Configuring Channels
To configure channels for a team:- Navigate to your team in Serval
- Click … next to the team name
- Select Channels
- Enable and configure your preferred channels
Available Channels
Slack
Private DM experience with your branded help desk agent. Employees can message directly, use slash commands, or post in designated help channels.
Microsoft Teams
Submit requests directly in Teams. Employees can chat with the Serval bot or use designated help channels.
Accept requests via email. Configure in Settings → Channels → Email to set up your support email address. Customize auto-response messages per team or disable them entirely.
Web Portal
Automatically available at app.serval.com. Employees can log in and submit tickets directly.
Phone
Voice-based support for employees who prefer to call. Serval transcribes and creates tickets from phone conversations.
Channel Comparison
| Channel | Best For | Setup Required |
|---|---|---|
| Slack | Organizations already using Slack; quick, conversational support | Connect Slack integration |
| Microsoft Teams | Organizations using Microsoft 365; seamless Teams experience | Connect Microsoft Graph integration |
| Traditional support workflows; external users | Configure email forwarding | |
| Web Portal | Self-service; users without Slack/Teams access | None (automatically available) |
| Phone | Urgent issues; users who prefer voice | Configure phone integration |
Recommended Setup
For Most Organizations
- Primary channel: Slack or Microsoft Teams (based on your company’s main communication tool)
- Secondary channel: Web portal (always available as a fallback)
- Optional: Email for users who prefer traditional support requests
Multi-Channel Strategy
You can enable multiple channels simultaneously. Serval routes all requests to the same ticketing system regardless of how they’re submitted, so your agents see everything in one place.Email Configuration
Custom Auto-Response Messages
Customize the auto-response message that employees receive when they submit a ticket via email. Each team can have its own auto-response message, so different support teams can provide context-specific confirmations. To configure: Navigate to Team Settings → Channels → Email and edit the auto-response template.Disabling Email Auto-Responses
If you prefer that Serval create tickets from incoming emails without sending an immediate acknowledgment, you can toggle off automatic email responses per team. This is useful for teams that want to respond manually or where auto-responses could be confusing.Email Reply Threading
Serval intelligently recognizes and threads email replies, even when someone is added via CC. This means:- Replies to automated email confirmations are threaded back to the original ticket
- Users added via CC can reply directly and their messages appear in the correct ticket conversation
- No duplicate tickets are created from email replies
Automatic CC Handling
Serval automates CC management for email-based tickets:- Outbound emails — All ticket subscribers are automatically CC’d on outbound email messages from the ticket
- Inbound CC replies — When someone replies to a ticket email via CC, they are automatically added as a ticket subscriber
Slack Channel Options
Team Inbox
A private Slack channel where all tickets created for your team appear for triage. Two modes are available:- Team Inbox — All tickets for the team appear in this channel
- Team Inbox on Escalation — Only tickets that are escalated to a human agent appear in this channel
Private Internal Notes with Lock Emoji
In team-only help desk channels, you can send a private internal note by adding the lock emoji (🔒) to your message. Messages marked with the lock emoji are visible only to team members and are not shared with the ticket requester.
Manual Escalation from Slack
Escalate a ticket to a human agent directly from Slack without AI involvement. Use the manual escalation button on the ticket card in Slack to immediately route the ticket to your team’s triage queue.Channel-Specific Guides
Slack Setup
Complete guide to configuring Slack channels, DMs, and slash commands
Using Serval in Slack
End-user guide for all Slack interaction methods
Next Steps
After configuring your channels:- Test each channel — Submit a test request through each enabled channel
- Train your team — Share the End User Guide with employees
- Monitor adoption — Check which channels employees prefer and adjust accordingly
Welcome Message Template
Below is a template your admin can customize and send to employees when introducing Serval:Admins: Copy and customize this message for your Slack announcement or email.