Overview
Chariot gives you everything you need to communicate with customers — texts, emails, automated messages, and manual outreach — all managed from one place: the Messages Tab on each job.
This guide covers how texting and emailing work in Chariot, what's automated versus manual, and how to use the unified Messages Tab to stay organized and respond quickly.
The Messages Tab: One Inbox for Everything
As of May 2026, the Messages Tab brings emails and texts together into a single unified view on every job. You no longer need to check separate screens to piece together a customer's communication history — it's all here.
From the Messages Tab you can:
Search message content across all emails and texts on the job
Filter by channel (Email or Text), direction (Sent or Received), or source (User Initiated or Automated)
Send emails and texts directly using your saved templates
View and open attachments from past messages
Easily see which messages were sent automatically by Chariot versus manually by your team
Automated Messages
Chariot sends messages on your behalf automatically based on events in the job lifecycle. Common examples include:
Notifications when a visitor submits your web form
Estimate reminders
Booking confirmations
Each automated message in the Messages Tab shows a Reason field explaining what triggered it — so you always know why something was sent. Use the Source filter to view only automated messages and confirm what's already gone out before you follow up manually.
Manual Emails and Texts
You can send manual emails and texts to customers directly from the Messages Tab using your saved templates. Chariot includes default templates for key moments, and you can create custom templates for any scenario.
To update or add standard messages to your templates — such as service disclaimers or important policy notes — go to Settings > View Message Templates and edit the relevant template.
Two-Way Texting
Two-way texting lets you have real back-and-forth conversations with customers inside Chariot. When a customer replies to a text, their response shows up in the Messages Tab alongside everything else. Use the Direction filter to view only received messages and stay on top of incoming replies.
On the Texts screen, you can also use the Unread filter to jump straight to conversations with new customer replies — no more scrolling to find what needs attention.
Tips for Staying Organized
Check the Messages Tab before calling a customer to review the full communication history at a glance
Use the Source filter to avoid sending duplicate messages when Chariot has already sent an automated one
Filter by Received to focus on inbound replies that need a response
Review and update your message templates regularly to keep them accurate as your services or policies change
Test new templates by sending to yourself or a colleague before using them with customers
Summary
Chariot's Messages Tab gives your team one place to manage all customer communication — manual or automated, email or text. Use it to stay organized, respond quickly, and keep a clear record of every customer interaction.