Ostira

Leads and conversations

Take over a conversation and hand it back

Updated

Take over a conversation to write to the lead yourself. When you're done, hand it back, and Ostira answers the lead's next message.

Take over a conversation

  1. On Conversations, select the lead.
  2. At the top of the thread, select Take over.
  3. In the box that says "Write as yourself…", type your message.
  4. If a channel menu shows next to the box, choose Email or SMS.
  5. Select the send button (the arrow), or press ⌘ Enter (Ctrl Enter on Windows).

Take over only shows while the status is Ostira handling. After you select it, the status changes to Ostira paused · needs you, and Ostira stops replying on that thread. If Ostira was writing a reply when you took over, it doesn't send it.

Your messages go out as you, not Ostira, and each one gets the Fair Housing check before it's sent. Ostira stays paused until you hand the thread back.

Hand the conversation back to Ostira

  1. At the top of the thread, select Hand back to Ostira.
  2. Optional: in Note for Ostira, add anything Ostira should know, like "Prefers texts after 5pm".
  3. Select Hand back.

What happens next

Nothing is sent right away when you hand back. Ostira answers the lead's next message, and reads your note before it replies. It doesn't answer messages you already handled. If the lead doesn't write within 12 hours, Ostira sends a short check-in, as it does for any lead who goes quiet. Any suggested draft on the thread is dismissed, and the status goes back to Ostira handling.

Hand back to Ostira only shows while the status is Ostira paused · needs you. On a thread marked Qualified · handed to you or Gone cold, neither button shows, and Ostira doesn't reply there again.

If something goes wrong

  • "This message didn't pass the Fair Housing check": your message wasn't sent. Each flagged phrase is listed with a suggested rewrite. Change the wording and send again. See How the Fair Housing check works.
  • "Ostira is already handling this thread": the thread was already handed back, for example from another tab. Refresh the page.
  • The message box says the lead opted out of messages and replies are off: the lead is Do Not Contact, so nothing can be sent to them. See Do Not Contact and unsubscribes.

Was this helpful?

Still stuck? Email support@ostira.com.