Social channel

Social is a channel that supports social media platforms. The Social messaging integration enables a chat channel from an end-user's WhatsApp account. The social channel supports sending and receiving text, images, and videos.

To enable the social channel, contact Support.

Social channel configuration

Each integration requires a single social media account.

Admin configuration for social media platforms

  1. Go to Settings > Developer Settings > Social Media Platform.

  2. Under WhatsApp, click Activate. If you have not yet contacted Support to enable the social channel, the following message appears: "WhatsApp app activation is required to proceed further. The WhatApp Chat will be available after activation."

Create a social queue

Social queues can have a single queue structure or a set of nested queues, the same as other channels. For more details about setting up and configuring queues, see the queue and menu setup documentation.

If you have multi-language queues, set up a top-level queue for each language so that end-users are prompted to select a language before connecting with an agent.

You cannot use protected SMS command words in queue names (see the following list). An error warning appears if you try to name the queue using a protected term.

  • STOP
  • STOPALL
  • UNSUBSCRIBE
  • CANCEL
  • END
  • QUIT
  • START
  • YES
  • UNSTOP
  • HELP
  • INFO
  • Command words for EXIT (configurable in Settings > Chat)
  • Command words for BACK (configurable in Settings > Chat)

Add and edit social queues

  1. Go to Settings > Queue.

  2. Under WhatsApp, click Edit/View and then Edit.

  3. If you have queues set up in another channel (IVR, Mobile, or Web), you can copy their structure by clicking Copy Queue From. This replaces any existing queues in the new channel.

  4. To create a new queue, click into the New Item line and type the first queue name.

  5. To create additional queues:

    • Press enter to create a new queue under the first one.

    • Press enter + tab to create a branch or leaf queue.

    • Press shift + tab to go back.

  6. To delete a queue, click X next to the queue name.

  7. To move queues up or down, click the grid icon next to a queue name and drag to the new location.

  8. Click Done to save your new queue structure.

Social channel queue-level settings

  1. Go to Settings > Queue.

  2. Under WhatsApp, click Edit/View. Configured queues are displayed along with the queue-level menu settings panel.

Add an agent to a queue

At least one agent must be assigned to a queue for the queue to be enabled. Agents can only be assigned to a leaf queue.

  1. Select the queue you want to assign the agent to. The settings menu appears.

  2. Under Channel Settings, click Assign Agents. Select Cascade Group or Percent Allocation.

  3. Click Save.

  4. Click Back to Settings. Queue menus are set up and ready to use when the color turns from red to white.

Queue target metrics

You can enable target metrics in the queue settings menu by toggling the switch to On.

Chat Service Level Target: Tracks call percentage of chats answered within the set timeframe. Target value is inherited from global settings (Settings > Operation Management).

Chat Concurrency: Goal number of chats handled by an individual agent at a time. Used as the default target for all queues and can be overridden for each queue (Settings > Queue). This target is displayed on the Chat dashboard.

Queue priority

When an agent is assigned to multiple queues, interactions from higher priority queues will get routed to the agent first. See the queue priority documentation for details.

  1. Toggle the Queue Priority switch to On in the queue menu settings to set the queue priority.

  2. Click Save Queue Priority.

Hide selection from menu

Toggle the switch to Hide to remove this option from the menu. This selection's direct access points (DAPs) will still be available.

Custom chat configuration

You can enable the following settings by toggling the switch to On.

Unanswered Message Chat Expiration (during hours of operation): Maximum duration an unanswered chat remains in queue before it expires. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

Unanswered Message Chat Expiration (during After Hours): Maximum duration an unanswered chat remains in queue before it expires. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

Message Chat Timeout: The Maximum elapsed time before an inactive chat is ended. Inactive Chats are automatically expired after 7 days. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

Inactive Message Chats: The Inactive Chat settings are designed to assign a time limit for inactive chats, allowing both human and virtual agents to dismiss inactive chats that exceed this threshold. See Dismiss inactive chats for details.

After Inactive Message Chats is toggled to On, you can set the:

Dismissal timer: Set the time for the chat to be dismissed when the end user has been inactive for a specified number of minutes. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes. You can then select the Dismissal Method:

  • Agents dismiss chats manually: Presents agents with the option to dismiss a chat. This option is only available for chats with human agents.

  • Auto dismiss inactive chats: Chats are automatically dismissed when the threshold is reached and the chat is placed back in the queue until the consumer responds.

Dismissed chat auto-response (Messaging only):

This feature provides a notification to the end-user before the chat is dismissed. This is a free text entry field with a character limit of 918.

Suggested text: We have not heard from you in a while. This chat session is closed, reply to this message to start a new chat. [agent name] has left the conversation.

Chat has ended auto-response

To enable an auto-response to chat termination toggle the switch to On. This is a free text entry field with a 918 character limit.

This setting lets select a queue by entering custom key words. If the keyword is entered by the end-user when they initiate contact, they are taken directly to that queue. For example, assign the keyword "pay" to the payments queue.

  1. Check the box for Enable Menu Keywords.

  2. Enter queue words for the queue. Use a comma or space to separate keywords.

  3. Click Assign Menu Keywords.

Messaging chat system messages

This feature lets you configure the automatic chat messages (Greeting Message and After Hours Greeting Message).

  1. Check the box next to Enable greeting message. To skip it during After Hours, check the box Skip greeting message after hours.

  2. Enter your Greeting Message in the text field (918 character maximum). Suggested text: Hello! Thanks for reaching Support. Please select an option to continue. You can reply with the number or the selection title.

  3. To enable an after hours message, check the box next to Enable after hour message. This message is sent when an incoming message is received outside the Operation Hours. Enter your After Hours Greeting Message in the text field (918 character maximum).

  4. Click Save.

Messaging phone number settings

To verify the phone number assigned to this queue, click Phone Number Management.

The Phone Number Management page lets you to select, add, and save phone numbers. To Add and Verify a phone number:

  1. On the Phone Number Management page, click Add a Number.

  2. Add the unique phone number, including country code. Leave Set as the global outbound number unchecked. Add a Label that helps you identify the number.

  3. Select your new phone number and click Verify. A number must be verified before you can assign it to a queue.

Incoming messaging numbers

This feature lets you view, add, and remove assigned numbers.

To add an assigned number:

  1. Click the Please select a phone number drop-down. Assigned numbers are listed in the drop-down.

  2. To assign a number, click Add Number. To remove an assigned number, click the x next to the assigned number.

Social channel CRM updates

When an incoming social interaction is connected, the CRM record is created or updated.

The following information is posted to the CRM record if available:

  • Chat ID, language, Chat ended.

  • Pictures and videos sent by the end-user, if any.

  • A chat transcript including all messages sent by the end-user, the agent, and the system.

Social channel real-time reporting

The dashboard landing page displays a Social tile. Clicking the title takes you to Dashboard > Chats with the Social filter applied.

Monitoring pages

Social media platform interactions can be monitored on the following monitoring pages according to the Queue name. The queue column identifies the social channel queues by name.

Real-time dashboards

You can monitor social channel interactions on the following real-time dashboards by applying the Queue > Social filter and selecting the available social platforms. The dashboards will populate with the Social filter data. See the real-time dashboards documentation for details.

  • Dashboards >Chats

  • Dashboards > Performance Metrics

  • Dashboards > Queue Reports

Social platform: WhatsApp

You can configure WhatsApp as a dedicated social channel, so that your agents can receive WhatsApp support sessions from end-users. Be aware that WhatsApp messages can't be transferred to another Chat queue.

For the end-user, receiving support through WhatsApp is like any other messaging experience. They send a message to your incoming social channel phone number and receive navigation instructions (if configured) before being assigned to a queue. An agent assigned to the queue responds to the end-user.

The WhatsApp channel doesn't support virtual agents.

WhatsApp global settings

After you have enabled and configured a social channel, you can configure WhatsApp's global settings (available at Settings > Social > WhatsApp). The following settings are available for configuration.

Inactive chats

Switch the toggle to On to dismiss inactive chats automatically or manually after a set threshold.

Dismissal Timing: The number of minutes of end-user inactivity that will change the chat status to "Inactive". This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes, and cannot exceed the Chat Timeout setting.

Dismissal Method: How an inactive chat with a human agent is dismissed. Inactive chats can be dismissed manually by the agent or automatically dismissed by the system. You can also set how much notice (in minutes) the end-user is given before the chat is dismissed.

Agent target chat response time

This feature is the amount of time the agent has to reply to messages. After the time threshold is reached, the agent will see UI cues prompting them to respond. You can also see reports on the number of occurrences when the threshold is exceeded. See Agent Chat Response Time for details.

Queue selecting state Chat Expiration

The queue selecting state is the time period when the end-user is deciding which queue to enter. For example, a chat message might prompt the end-user to press 1 for Support, 2 for Sales.

This value is the maximum duration a chat can remain in the queue selecting state before it expires. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

Unanswered WhatsApp Chat Expiration (during hours of operation): Maximum duration an unanswered chat can remain in a queue before it expires. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

Unanswered WhatsApp Chat Expiration (during hours of operation): Maximum duration an unanswered chat can remain in a queue before it expires. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

WhatsApp Chat Timeout: Maximum time duration until an inactive chat is ended. This value can be set between 1 and 10080 minutes.

For compliance purposes, inactive chats are expired after 7 days.

WhatsApp consumer commands

Command for Back: Enter custom commands for end-users to navigate back to a higher level in the menu.

Command for Exit: Enter custom commands for end-users to end the chat.

Standard reports

You can view WhatsApp data using Standard Reports. Choose WhatsApp as a Session Type to generate session-specific reports and view them as an interaction type (Chats - WhatsApp:initiated via WhatsApp) in the downloaded reports.

WhatsApp is available in the following downloadable Standard Reports as a Chat Type.

Reports > Agents and Teams: Performance Metrics Report, Agent Status Summary and Timeline Reports, Individual Chat History Report.

Reports > Queues: Performance Metrics Report, Individual Chat History Report, All Queued Interactions Reports, Queue Summary - Distinct Interactions Report, Queue Summary - All Interactions Report, All Handled Interactions

Reports > Calls and Chats: A new selection option, Messaging (Whatsapp), is available under the Select Chat Types section to to create Whatsapp Chat Session Type in the following reports: Dispositions Report, Individual Chat History Report, Performance Metrics Reports

WhatsApp in the CRM

All WhatsApp chat transcripts are saved in CRM tickets, including multi-language chat transcripts and end-user answers. The chat transcripts for each Whatsapp session are uploaded to CRM tickets in the following instances:

  • Chat dismissal
  • End of the chat session
  • Chat dismissal warning sent
  • Chat dismissed
  • Chat terminated/ended: Includes comments for how it ended. Chat session ended by the agent, Chat session ended by the consumer, Chat session ended due to timeout, Chat session ended due to expiration in queue, Chat session ended due to failure.