Problem

Users don't receive web notifications for new chat messages unless the chat window is already open. In the current behavior, a sound notification only plays if the chat tab is open and in focus — if a user is working elsewhere in the platform (e.g. the all-loads or dispatch board view), incoming messages produce no alert at all. There's also no persistent visual cue anywhere in the interface to show that unread messages exist. This applies to group chats, direct messages, and per-load chats.

The real-world impact: dispatchers have missed multiple driver messages, including cases where they were tagged, and even messages on individual load chats. Drivers now assume the team doesn't know how to use the app, when the issue is that the platform never surfaced the message. (Driver-side mobile notifications, by contrast, work correctly.)

Requested solution

Two related improvements:

Web notifications for new messages that fire regardless of whether the chat window is open or in focus — so users working elsewhere in the platform are alerted to new group, direct, or load-chat messages.

A persistent unread indicator — a red dot / badge on the chat icon (and ideally on the relevant load or group) that stays visible until the message is read, so users can see at a glance that something is waiting even if they missed the live notification.

Behavior details

Notifications should trigger for group chats, direct messages, and individual load chats.

Tagging/mentioning a user should reliably generate a notification.

The unread indicator should clear automatically once the message is viewed.

Should not depend on the chat tab being open or focused.

Why it matters

Eliminates missed driver communications, prevents the perception that dispatchers are unresponsive, and brings web-side chat reliability in line with the driver mobile app (which already notifies correctly).

Currently no visibility to a new driver message in a load chat.