Tracking deflections in ITSM Virtual Agent
Summarize
Summary of Tracking deflections in ITSM Virtual Agent
ServiceNow ITSM Virtual Agent helps track and resolve incidents by using pre-built deflection topics and topic blocks in conversations. A deflection occurs when the Virtual Agent successfully resolves an issue, either by answering user questions or creating incidents in the correct assignment group, which can reduce the need for creating incidents manually or involving live agents. Deflection tracking is enabled by default and leverages configurations available in the base system that can also be customized.
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Key Features
- Pre-built Deflection Patterns: ITSM Virtual Agent includes various deflection patterns that classify how user issues are resolved or handled, such as:
- Confirmed Deflections: Tasks completed by Virtual Agent (e.g., adding users to distribution lists), task creation based on user input, KB article resolutions, incident interception and auto-resolution, and AI Search responses.
- Potential Deflections: Search results displayed and query responses where helpfulness is unclear.
- No Deflections: Scenarios where Virtual Agent cannot assist, or tasks are incomplete, including user and agent productivity tracking.
- Deflection Metrics Tracking: Metrics generated are stored in the Deflection Metric [ssadeflectionmetric] table, enabling analysis of Virtual Agent effectiveness.
- Analytics Access: Deflection metrics can be viewed through:
- The Deflection Metrics module within the Self-Service Analytics framework (requires activation of the Self-Service Analytics Core plugin).
- The Overview tab of the Conversational Analytics Dashboard for comprehensive insights into conversational performance.
Key Outcomes
By using ITSM Virtual Agent’s deflection tracking, ServiceNow customers can effectively measure how well Virtual Agent reduces workload on live agents, accelerates incident resolution, and improves user productivity. The built-in deflection patterns and analytics tools provide actionable insights to optimize Virtual Agent configurations and enhance self-service success.
You can use the pre-built deflection topics and topic blocks in Virtual Agent conversations to track the incidents that ITSM Virtual Agent helped to resolve.
A deflection happens when ITSM Virtual Agent resolves an issue for you. By asking you relevant questions, ITSM Virtual Agent can create an incident in the correct assignment group. As a result, you might not need to create an incident, or need the assistance of a live agent.
Deflection tracking uses the topics and topic blocks created in Virtual Agent Designer and is enabled by default. For more information, see Tracking deflections using deflection topic blocks.
By default, ITSM Virtual Agent includes pre-built deflection configurations in the base system. You can use the deflection configurations in the base system or customize them, as needed. For more information, see Create deflection configurations and patterns.
The pre-built deflection patterns in the base system are described in the following table.
| Deflection pattern name | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| ITSM VA-Self-Resolving | Virtual Agent completes a task with or without filing a task record for ITSM. For example, Virtual Agent adds a user to a distribution list. | Confirmed deflection |
| ITSM VA-Triage & Created | Virtual Agent filed and created a task record based on end-user input. Creating this task record shortens the time to resolution. | Confirmed deflection |
| ITSM VA-KB-Resolve | User resolved the issue by using the Knowledge Base (KB) articles displayed. | Confirmed deflection |
| ITSM VA-Intercept & Resolved | Virtual Agent intercepted an end user-created incident, and helped to resolve and close it. For example, Virtual Agent resolves and closes the incident with Issue Auto-Resolution (IAR). | Confirmed deflection |
| ITSM VA-Search-served | Virtual Agent shows the search results based on the user's IT service needs. | Potential deflection |
| ITSM VA-AI-Search | Virtual Agent uses the AI Search results to provide support. | Confirmed deflection |
| ITSM VA-Query-response | Virtual Agent responds to a customer query. It's unclear whether the response was helpful. | Potential deflection |
| ITSM VA-No-deflection | Virtual Agent is unable to assist the user. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-User Productivity-Complete | User completes a task using Virtual Agent. This pattern tracks those completed tasks that saved time and improved productivity. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-User Productivity-Info Provided | User was provided information that might be helpful to them. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-User Productivity-Incomplete | User wasn't able to complete a task using Virtual Agent. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-Agent Productivity-Complete | Agent (fulfiller) was able to complete a task using Virtual Agent as a service channel. This pattern tracks those completed tasks that saved time and improved productivity. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-Agent Productivity-Info Provided | Agent (fulfiller) was provided information that might be helpful to them. | No deflection |
| ITSM VA-Agent Productivity-Incomplete | Agent (fulfiller) wasn't able to complete a task using Virtual Agent as a service channel. | No deflection |
- Navigate to the Deflection Metrics module in the Self-Service Analytics framework.Note:The Self-Service Analytics framework requires the Self-Service Analytics Core plugin (com.snc.self_service_analytics_core).
For more information, see Activate Self-Service Analytics.
Use the Overview tab of the Conversational Analytics Dashboard.
For more information about this dashboard, see Conversational Analytics Dashboard.