Using Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Using Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management

    The ServiceNow® Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management app provides customers with the option to request callbacks when live agent wait times are long or agents are unavailable. It also enables agents to schedule, reschedule, or cancel callbacks on behalf of customers directly from the CSM Configurable Workspace, enhancing customer engagement and agent productivity.

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    This capability integrates with the ServiceNow Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) system to efficiently route callback requests to available agents based on real-time presence status synchronized between the contact center and ServiceNow Workspace.

    Callback Workflow and Customer Experience

    • Immediate Callback Requests: Customers can request a callback as soon as possible, avoiding queue wait times. They see an estimated callback time before requesting.
    • Scheduled Callback Requests: Customers may also select a preferred date and time for callbacks, receiving confirmation via email.
    • Rescheduling and Cancellation: Customers can reschedule or cancel their scheduled callbacks through the same self-service channel they used to request the callback.
    • Agent Interaction: Agents receive callback notifications in their workspace inbox, can review relevant context (knowledge base, virtual agent conversations), and initiate the callback. If the customer does not answer, agents can retry or manually requeue the callback.

    Agent-Scheduled Callbacks

    Agents can proactively schedule callbacks for customers during any omnichannel interaction (chat, voice, email, messaging) or from case records within the CSM Configurable Workspace. Key features include:

    • Scheduling callbacks with customer contact info, preferred time, and callback reason, including timezone awareness.
    • Callback tasks are created and linked to related cases or interactions with an open status.
    • Agents receive confirmation messages with links to callback records.
    • Agents can view, reschedule, or cancel active callbacks via list or side panel views for efficient management.

    Callback Channels

    Customers can request callbacks via multiple channels:

    • Virtual Agent chat
    • Engagement Messenger
    • Customer Service Portal

    Callback types supported include phone callbacks (immediate or scheduled) and video callbacks via Zoom (scheduled only).

    Prerequisites and Important Considerations

    • Agents must be configured through their contact center integration to receive callbacks and access the ServiceNow Workspace.
    • Agent presence states must be synchronized between the contact center and ServiceNow Workspace to ensure callbacks route correctly.
    • Presence state labels may differ (e.g., "available" vs. "on queue") and mismatches can affect callback delivery.

    This solution helps ServiceNow customers improve customer satisfaction by reducing wait times and enabling flexible callback options, while empowering agents with tools to manage callbacks efficiently within their existing workspace.

    The ServiceNow® Omnichannel Callback for Customer Service Management app enables a callback option for customers when there's a long wait time for a live agent.Additionally, agents can schedule callbacks on behalf of customers from CSM Configurable Workspace

    For more information, see Omnichannel Callback.
    Note:
    Prerequisite for CCaaS callbacks: Verify that agents are configured through their contact center integration to receive callbacks and access the ServiceNow Workspace. Agent profiles are synced automatically when agents log in through the contact center connector in OpenFrame. For example, an agent must be able to log in to both the contact center and ServiceNow workspace. The agent presence state must match between both systems, as callbacks only route to available agents. In some cases, the state "available" might be labeled differently in the contact center, such as "on queue." Presence mismatches can prevent agents from receiving callbacks.

    Callback flow

    The callback workflow proceeds as follows:
    1. Customers are presented with an option to request a callback when the estimated wait time to reach an agent is too long or when agents are unavailable.
    2. The customer enters callback details such as name, contact details, and the reason for the callback.
    3. Customers request a callback as soon as possible or at a specified date and time.
    4. A callback interaction is created immediately for an immediate callback request or a minute before the selected time for a scheduled callback request.
    5. The ServiceNow® Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) application determines the availability of agents and creates a callback work item for an available agent. AWA adds the callback task to the callback queue. The agent then receives a Callback notification in the workspace inbox.
    6. The agent can choose to review the callback context such as knowledge base article views, searches, and Virtual Agent conversation before calling the customer.
    7. The agent calls the customer.
      • If the customer accepts the call, the interaction is marked as complete when the call ends.
      • If the customer doesn't accept the call, the agent can retry the callback later.
    8. The agent can decide to close the interaction or queue the callback again manually from the workspace.
    Figure 1. Callback flow diagram
    Callback flow diagram

    Callback requests

    Immediate callback request
    Customers can request a callback immediately. The customers are shown the average time that the agent takes to call back. This request helps to prevent them from having to wait in the queue to connect with an agent.
    Scheduling a callback request
    Customers can request a callback by selecting the preferred date and time. The customer will receive a confirmation of the scheduled callback request via email.
    Rescheduling a callback request
    Customers can reschedule the callback request by choosing from a list of upcoming dates and times for callback requests.
    Cancelling a callback request
    Customers can cancel scheduled callbacks from the self-service channel they requested the callback from.

    Agent-scheduled callbacks

    In addition to customer-scheduled callbacks, agents can now create callbacks on behalf of customers from CSM Configurable Workspace. Agent-scheduled callbacks can be created from any omnichannel interaction (chat, voice, email, messaging) or case records. Agents can schedule, reschedule, and cancel callbacks.

    The following diagram shows the agent-scheduled callback workflow.

    Figure 2. Agent-scheduled callback flow
    Agent-scheduled callback flow
    Agent-scheduled callback workflow
    The agent-scheduled callback workflow proceeds as follows:
    1. Callback creation: While working on a case or during an active interaction, the agent selects Schedule Callback. In the scheduling widget, the agent enters the customer's callback number, preferred date and time, reason for the call, and a short description. The widget displays the customer's time zone. The agent selects Schedule.
    2. Callback task created: The system creates a callback task and links it to the related case or interaction. The callback task state is set to Open.
    3. Callback confirmation: A confirmation message is displayed indicating that the callback has been scheduled for the customer at the specified time. The message includes a link to the callback record.
    4. Viewing and managing: Agents can view active callbacks from the Scheduled Callbacks list view and as tiles in the contextual side panel. From either view, agents can reschedule or cancel callbacks for the contact or consumer.

    Callback channels

    Customers can request a callback during a chat on Virtual Agent or Engagement Messenger, or from Customer Service Portal. They can request either a phone callback or a video callback on Zoom. Video callbacks must be scheduled but phone callbacks can be requested immediately or scheduled.