contact: fan out enquiries to n8n hub (fire-and-forget)

Keeps the direct SMTP email as the reliable delivery path; when CONTACT_HUB_URL
is set, also POSTs the enquiry to the n8n webhook so the hub sends the customer
auto-reply and (later) creates CRM/task records. Best-effort with a 4s timeout,
so a slow or down hub never blocks or fails the form.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <[email protected]>

.env.example

@@ -9,3 +9,8 @@ SMTP_TOKEN=
 CONTACT_TO=[email protected]
 # Envelope sender. Many SMTP providers require this to match SMTP_USERNAME or a verified domain.
 CONTACT_FROM=
+
+# Optional: automation hub (n8n) webhook. When set, each enquiry is also POSTed here
+# (fire-and-forget) so the hub can send the customer auto-reply and create CRM/task
+# records. The direct email above stays the reliable path; leave blank to disable.
+CONTACT_HUB_URL=

src/app/api/contact/route.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,26 @@ import nodemailer from 'nodemailer';
 // Server-side only, so the SMTP credentials never reach the browser.
 const { SMTP_SERVER, SMTP_PORT, SMTP_USERNAME, SMTP_TOKEN, CONTACT_TO, CONTACT_FROM } = process.env;
 
+// Optional automation hub (n8n). When set, we also POST the enquiry here so it can
+// send the customer auto-reply and (later) create a CRM lead / task. Best-effort:
+// the direct email above is the reliable path, so a slow or down hub never blocks
+// — or fails — the contact form.
+const CONTACT_HUB_URL = process.env.CONTACT_HUB_URL;
+
+function notifyHub(payload: { name: string; email: string; message: string }) {
+  if (!CONTACT_HUB_URL) return;
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 4000);
+  fetch(CONTACT_HUB_URL, {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify(payload),
+    signal: controller.signal,
+  })
+    .catch((err) => console.error('contact: hub notify failed (non-fatal)', err))
+    .finally(() => clearTimeout(timeout));
+}
+
 export async function POST(request: Request) {
   if (!SMTP_SERVER || !SMTP_PORT) {
     console.error('contact: SMTP env vars missing');
@@ -55,5 +75,8 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
     return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Could not send the message.' }, { status: 502 });
   }
 
+  // Email delivered — fan out to the automation hub (fire-and-forget).
+  notifyHub({ name, email, message });
+
   return NextResponse.json({ ok: true });
 }