Explaining a feature in the abstract only gets you so far, so this article works through what starting an external conversation in Zoho Cliq generally looks like, using a single concrete example: reaching out to a freelance contractor your business works with occasionally.
Before You Start
Two things need to be true before this works. First, your Cliq administrator needs to have enabled the policy that allows chatting with external users, since it is switched off in a new organisation by default. Second, you need the external contact's email address, since that is how Cliq identifies and invites them.
Note: the exact wording of buttons and menus shown in Cliq may vary slightly depending on your version of the app and any recent updates. Treat the steps below as a general sequence rather than an exact script, and check Zoho Cliq's own help centre if a screen does not match.
Worked Example: Inviting a Freelance Contractor
- Open the Contacts area of Cliq. This is where your existing internal and external contacts are listed, separately from your organisation's own directory.
- Add a new contact using their email address. You would enter the contractor's email address and select their details from the suggestions that appear, which sends them a personalised invitation to connect.
- Wait for the invitation to be accepted. If the contractor already has a Cliq account, they simply accept your invite. If they do not, they would typically receive an invitation to join Cliq itself before the connection can be completed.
- Start the one-to-one chat. Once accepted, the contractor appears in your contacts, and you can search for them or open their profile to begin messaging directly, much as you would with a colleague.
- Expand into a group chat or external channel if the work grows. If the engagement turns into a bigger project involving several people on your side, you could create a group chat or a dedicated external channel and invite the contractor into it, rather than continuing a purely one-to-one conversation.
A Note on External Channels
If the contractor's work is ongoing rather than a single task, setting up an external channel from the outset may be more sensible than a one-to-one chat. Channels are built for group and project-based collaboration and allow roles and permissions for outside participants to be moderated, which gives you more control over what an external channel member can see or do compared with a simple direct chat.
Need help? If you would like hands-on support setting up external contacts and channels correctly for your team, we can guide you through it.
Book a discovery call with 1 Cloud Consultants.