diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 02b1261..c0572b2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@ Use a slash command and a dialog to create a helpdesk ticket in a 3rd-party syst
 
 1. Create an app at [https://api.slack.com/apps](https://api.slack.com/apps)
 2. Add a Slash command (See *Add a Slash Command* section below)
-3. Navigate to **Bot Users** and click "Add a Bot User" to create one.
-4. Enable Interactive components (See *Enable Interactive Components* below)
-5. Navigate to the **OAuth & Permissions** page and make sure the following scopes are pre-selected:
+3. Enable Interactive components (See *Enable Interactive Components* below)
+4. Navigate to the **OAuth & Permissions** page and select the following bot token scopes:
     * `commands`
-    * `bot`
-6. Click 'Save Changes' and install the app (You should get an OAuth access token after the installation)
+    * `chat:write`
+    * `users:read`
+    * `users:read.email`
+    * `im:write`
+5. Click 'Save Changes' and install the app (You should get an OAuth access token after the installation)
 
 #### Add a Slash Command
 1. Go back to the app settings and click on Slash Commands.
diff --git a/src/api.js b/src/api.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cb9558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+const axios = require('axios');
+const qs = require('querystring');
+const apiUrl = 'https://slack.com/api';
+
+const callAPIMethod = async (method, payload) => {
+    let data = Object.assign({ token: process.env.SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN }, payload);
+    let result = await axios.post(`${apiUrl}/${method}`, qs.stringify(data));
+    return result.data;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    callAPIMethod
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 5ddcb3e..1fccf93 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 require('dotenv').config();
 
-const axios = require('axios');
 const express = require('express');
 const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
-const qs = require('querystring');
 const ticket = require('./ticket');
 const signature = require('./verifySignature');
+const api = require('./api');
+const payloads = require('./payloads');
 const debug = require('debug')('slash-command-template:index');
 
-const apiUrl = 'https://slack.com/api';
-
 const app = express();
 
 /*
@@ -24,126 +22,38 @@ const rawBodyBuffer = (req, res, buf, encoding) => {
   }
 };
 
-app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({verify: rawBodyBuffer, extended: true }));
+app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ verify: rawBodyBuffer, extended: true }));
 app.use(bodyParser.json({ verify: rawBodyBuffer }));
 
 app.get('/', (req, res) => {
   res.send('<h2>The Slash Command and Dialog app is running</h2> <p>Follow the' +
-  ' instructions in the README to configure the Slack App and your environment variables.</p>');
+    ' instructions in the README to configure the Slack App and your environment variables.</p>');
 });
 
 /*
  * Endpoint to receive /helpdesk slash command from Slack.
  * Checks verification token and opens a dialog to capture more info.
  */
-app.post('/command', (req, res) => {
+app.post('/command', async (req, res) => {
+  // Verify the signing secret
+  if (!signature.isVerified(req)) {
+    debug('Verification token mismatch');
+    return res.status(404).send();
+  }
+
   // extract the slash command text, and trigger ID from payload
-  const { text, trigger_id } = req.body;
+  const { trigger_id } = req.body;
 
-  // Verify the signing secret
-  if (signature.isVerified(req)) {
-    // create the dialog payload - includes the dialog structure, Slack API token,
-    // and trigger ID
-    const view = {
-      token: process.env.SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN,
-      trigger_id,
-      view: JSON.stringify({
-        type: 'modal',
-        title: {
-          type: 'plain_text',
-          text: 'Submit a helpdesk ticket'
-        },
-        callback_id: 'submit-ticket',
-        submit: {
-          type: 'plain_text',
-          text: 'Submit'
-        },
-        blocks: [
-          {
-            block_id: 'title_block',
-            type: 'input',
-            label: {
-              type: 'plain_text',
-              text: 'Title'
-            },
-            element: {
-              action_id: 'title',
-              type: 'plain_text_input'
-            },
-            hint: {
-              type: 'plain_text',
-              text: '30 second summary of the problem'
-            }
-          },
-          {
-            block_id: 'description_block',
-            type: 'input',
-            label: {
-              type: 'plain_text',
-              text: 'Description'
-            },
-            element: {
-              action_id: 'description',
-              type: 'plain_text_input',
-              multiline: true
-            },
-            optional: true
-          },
-          {
-            block_id: 'urgency_block',
-            type: 'input',
-            label: {
-              type: 'plain_text',
-              text: 'Importance'
-            },
-            element: {
-              action_id: 'urgency',
-              type: 'static_select',
-              options: [
-                {
-                  text: {
-                    type: "plain_text",
-                    text: "High"
-                  },
-                  value: "high"
-                },
-                {
-                  text: {
-                    type: "plain_text",
-                    text: "Medium"
-                  },
-                  value: "medium"
-                },
-                {
-                  text: {
-                    type: "plain_text",
-                    text: "Low"
-                  },
-                  value: "low"
-                }
-              ]
-            },
-            optional: true
-          }
-        ]
-      })
-    };
+  // create the modal payload - includes the dialog structure, Slack API token,
+  // and trigger ID
+  let view = payloads.modal({
+    trigger_id
+  });
 
-    console.log('open view')
+  let result = await api.callAPIMethod('views.open', view);
 
-    // open the dialog by calling dialogs.open method and sending the payload
-    axios.post(`${apiUrl}/views.open`, qs.stringify(view))
-      .then((result) => {
-        debug('views.open: %o', result.data);
-        res.send('');
-      }).catch((err) => {
-        debug('views.open call failed: %o', err);
-        res.sendStatus(500);
-      });
-  } else {
-    debug('Verification token mismatch');
-    res.sendStatus(404);
-  }
+  debug('views.open: %o', result);
+  return res.send('');
 });
 
 /*
@@ -151,22 +61,15 @@ app.post('/command', (req, res) => {
  * and creates a Helpdesk ticket
  */
 app.post('/interactive', (req, res) => {
-  const body = JSON.parse(req.body.payload);
-
-  // check that the verification token matches expected value
-  if (signature.isVerified(req)) {
-    debug(`Form submission received: ${body.view}`);
-
-    // immediately respond with a empty 200 response to let
-    // Slack know the command was received
-    res.send('');
-
-    // create Helpdesk ticket
-    ticket.create(body.user.id, body.view);
-  } else {
-    debug('Token mismatch');
-    res.sendStatus(404);
+  // Verify the signing secret
+  if (!signature.isVerified(req)) {
+    debug('Verification token mismatch');
+    return res.status(404).send();
   }
+
+  const body = JSON.parse(req.body.payload);
+  res.send('');
+  ticket.create(body.user.id, body.view);
 });
 
 const server = app.listen(process.env.PORT || 5000, () => {
diff --git a/src/payloads.js b/src/payloads.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90b4e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/payloads.js
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+module.exports = {
+    confirmation: context => {
+        return {
+            channel: context.channel_id,
+            text: 'Helpdesk ticket created!',
+            blocks: JSON.stringify([
+                {
+                    type: 'section',
+                    text: {
+                        type: 'mrkdwn',
+                        text: '*Helpdesk ticket created!*'
+                    }
+                },
+                {
+                    type: 'divider'
+                },
+                {
+                    type: 'section',
+                    text: {
+                        type: 'mrkdwn',
+                        text: `*Title*\n${context.title}\n\n*Description*\n${context.description}`
+                    }
+                },
+                {
+                    type: 'context',
+                    elements: [
+                        {
+                            type: 'mrkdwn',
+                            text: `*Urgency*: ${context.urgency}`
+                        }
+                    ]
+                }
+            ])
+        }
+    },
+    modal: context => {
+        return {
+            trigger_id: context.trigger_id,
+            view: JSON.stringify({
+                type: 'modal',
+                title: {
+                    type: 'plain_text',
+                    text: 'Submit a helpdesk ticket'
+                },
+                callback_id: 'submit-ticket',
+                submit: {
+                    type: 'plain_text',
+                    text: 'Submit'
+                },
+                blocks: [
+                    {
+                        block_id: 'title_block',
+                        type: 'input',
+                        label: {
+                            type: 'plain_text',
+                            text: 'Title'
+                        },
+                        element: {
+                            action_id: 'title',
+                            type: 'plain_text_input'
+                        },
+                        hint: {
+                            type: 'plain_text',
+                            text: '30 second summary of the problem'
+                        }
+                    },
+                    {
+                        block_id: 'description_block',
+                        type: 'input',
+                        label: {
+                            type: 'plain_text',
+                            text: 'Description'
+                        },
+                        element: {
+                            action_id: 'description',
+                            type: 'plain_text_input',
+                            multiline: true
+                        },
+                        optional: true
+                    },
+                    {
+                        block_id: 'urgency_block',
+                        type: 'input',
+                        label: {
+                            type: 'plain_text',
+                            text: 'Importance'
+                        },
+                        element: {
+                            action_id: 'urgency',
+                            type: 'static_select',
+                            options: [
+                                {
+                                    text: {
+                                        type: "plain_text",
+                                        text: "High"
+                                    },
+                                    value: "high"
+                                },
+                                {
+                                    text: {
+                                        type: "plain_text",
+                                        text: "Medium"
+                                    },
+                                    value: "medium"
+                                },
+                                {
+                                    text: {
+                                        type: "plain_text",
+                                        text: "Low"
+                                    },
+                                    value: "low"
+                                }
+                            ]
+                        },
+                        optional: true
+                    }
+                ]
+            })
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ticket.js b/src/ticket.js
index 80d0eb2..067e9ea 100644
--- a/src/ticket.js
+++ b/src/ticket.js
@@ -1,77 +1,44 @@
-const axios = require('axios');
 const debug = require('debug')('slash-command-template:ticket');
-const qs = require('querystring');
-const users = require('./users');
+const api = require('./api');
+const payloads = require('./payloads');
 
 /*
  *  Send ticket creation confirmation via
  *  chat.postMessage to the user who created it
  */
-const sendConfirmation = (ticket) => {
-  axios.post('https://slack.com/api/chat.postMessage', qs.stringify({
-    token: process.env.SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN,
-    channel: ticket.userId,
-    as_user: true,
-    text: 'Helpdesk ticket created!',
-    blocks: JSON.stringify([
-      {
-        type: 'section',
-        text: {
-          type: 'mrkdwn',
-          text: '*Helpdesk ticket created!*'
-        }
-      },
-      {
-        type: 'divider'
-      },
-      {
-        type: 'section',
-        text: {
-          type: 'mrkdwn',
-          text: `*Title*\n${ticket.title}\n\n*Description*\n${ticket.description}`
-        }
-      },
-      {
-        type: 'context',
-        elements: [
-          {
-            type: 'mrkdwn',
-            text: `*Urgency*: ${ticket.urgency}`
-          }
-        ]
-      }
-    ]),
-  })).then((result) => {
-    debug('sendConfirmation: %o', result.data);
-  }).catch((err) => {
-    debug('sendConfirmation error: %o', err);
-    console.error(err);
+const sendConfirmation = async (ticket) => {
+  // open a DM channel for that user
+  let channel = await api.callAPIMethod('im.open', {
+    user: ticket.userId
+  })
+
+  let message = payloads.confirmation({
+    channel_id: channel.channel.id,
+    title: ticket.title,
+    description: ticket.description,
+    urgency: ticket.urgency
   });
+
+  let result = await api.callAPIMethod('chat.postMessage', message)
+  debug('sendConfirmation: %o', result);
 };
 
 // Create helpdesk ticket. Call users.find to get the user's email address
 // from their user ID
-const create = (userId, view) => {
-  let values = view.state.values
-  const ticket = {};
+const create = async (userId, view) => {
+  let values = view.state.values;
 
-  const fetchUserEmail = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    users.find(userId).then((result) => {
-      debug(`Find user: ${userId}`);
-      resolve(result.data.user.profile.email);
-    }).catch((err) => { reject(err); });
+  let result = await api.callAPIMethod('users.info', {
+    user: userId
   });
 
-  fetchUserEmail.then((result) => {
-    ticket.userId = userId;
-    ticket.userEmail = result;
-    ticket.title = values.title_block.title.value;
-    ticket.description = values.description_block.description.value;
-    ticket.urgency = values.urgency_block.urgency.selected_option.text.text;
-    sendConfirmation(ticket);
-
-    return ticket;
-  }).catch((err) => { console.error(err); });
+  await sendConfirmation({
+    userId,
+    userEmail: result.user.profile.email,
+    title: values.title_block.title.value,
+    description: values.description_block.description.value || '_empty_',
+    urgency: values.urgency_block.urgency.selected_option && values.urgency_block.urgency.selected_option.text.text || 'not assigned'
+  });
 };
 
 module.exports = { create, sendConfirmation };
diff --git a/src/users.js b/src/users.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a3a827..0000000
--- a/src/users.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-const qs = require('querystring');
-const axios = require('axios');
-
-const find = (slackUserId) => {
-  const body = { token: process.env.SLACK_ACCESS_TOKEN, user: slackUserId };
-  const promise = axios.post('https://slack.com/api/users.info', qs.stringify(body));
-  return promise;
-};
-
-module.exports = { find };
diff --git a/src/verifySignature.js b/src/verifySignature.js
index ffd308a..457e62b 100644
--- a/src/verifySignature.js
+++ b/src/verifySignature.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const crypto = require('crypto');
 const timingSafeCompare = require('tsscmp');
 
-const isVerified = (req) => { 
+const isVerified = (req) => {
   const signature = req.headers['x-slack-signature'];
   const timestamp = req.headers['x-slack-request-timestamp'];
   const hmac = crypto.createHmac('sha256', process.env.SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET);
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ const isVerified = (req) => {
 
   // check that the request signature matches expected value
   return timingSafeCompare(hmac.digest('hex'), hash);
-}; 
-  
+};
+
 module.exports = { isVerified };
-  
\ No newline at end of file