Understanding Workflow Triggers in ControlHippo

The Workflow Builder in ControlHippo allows you to automate specific actions based on defined conditions. Triggers determine when and how a workflow should start.

Below are the different types of triggers available in ControlHippo, along with their descriptions and use cases.

1. Manual Trigger

Description:
This trigger allows agents to start the workflow manually whenever required.

Use Case:
 Use the Manual Trigger when agents need full control over initiating a workflow.
 For example:

• Sending a follow-up message after reviewing a chat.
  
  

• Escalating a conversation to another department.
  
  

• Triggering a post-chat survey or confirmation message.
  
  

2. First Message

Description:
 This trigger starts the workflow automatically when a customer sends a message for the first time.

Use Case:
Use the First Message trigger to create a welcoming or automated response when a customer initiates a chat.
 For example:

• Sending a greeting message such as, “Hi there! Thanks for reaching out — how can we help you today?”
  
  

• Assigning the chat to a specific team based on the message channel.
  
  

3. Widget Click

Description:
This trigger activates when a customer clicks on the chat widget on your website. 

Use Case:
 Use the Widget Click trigger to proactively engage customers before they send a message.
 For example:

• Displaying a welcome message like, “Hello! How can we assist you today?” immediately after they click the chat widget.
  
  

• Offering support or product recommendations based on page context.
  
  

4. Trigger on Chat Unresolved

Description:
This trigger starts a workflow when a chat’s status changes from Resolved to Unresolved.

Use Case:
 Use this trigger to automate workflows when customers reply to a closed conversation.
 For example:

• Automatically reassigning the reopened chat to the previous agent.
  
  

• Sending a message like, “We noticed you replied to a closed chat — how can we assist you further?”
  
  

5. Event-Based Trigger

Description:
This trigger starts a workflow when specific data or an event is received from an external system via a webhook.

Use Case:
 Use the Event-Based Trigger for system-to-system automation or third-party integrations.
 For example:

• When a CRM (like Zoho or HubSpot) sends a new lead notification, automatically start a conversation in ControlHippo.
  
  

• Sending order updates or reminders to customers when an event is triggered in another system.
  
  

Summary Table

Best Practice Tip

When designing workflows, start with “First Message” or “Manual Trigger” for common automations, and use “Event-Based Triggers” for advanced integrations with external tools.