Drain-and-fill cutover before final support history batch
Move new support traffic to the new tool first, work both systems temporarily, and migrate the remaining closed history after the old queue drains.
Why this can grow a startup
Not every migration needs a dramatic big-bang cutover. A drain-and-fill approach reduces risk by separating live routing from final history cleanup. The support team can start learning the new workspace while the old system naturally loses open threads, and the buyer sees a calmer path that does not depend on one perfect weekend move.
Company example
Intercom's migration guide describes a drain-and-fill approach where teams cut over to Intercom before launch, work both tools until the old queue closes out, and then run the last migration batch.
Source and metric
Source: Intercom Help · Browse Intercom Help tactics
Final migration batch runs only after remaining open tickets in the old tool are closed
Source discovered: May 26, 2026
When to use it
Use this when Support, Operations, Lifecycle is relevant to migration, cutover, support ops and you can run a bounded test with a medium budget.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.
Founder checklist
- Read Intercom Help and identify what is directly supported.
- Choose one channel context: Support, Operations, Lifecycle.
- Define the test around Final migration batch runs only after remaining open tickets in the old tool are closed.
- Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.
Explore the context
Apply this with an operator
Connect activation, customer value, retention, and referral into one measurable loop.