Live Chat Skill
Overview
The live chat skill is the key to combining automation with human interaction. This skill sends a message, alerts an agent, and waits a designated amount of time for that agent to enter the chat before continuing with the automated bot flow. Think of the live chat skill as a door that opens for your agents to enter the chat. Place this skill in your bot flow wherever and whenever you want to open that door for your agents to engage.
The Basics:
Need help getting started? Check out these great resources:
- Bot builder View Options: How to navigate your chatbot builder
- Using Chatbot Templates: How to modify templates to fit your needs
- Managing Skills: How to Add, Edit, Connect, Copy, and Delete skills
Adding a live chat skill
- Insert live chat skill
- Define routing rules
- Type a message to send to your visitor while they wait for an agent to enter the chat
- Set the time limit for your agents to enter chat
- Save and close
Routing Rules and Fallback Criteria
For more information on all things routing, see Live Chat Routing Rules.
Available Agent Found Message
When the automation reaches a live chat skill, it will first check to see if any of the agents specified in its routing criteria are available to chat. If the bot finds an available agent to route, it will send a message letting the site visitor know. You can customize this message.
Note: This message is required in the skill configuration. If left blank, the system will alert you that the skill is incomplete when you try to save the bot.
Agent Fails to Respond Time Limit
Select a time limit from the dropdown at the bottom of the edit modal to determine how long the automation will wait for a live agent to respond before moving on. The default time limit is 30 seconds.
Note: While a longer time limit will make it easier for your agents to join chat, a shorter wait time will result in fewer abandoned chats.
Pro Tip: Set a wait time expectation in the "Agent Found Message".
Skill Outputs
If an agent responds to the conversation, the automated flow will end and the agent will have the freedom to take the conversation in whatever direction they want. If an agent doesn't respond, the bot can take two different paths.
• No one available: This occurs when none of the specified agents/groups/teams have chat availability turned on.
• No one responds: This occurs when the agent/group/team that was routed to the conversation is set as available, but they don't respond. The bot will move onto this path after waiting the amount of time you set within the skill.
These two outputs can lead to the same path or different paths; it's up to you!