Enabling article recommendations in Web Widget (Classic)

Zendesk Documentation Team

Edited Mar 19, 2025

Suite

Any plan

You can add article recommendations wherever you've implemented Web Widget (Classic). For Zendesk Chat customers, this also allows for a fluid and consistent self-service experience prior to a chat escalation, freeing up your Chat and Support agents to focus on the customer service issues that require a human touch.

Note: Bot functionality is different for web messaging users. See Enabling a messaging bot for web and mobile channels.

This functionality is part of AI agents.

This article discusses the following topics:

Understanding the end user experience
Enabling article recommendations in Web Widget (Classic)

Understanding the end user experience

When article recommendations are enabled for the Web Widget (Classic), your end user's experience with the widget changes. This section describes the workflow an end user may experience with article recommendations for the Web Widget (Classic).

When an end user clicks on the Web Widget (Classic) launcher, instead of the standard text entry search box, they'll see a chat window, and a greeting from the bot:

The bot uses the current brand's name in its initial greeting.

After the initial greeting, the workflow depends on the action taken by the end user.

If the end user enters a question (within 10 seconds)

The end user enters their question in the text box. They can use conversational language, as if they were chatting with a live agent, or use keywords.
The bot responds with article recommendations, a list of up to three articles that may be helpful, based on your article settings:
From here, the end user's path can go in a few directions:
- If the end user clicks on any of the suggested article links, that help center article opens in the chat window. After three seconds, a feedback notification appears at the bottom of the window:
  - Yes closes the feedback notification, and the article remains on the screen. This action creates a Support ticket that is automatically solved.
    The end user can return to the conversation by clicking the Back arrow at the top of the chat window.
  - No, I need help, opens a second feedback notification, asking for further information.
    
    After selecting an answer, the end user is returned to the conversation, where the bot presents a list of contact channels and the option to enter another question.
    
    The contact channels offered depend on how your Web Widget (Classic) components are configured. The end user can click on one of the channel options to open that channel in the widget.
- If the end user does not click on any of the suggested article links within five seconds, they are returned to the conversation, where the bot presents a list of contact channels and the option to enter another question.
  
  The contact channels offered depend on how your Web Widget (Classic) components are configured. The end user can click on one of the channel options to open that channel in the widget.

If the end user remains idle

After the initial greeting, if the end user does not interact with the conversation within 10 seconds, the bot suggests a list of contact channels. The contact channels offered depend on how your Web Widget (Classic) components are configured.
The end user can click on one of the channel options to open that channel in the widget, or can enter a question, which launches the workflow described above.