Agents can communicate with end users and other agents, even if they are using different languages, using the native translation feature in Agent Workspace.
The translation feature is enabled by default for all customers using the Agent Workspace, but is only available for agents with a chat seat.
This article includes the following topics:
About the translation feature
With the native translation feature in Agent Workspace, agents can choose to translate incoming messages (coming from the end user) and outgoing messages (going to the end user) in the following channels:
- Live Chat
- Social channels
- Email (Includes incoming messages sent by the end user, and tickets created by APIs and web forms. Does not include emails sent via other channels.)
- Sunshine Conversation channels
- Zendesk messaging (currently in beta)
A user’s language is determined based on recent messages they have sent, then Google Translate is used to translate text.
If the agent’s and end user’s languages are different, a translation banner is displayed informing the agent of the language difference, and they can choose to enable translation for that conversation.
Both the original and translated messages sent by the agent appear in the Event log. End user messages only appear in the original language.
Limitations to this feature include:
- There is a 5,000 character limit per message for translation. Any message over 5,000 characters will not be translated.
- SunCo Shorthands are not supported for translations.
Using translation in the workspace
In Agent workspace, translation is managed by the Chat agent currently conversing with the end user. This section discusses the following topics:
Enabling translation
When a language difference is detected in an incoming message, a banner appears on the workspace, letting the agent know the end user’s language and allowing them to enable translation, if they choose.
To enable translation for an incoming conversation
- In the translation banner, click Translate. The banner updates to display the translation status:
- If you do not want to enable translation for the conversation, click the X to dismiss the banner.
If you decline to translate a conversation initially, you can still enable translation during the conversation.
To enable translationin an ongoing conversation
- In the conversation header, click the Options menu (
), then click Translate. The translation banner appears, displaying the translation status as shown above.
Disabling translation
You can also turn off translation if it is no longer needed – for instance, if a new end user takes over the conversation, or if it is passed to another agent who speaks the same language as the end user.
To disable native translation
-
In the translation banner, click Stop. Or, in the conversation header, click the Options menu (
), then click Stop translating.
Switching between original and translated message text
Agents can view an end user’s original (untranslated) messages, as well as the translated version of their own messages.
To view an end user’s original message text
- At the end of the end user’s message, click Show original. The untranslated version appears.
To view your own translated message text
- At the end of the message, click Show translation. The translated version of the message appears.
The end user experience
When an agent enables translation for a conversation, the end user does not receive an activation notification -- agent messages simply appear in their detected language. However, translated agent messages are identified in the conversation.
In a Live Chat, translated messages have a Show original link, which end users can click to display the untranslated message:Through Social Messaging and the Zendesk messaging beta release,translated messages are indicated with the word Translated in their detected language; however, they cannot display the untranslated version of the message:
14 Comments
Awesome feature :)
I don't see this activated in my instances, is there a parameter to activate it or a publishing date for this feature?
Hi Oscar Aguilar,
This feature is currently available in Agent Workspace for Agents with a chat seat. If your instance meets this criteria and still not able to see feature, do let us know and we would be happy to check further.
Regards,
Ayush
Are there plans to make this available to non-chat Enterprise customers? I'd like for my agents to have this available for Support.
Hey Reneé,
There are no plans at this time so I would recommend using Google Translate or taking a look at our App Marketplace to see if there's a 3rd party integration available.
Let us know if you have any other questions!
Hi,
we use our own custom APP for that, how can I disable the Translate feature from Workspace I don´t want to click "x" always when I open tickets.
Thanks.
Good evening, we are not able to connect the function of automatic translation of tickets. In the agent workspace, we could not find this function.
Hi Fokina Aliaksandra,
This feature is currently available in Agent Workspace for Agents with a chat seat. If your agents meet this criteria and still not able to see feature, do let us know and we would be happy to check further.
Regards,
Ayush
Hi Tobias Hermanns,
We do not support disabling the language detection feature in Agent Workspace currently. We have taken your feedback and will inform you if we build a way to disable this in future.
In the meantime, I would recommend dismissing the language detection banner.
Regards,
Ayush
Hi Ayush,
I try to work with "dismissing it", but close Tab / reopen tab, is show it up again.
So not very useful even the dismiss, when not store by browser and or need do by every ticket we touch.
I want to try another way and disbale Chat Seats on our Agents not using chat but so far Zendesk also remove mass-edit of chat seats and not funny go through 100 agents manually in admin center to remove chat seat to not see Translation bar.
So I hope there can be better solution in future on that.
Hi Tobias Hermanns,
Noted on the feedback, I will update on this thread once we have a solution that works for you.
Regards,
Ayush
When will this be available for other channels than Chat?
Your article states that email is supported, but I get the following error (see attachment)
Same here, I think the article is not up to date.
Hi Thomas D'Hoe and Anton Verhelst,
We support translations for incoming Emails in Agent Workspace. Outgoing translations are not supported, as shown in the tooltip.
Outgoing translations can be enabled using existing Apps in the marketplace like Unbabel and Language.io.
Regards,
Ayush
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