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This guide includes features awaiting release. If an option is not available in your workspace, contact StackShift Support.

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What you can do

Let customers reach your support team through a Telegram bot. Where to find it: Settings → Channels → Telegram.

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Before you start

  • A bot created through Telegram’s BotFather and its bot token.
  • Permission to manage integrations and an inbox for the messages.

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Steps

1
Create or select your bot in BotFather. Keep the token private; it controls the bot.
2
Create a Telegram channel in Support, choose the brand and inbox, and enter the token only in the protected setup form.
3
Verify the bot identity. If another service already receives its updates, decide whether to replace that webhook before confirming; replacing it affects that service.
4
Complete the readiness checks and activate the channel. Open the bot as a separate Telegram user, start the chat and send a message.
5
Reply from the Support inbox and confirm the user receives it. A bot cannot simply start a new private conversation with an arbitrary Telegram user.
6
For groups, add the bot and explicitly approve each group. Choose whole-group routing or only selected observed forum topics, then test the intended topic.

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Example

Customers open your @businesssupportbot, start the chat and ask a question. Your staff answer inside StackShift Support.

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Things to know

  • Telegram privacy mode affects what the bot receives in groups. The topic picker contains observed topics, not necessarily every topic in the group.
  • Unapproved groups and new unapproved topics are not routed. Group conversations are separate from private customer AI and private customer transcripts.
  • If you rotate the bot token, update the existing connection and test it again. Never post the token in a ticket.

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What happens next

Authorized bot messages reach your inbox and replies return to the correct chat or topic.

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If something goes wrong

  • Bot verification fails: check the token against BotFather and whether it was revoked.
  • Private messages do not arrive: confirm the customer started the bot and the channel is active.
  • Group messages are missing: check group approval, topic selection and Telegram privacy mode.

Support channels and message recovery

Connect supported inboxes, preserve message history, and recover interrupted delivery safely.