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Contact Form Submissions Documentation

Menu Location: Customers > Contact Form

Access Level: Customer Service and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Contact Form Submissions page displays all customer inquiries submitted through the website's contact form. This page helps you track, respond to, and manage customer questions, concerns, and feedback submitted before or after they become customers.

Primary Functions:

  • View all contact form submissions
  • Track response status and assignment
  • Respond to customer inquiries
  • Categorize submissions by topic
  • Export contact data for analysis
  • Link submissions to customer accounts
  • Flag urgent or important inquiries

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Filter Controls: Filter by status, category, date range, assigned admin
  • Search Bar: Search by name, email, phone, or message content
  • Unread Counter: Number of new/unread submissions
  • Bulk Actions: Assign, mark as read, categorize, export

Submissions Table

Displays all contact form entries with columns:

  • Date/Time - When submitted
  • Name - Submitter's name
  • Email - Contact email address
  • Phone - Phone number (if provided)
  • Subject/Category - Topic of inquiry
  • Message Preview - First line of message
  • Status - New, In Progress, Responded, Closed
  • Assigned To - Which admin is handling
  • Customer Link - Link to account if customer
  • Actions - View full message, respond, mark status

Summary Dashboard

  • Total submissions (all time)
  • New submissions (unread)
  • Average response time
  • Submissions by category
  • Conversion rate (inquiries → customers)

Submission Status Types

New

  • Meaning: Just submitted, not yet reviewed
  • Indicator: Bold text, highlighted row
  • Action Needed: Review and respond ASAP
  • Auto-status: All submissions start here

In Progress

  • Meaning: Admin reviewing or crafting response
  • Indicator: Yellow/orange status badge
  • Action Needed: Complete response
  • Use: Prevents duplicate responses from multiple admins

Responded

  • Meaning: Admin sent response to customer
  • Indicator: Green status badge
  • Action: Monitor for follow-up questions
  • Auto-status: Set when response email sent

Closed

  • Meaning: Inquiry fully resolved, no further action
  • Indicator: Gray status badge
  • Action: None needed
  • Use: Keep submissions organized

Flagged/Urgent

  • Meaning: Requires immediate attention
  • Indicator: Red flag icon
  • Action Needed: Priority response
  • Use: Complaints, urgent issues, VIP customers

Search & Filtering

Search across:

  • Customer name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Subject line
  • Message text content
  • Company name (if provided)

Filter by Status

  • New - Unread submissions needing attention
  • In Progress - Currently being handled
  • Responded - Response sent
  • Closed - Resolved
  • All - View everything

Filter by Category/Subject

Common categories:

  • General Inquiry - Questions about service
  • Order Issue - Problems with existing order
  • Account Help - Login, password, account access
  • Product Question - Specific product information
  • Billing Question - Payment, charges, refunds
  • Delivery Issue - Shipping, delivery timing
  • Cancellation Request - Want to cancel
  • Partnership/Wholesale - Business inquiries
  • Media/Press - Media requests
  • Other - Uncategorized

Filter by Date Range

  • Today - Submissions today
  • Last 7 days - Past week
  • Last 30 days - Past month
  • Custom range - Specific dates
  • All time - Everything

Filter by Customer Status

  • Existing Customer - Has account
  • New Inquiry - Not yet a customer
  • Cancelled Customer - Former customer
  • All - Everyone

Filter by Assigned Admin

  • Unassigned - No one claimed yet
  • My Submissions - Assigned to you
  • Specific Admin - Filter by team member
  • All - Everyone's submissions

Actions & Operations

View Full Submission

Purpose: See complete message and details

Steps:

  1. Click on submission row or "View" button
  2. Modal or detail page opens showing:
    • Full customer message
    • All contact information
    • Submission timestamp
    • Customer's browser/device info
    • Related customer account (if exists)
    • Response history
  3. Internal notes
  4. Take action from detail view

Respond to Inquiry

Quick Response:

  1. Click "Respond" button on submission
  2. Email template opens with customer's email pre-filled
  3. Select response template or write custom message
  4. Send email
  5. Status auto-updates to "Responded"
  6. Response logged in submission history

Detailed Response:

  1. Open submission detail view
  2. Review full context
  3. Check if customer has account (link shown if yes)
  4. Draft appropriate response
  5. Include helpful links or resources
  6. Send response
  7. Add internal note about resolution
  8. Mark as closed if fully resolved

Response Templates:

  • Common questions have pre-written templates
  • Customize template before sending
  • Save new templates for frequently asked questions

Assign Submission

Manual Assignment:

  1. Click "Assign" dropdown
  2. Select team member
  3. Submission assigned to that admin
  4. Optional notification email sent to admin

Auto-Assignment:

  • Some categories auto-assign based on rules
  • Round-robin assignment for general inquiries
  • VIP customers route to specific admin

Self-Assign:

  1. Click "Assign to Me" button
  2. Claim submission
  3. Prevents duplicate responses

Change Status

Manual Status Update:

  1. Click status dropdown on submission
  2. Select new status:
    • Mark as In Progress (when starting)
    • Mark as Responded (after replying)
    • Mark as Closed (when resolved)
  3. Status updates immediately

Add Internal Note:

  1. Open submission detail
  2. Click "Add Note" button
  3. Type internal note (not visible to customer)
  4. Save note
  5. Use for:
    • Resolution details
    • Follow-up needed
    • Related issues
    • Escalation notes

Flag Submission as Urgent

When to Flag:

  • Customer complaint or anger
  • Time-sensitive issue (order shipping soon)
  • VIP customer
  • Potential media/PR issue
  • Account security concern

Flag Process:

  1. Click flag icon on submission
  2. Optional: Add reason for flagging
  3. Submission highlighted for team
  4. May trigger notification to manager

Resolve Flag:

  • After addressing urgent issue, unflag
  • Keeps urgent queue clean

If Customer Account Exists:

  • System auto-detects by email match
  • Link appears in submission details
  • Click to view full customer account
  • Access order history, notes, etc.

If No Auto-Link:

  1. Search for customer manually
  2. Click "Link to Customer" button
  3. Select correct customer account
  4. Link established

Create Customer from Inquiry:

  1. If inquiry results in signup
  2. Create customer account
  3. Link submission to new account
  4. Track conversion

Export Submissions

Export Options:

  • All submissions (filtered list)
  • Specific date range
  • By category

Export Format:

  • CSV for spreadsheet analysis
  • PDF for reports

Export Data Includes:

  • Name, email, phone
  • Submission date
  • Category/subject
  • Message text
  • Status and assignment
  • Response sent (yes/no)

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Respond to Daily Inquiries

Goal: Answer all new contact form submissions

Steps:

  1. Open Contact Form Submissions page
  2. Filter by Status: "New"
  3. Review each submission:
    • Read full message
    • Check if existing customer
    • Categorize if not already categorized
  4. For each inquiry:
    • Assign to yourself or appropriate team member
    • Mark as "In Progress"
    • Draft response (use templates when applicable)
    • Send response
    • Status auto-updates to "Responded"
  5. If issue requires follow-up:
    • Add note with next steps
    • Set reminder
    • Keep status "In Progress" until fully resolved
  6. When resolved:
    • Mark as "Closed"

Best Practice: Respond within 2-4 hours during business hours

Use Case 2: Handle Order Issue Complaint

Goal: Resolve customer complaint about order problem

Steps:

  1. Read complaint carefully
  2. Click customer link to view their account
  3. Review recent orders to understand context
  4. Identify issue:
    • Missing item
    • Quality problem
    • Delivery issue
    • Billing error
  5. Determine resolution:
    • Issue refund/credit
    • Send replacement
    • Update delivery
    • Correct billing
  6. Take action in customer account
  7. Respond to submission explaining resolution
  8. Mark as "Closed"
  9. Add internal note documenting resolution

Example: "Customer reported missing avocados in last order. Reviewed order #12345 - confirmed avocados on invoice. Issued $5 credit. Responded with apology and credit notice. Closed."

Use Case 3: Convert Inquiry to Customer

Goal: Turn website inquiry into new subscriber

Steps:

  1. Review inquiry (usually "General Inquiry" about service)
  2. Respond with:
    • Service information
    • Pricing details
    • Link to sign up page
    • Offer to help with signup
  3. Mark as "Responded"
  4. Set reminder to follow up in 3-5 days if no signup
  5. If customer signs up:
    • Link submission to new customer account
    • Mark as "Closed"
    • Track as conversion
  6. If no response after 2 follow-ups:
    • Add to newsletter list (if permission)
    • Mark as "Closed"

Tracking: Report on inquiry-to-customer conversion rate

Use Case 4: Escalate Complaint to Manager

Goal: Handle serious complaint needing manager attention

Steps:

  1. Identify serious complaint (angry customer, legal threat, etc.)
  2. Flag submission as Urgent
  3. Add internal note:
    • Summarize issue
    • Explain why escalating
    • Suggest possible resolution
  4. Assign to manager
  5. Notify manager directly (Slack, text, etc.)
  6. Mark as "In Progress"
  7. Monitor for manager's response
  8. Once resolved:
    • Review outcome
    • Learn from situation
    • Update procedures if needed

When to Escalate:

  • Legal threats
  • Media inquiries
  • Severe complaints
  • Potential PR issues
  • Requests beyond your authority

Goal: Identify common customer questions for FAQ

Steps:

  1. Export submissions from last 90 days
  2. Review message categories and content
  3. Identify frequently asked questions:
    • Pricing questions
    • Delivery area questions
    • Product availability
    • How service works
    • Pause/skip information
  4. Create FAQ page or update existing
  5. Add links to FAQ in response templates
  6. Monitor if inquiries decrease for those topics

Benefit: Reduce support volume, improve self-service

Troubleshooting

Submission Not Showing in List

Symptoms: Customer says they submitted form but submission not found

Check:

  1. Search by email address (case-insensitive)
  2. Check "All" status filter (might be auto-closed)
  3. Expand date range filter
  4. Check spam/test filters
  5. Verify form is working on website

Solutions:

  • Ask customer to re-submit
  • Check website contact form functionality
  • Review form submission logs

Common Causes:

  • Form submission error (not actually sent)
  • Email typo in search
  • Submission auto-filtered as spam

Cannot Send Response Email

Symptoms: Response email won't send or errors

Check:

  1. Verify customer email address is valid
  2. Check email integration is working
  3. Ensure email template is configured
  4. Verify you have permission to send
  5. Check for email blacklist issues

Solutions:

  • Test email integration
  • Copy message and send manually via email client
  • Contact administrator if integration broken

Duplicate Submissions from Same Customer

Symptoms: Multiple identical submissions

Explanation:

  • Customer clicked submit multiple times
  • Form submission error led to retry
  • Impatient customer resubmitting

Solutions:

  1. Identify all duplicates
  2. Respond to most recent one
  3. Mark others as "Closed" with note "Duplicate"
  4. Single response covers all

Prevention:

  • Add "submit" button disable after click
  • Show "Submitting..." message

Symptoms: Submission from customer but no account link shown

Check:

  1. Email address exact match? (spaces, capitalization)
  2. Customer using different email than on account
  3. Customer submitted before creating account

Solutions:

  • Manually search for customer
  • Use "Link to Customer" feature
  • Ask customer for email on account
  • Customers - View and manage customer accounts
  • Email Templates - Manage response email templates
  • Email Stats - Track email open and click rates
  • Customer Log - View customer activity history

Typical Workflow:

  1. Customer submits contact form on website
  2. Submission appears on Contact Form page
  3. Admin reviews and categorizes
  4. Admin responds via email
  5. If customer has account, link established
  6. If inquiry leads to signup, create account and link
  7. Mark as closed when resolved

Permissions & Access

Required Access Level: Customer Service or higher

Access Level Capabilities:

  • Customer Service: View, respond, assign, categorize, mark status
  • Manager: All Customer Service + delete submissions, export data, view analytics
  • Administrator: All Manager + configure categories, email templates, form settings
  • Kiva Admin: All features + system configuration, integration settings

Restricted Features:

  • Delete Submissions: Requires Manager
  • Export Data: Requires Manager (may include sensitive info)
  • Configure Form: Requires Administrator
  • View All Submissions: All levels (transparency)

Best Practices

Response Time

  1. Respond to new inquiries within 2-4 hours during business hours
  2. Set auto-reply email acknowledging receipt
  3. Prioritize urgent/flagged submissions first
  4. Respond to all even if just "We received this, will follow up"
  5. Weekend inquiries addressed first thing Monday

Response Quality

  1. Use customer's name in response
  2. Address all questions in their message
  3. Provide helpful links to resources
  4. Professional but friendly tone
  5. Proofread before sending

Organization

  1. Categorize immediately upon review
  2. Assign promptly to prevent duplicate work
  3. Close submissions when resolved
  4. Add internal notes for context
  5. Link to customer accounts when applicable

Follow-Up

  1. Set reminders for issues needing follow-up
  2. Track conversion of inquiries to customers
  3. Monitor response times for team performance
  4. Review closed submissions for quality assurance

Things to Avoid

  • ❌ Leaving submissions unread for days
  • ❌ Sending generic responses that don't address question
  • ❌ Forgetting to mark status (causes duplicate responses)
  • ❌ Arguing with angry customers
  • ❌ Not documenting resolutions
  • ❌ Deleting submissions without reading

Quick Reference Card

Task Action/Location
View new submissions Filter: Status → New
Respond to inquiry Click "Respond" button, write email, send
Assign to yourself Click "Assign to Me" button
Mark as in progress Status dropdown → In Progress
Mark as closed Status dropdown → Closed
Flag as urgent Click flag icon
View full message Click on submission row
Search by email Use search bar, enter email
Link to customer account Click "Link to Customer" button
Add internal note Open submission, click "Add Note"
Export submissions Apply filters, click "Export"
Filter unassigned Filter: Assigned → Unassigned

FAQs

How quickly should I respond to contact form submissions?

Aim for 2-4 hours during business hours. Set an auto-reply so customers know you received it. Urgent issues (flagged) should be responded to within 1 hour.

Should I respond to obvious spam submissions?

No, mark as closed or delete. Don't engage with spam. Focus on legitimate customer inquiries.

What if I don't know the answer to a customer's question?

Be honest. Reply that you're researching the answer and will follow up within [timeframe]. Assign to appropriate team member or escalate to manager.

Can customers see my internal notes?

No, internal notes are admin-only. Customers only see your email responses, not internal documentation.

How do I handle angry or rude customers?

Stay professional. Acknowledge their frustration. Focus on solving the problem. If abusive, escalate to manager. Never respond in anger.

Should I create a customer account for every inquiry?

No, only if they sign up for service. You can add their email to a newsletter/prospects list, but don't create accounts without their action.

What's the difference between "Responded" and "Closed"?

Responded = You sent a reply but issue might need follow-up. Closed = Issue completely resolved, no further action needed.

How do I prevent duplicate responses from team members?

Assign submissions to yourself when you start working on them. Check assignment before responding. Use "In Progress" status.

Can I edit or delete a submission?

Edit: Usually only to fix obvious typos or remove spam/test submissions. Delete: Manager/Admin only, use sparingly. Better to mark as closed.

How long should I keep old submissions?

This depends on your data retention policy. Generally keep at least 1 year for reference. Closed submissions can be archived after 6-12 months. Check with administrator.

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.