Channels in Conversational Interfaces
Summarize
Summary of Channels in Conversational Interfaces
Channels in Conversational Interfaces define how end users and agents interact with virtual or live agents through various communication modes. These channels support different interaction patterns based on user availability and the chat applications used in your organization. There are two main channel types: chat channels for real-time, synchronous conversations and messaging channels for asynchronous, long-running interactions.
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Chat Channels
Chat channels enable immediate, two-way conversations between users and agents (live or virtual) in real time. This synchronous mode ensures users receive prompt responses. Supported chat channels include:
- Service Portal (mweb) chat widget
- Mobile web (mweb) client
- Integrations with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Workplace from Facebook, Alexa, WhatsApp (via Twilio), LINE, and Facebook Messenger
Messaging Channels
Messaging channels facilitate asynchronous communication where users and agents can engage over extended periods without needing to be online simultaneously. This supports ongoing conversations at the parties' convenience. Available messaging channels include:
- Mobile web (mweb) client configured for iOS, Android, and desktop
- Now Assist panel
- SMS channel through Conversational SMS Integration with Twilio
Messaging channels are managed in the Messaging Channels table [syscschannel], where admins can specify whether a custom or default channel operates in chat or messaging mode.
Live Agent Support and Configuration
Not all channels support live agents by default; for example, some bot-to-bot or voice channels may have live agent support disabled. Administrators can enable or disable live agent support per channel via the Messaging Channels [syscschannel] table using the disableliveagent property.
Key Features
- Message Indicators: Notify users of new and unread messages when offline, showing counts on chat widgets without limits on total unread messages but displaying up to 50 at a time.
- Typing Indicators: Show when a participant is actively responding.
- System Messages: Inform users and agents about conversation states such as timeouts, with customizable messages through system properties.
- Secure Data Handling: Sensitive information like passwords and account numbers is masked to protect privacy.
- Automatic Conversation Closure: Idle chat or messaging sessions are closed automatically to manage resources.
Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
By leveraging these channels, your organization can provide flexible and effective communication options suited to various user availability scenarios and preferred chat platforms. Real-time chat channels ensure immediate engagement, while asynchronous messaging channels enable continuous support and proactive agent outreach without requiring simultaneous presence. System and message indicators enhance user experience by keeping participants informed and secure throughout conversations. Administrators can tailor live agent availability and channel modes to fit business needs, ensuring optimal support delivery.
The various ways in which your end users engage with virtual and live agents are called channels. In Conversational Interfaces, users and agents converse through channels that have specific communication modes: chat mode for real-time conversations and messaging mode for long-running conversations.
Conversation channels provide your end users and agents with different options for interacting. These options are based on when your users and agents are available to connect, and the chat applications used in your business environment. There are two types of channels: chat channels and messaging channels.
Chat channels
Chat channels support two-way conversations in real time. These conversations may involve a user and a live agent or a user and a virtual agent. This mode of conversation is synchronous, and the user is guaranteed a response. Supported chat channels let your end users and agents interact based on the chat applications (clients) that they’re using and when they’re available to connect.
- Service Portal (mweb) chat widget
- Mobile web (mweb) client
- Conversational Integration with Microsoft Teams
- Conversational Integration with Slack
- Conversational Integration with Workplace from Facebook
- Conversational Integration with Alexa
- Conversational Integration with WhatsApp (powered by Twilio)
- Conversational Integration with LINE
- Conversational Integration with Facebook Messenger
Messaging channels
Messaging channels let end users and agents communicate over longer periods of time, especially when one party isn’t online. This mode of chat is asynchronous and happens at the parties' convenience.
When your end users and agents must communicate over longer periods without being online concurrently, pre-built messaging channels let them chat asynchronously, at their convenience.
- Mobile web (mweb) client: Configure this channel for iOS, Android, and desktop devices for asynchronous chat
- Now Assist panel: Used by Now Assist panel.
- SMS channel: Used by Conversational SMS Integration with Twilio
Messaging Channels table
Messaging channels are defined in the Messaging Channels table [sys_cs_channel]. If you’re using the custom chat integration framework to create custom chat integrations, you can specify the channel mode for those integrations—either chat or messaging. For channels such as the mweb channel, you can choose either chat or messaging as well.
Live Agent support by channel
Not all channels may be suitable for Live Agent support. For example, you may want to disable support for the Bot-to-Bot and voice channels. Live Agent support is enabled by default, but admins can change this setting in the Messaging Channels [sys_cs_channel] table. For details, see Disable live agent support for a channel.
Chat and messaging features
- Message indicators that inform your users of new and unread messages received when they’re away from chat or when they’ve been offline.
- Typing indicators that show a chat participant is responding.
- System messages, displayed to users and agents that provide information about the conversation state.
- Secure handling of sensitive data, such as passwords or account numbers. This data is masked when users enter the information, and it cannot be viewed by others.
- Automatic closing of idle chat or messaging conversations.
New and unread message indicators
End users receive new message indicators on chat and messaging channels when they're offline. Users can be anonymous (guests) or known (authenticated). The unread message count is displayed on the chat widget.
In asynchronous chat, the unread message count reflects the number of any offline messages sent by a live agent and any simple notifications received.
There is no limit on the number of unread messages. Up to 50 unread messages can be viewed at a given time. Messages can span multiple conversations, either open (current) or closed (past) conversations.
When users open the chat client, they’re shown the last message received. They can scroll up or down to read the unread messages, as directed by the New messages above button or New messages below button.
A new messages separator line is displayed between the read and unread messages.
When a user closes and reopens the chat window, the messages displayed are considered as "read" even though the user might not have reviewed them.
System messages
During active conversations with live or virtual agents, certain system messages inform users and agents about the conversation state. For example, if a user is engaged in live chat, but doesn’t respond within a certain amount of time, a conversation timeout message is displayed: The conversation is timing out, are you still there?
You can change base system messages by editing their related system properties in Chat Settings in the Conversational Interfaces console.