Slack Channels
Slack Channels
When a teammate needs help, where should they go? Should they post in a shared support channel like #ask-it?
Or should they send a direct message to someone they know can help? The answer depends on the situation and how your team prefers to work.
This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each approach and shows how Ravenna makes it easier to support both.

​
📢 Public channels: Default to transparency

Public Slack channels are often the first place for internal support. Examples include:
  • #ask-it
  • #help-people
  • #feedback-product
  • #support-eng

​
🔒 Private DMs: Feels personal, stays organized

Private requests in Ravenna don’t go to an agent’s personal DMs.
Instead, teammates message the Ravenna bot. To the requester, it feels like a one-on-one conversation. For agents, it keeps personal inboxes clear and ensures all requests flow into the right workspace queue.

​
🧠 Ravenna supports both

Ravenna gives you the advantages of each model without forcing your team to pick one.

​
In public channels

  • ✅ Turn any message into a request with a shortcut or emoji
  • 🧵 Ravenna creates a thread and tracks it as a structured request
  • 👥 Multiple responders can collaborate without cluttering the channel
  • 📥 Requesters get automatic updates as progress is made

​
In private DMs

  • 💬 Requests can be submitted directly to the Ravenna bot
  • 🔐 Sensitive issues stay private but are still tracked in the workspace
  • 🧭 Agents manage all requests from one Workspace, whether they start in a channel or a DM
Ravenna adapts to how your team already works and makes support smoother across both public and private conversations.

​
Our recommendation

Default to public, allow private when it makes sense Use public channels as your default for transparency, knowledge sharing, and balancing support. But leave room for private requests, people need a clear path for situations where privacy or comfort matters. With Ravenna, you can support both approaches without losing visibility, dropping requests, or overloading your team. If you’d like to see Ravenna in action, get started with our quickstart guide.