agent provide?
Routing chats to the last agent can:
Provide a more personalized experience for returning customers
Allow the same agent to continue the conversation with full context
Reduce repeated explanations from customers
Improve support efficiency for the support team
Configuring automation rules for last assignee routing
4. Where can you create a rule to route chats to the last assignee in Wati?
To create a rule that routes chats to the last assignee, log in to the Wati account, go to Automation, select Rules from the left menu, and click + Create Rules to start configuring the rule.
5. What trigger should be used to route chats to the last assignee?
To route chats to the last assignee, select the trigger New WhatsApp message is received under incoming message-based triggers. This ensures the rule runs whenever a new WhatsApp message is received.
6. What filters should be added to the rule when routing chats to the last assignee?
When configuring the rule, add the following filters:
Contact initiates a new chat
No keyword(s) matches
These filters ensure the rule runs only when a new chat is initiated and prevents keyword-based automation rules from overriding the routing rule.
7. What action should be configured to route chats to the previous agent?
To route chats to the previous agent, configure the action Route chat and select the routing option To last assignee (non-Bot). This routes the conversation to the last human agent who handled the chat.
Limitations and conditions
8. When does the last assignee routing rule work in Wati?
The last assignee routing rule works only if the conversation occurs within the 24-hour WhatsApp messaging window. If the message is outside this window, the rule will not apply.