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Proactive messages let you start conversations with customers through the Web Widget based on set conditions. You can create messages, choose between human or AI agent responses, and format them with rich text, emojis, and links. Set rules for when messages are sent, pause or resume them as needed, and troubleshoot issues by adjusting conversation control settings.

Note: This functionality is part of AI agents - Essential.

Proactive messages allow you to initiate conversations through the Web Widget with customers based on specified conditions you define.

In this article, we’ll take you through the following tasks:

  • Creating the proactive message
  • Composing the message
  • Setting the rules
  • Choosing when to send the message
  • Pausing and resuming proactive messages
  • Troubleshooting proactive messages

For an overview of proactive messages and how they work, see About proactive messages.

Creating the proactive message

Proactive messages are created on the Proactive messages page in Admin Center.

You can create up to 140 proactive messages.

To create a proactive message

  1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Proactive messages.
  2. On the Proactive messages page, click the Create proactive message button.
  3. Under Compose messages, specify the following information for the new message:
    • Name: Enter a brief but descriptive name for the proactive message.
    • Brand: If you have multiple brands, use the dropdown to select a brand for the message. Brands can run multiple proactive messages simultaneously.
    • Channel: Use the dropdown to select a Web Widget for the message. Only channels connected to the brand selected above appear in the menu. Each proactive message can only be published on one channel.
  4. Click Next to open the new message configuration page.

Composing the message

After you’ve added the proactive message to your account, you can compose the message text. Composing the message requires adding and formatting the text that will greet your customers, then selecting and configuring the response type.

There are two response types you can choose from:

  • Human agent: Lets you create a simple follow-up to the initial message before handing the customer over to a human agent.
  • AI agent: Lets you use an answer as a follow-up message.

Composing a message for each response type has slightly different steps. The sections below describe these in more detail.

Composing a proactive message with a human agent response

The basic customer experience for a proactive message with an agent response is:

  • An initial greeting, or message, to the customer
  • A follow-up message to transition the customer to a conversation with a human agent
  • A request for the customer’s name and/or email address (optional)

For a more detailed example from the customer’s perspective, see Customer experience: Agent response.

To compose the message with a human agent response

  1. In the Compose messages section of the configuration page, use the required Proactive message box to enter the text for your initial message.
  2. Under Choose how to respond, click Human agent.
  3. Enter the follow-up message. This can let the customer know they’re being transferred to a live agent, and introduce the request for additional information (if used).
  4. In the optional Customer details section, a request for both the customer’s name and email address are included by default. Click the X to delete either detail (or both). Click the down arrow to add back the deleted field(s). Deleting both fields removes the data collection request from the proactive message.
  5. Click Next to expand the Set the rules section.

Composing a proactive message with an AI agent response

Note: If your account has reached its automated resolution limit, you will not be able to create or publish a proactive message with an AI agent response until more automated resolutions are available.

The basic customer experience for a proactive message with an AI agent response is:

  • An initial greeting, or message, to the customer.
  • An answer, which transitions the customer to the AI agent.

For a more detailed example from the customer’s perspective, see Customer experience: AI agent response.

To compose the message with an AI agent response

  1. In the Compose messages section of the proactive message’s configuration page, use the Proactive message box to enter the text for your message.
  2. Under Choose how to respond, click AI agent.
  3. Note the AI agent being referenced. If it is incorrect, click Edit AI agent and choose the AI agent you want to use.

    Only AI agents connected to the channel you selected in the Compose messages section can be used. If necessary, create a new AI agent with the messaging you need, or publish an existing AI agent to the channel.

  4. Use the Response drop-down to choose the answer you want to use as your customer follow-up message. If needed, click Edit answer to make changes to the selected answer.
  5. Click Next to expand the Set the rules section.

Formatting the proactive message

You can format the proactive message with rich text, emojis, external links, name personalization, and dynamic content.

Rich text

You can apply the following rich text formatting to the proactive message:

  • Bold
  • Italics
  • Underline
  • heading styles

To apply rich text to the proactive message

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click the Format text icon (), and select the rich text formatting you want to apply.

Emojis

You can choose from a standard set of emojis to add personality to your message.

To use emojis in the proactive message

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the emoji.
  2. Click the Emoji icon () to select from available emojis.

External links

You can include external links in your proactive messages.

To add a link to the proactive message

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the link, or select the text you want to add the link to.
  2. Click the Link icon ().
  3. In the Add link window, enter the URL and the text you want to display.
  4. Click Add link.

Name personalization

You can personalize the proactive message to individual users by adding a placeholder that adds their first or full name, as shown in their user profile, to the displayed message text. If the selected name is not available, it will not be added to the message. For example, if the message begins with Hello <firstname>., the end user would see “Hello.”
Note: If your Web Widget is embedded in a help center and the proactive messaging trigger is configured to send when the visitor loads the page, the name information may not be available when the proactive message is sent.

To use name personalization in the proactive message

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the name placeholder.
  2. Click the Add a variable icon ().
  3. Select First name or Full name.

Dynamic content

If your account allows you to use dynamic content, you can manually add it to your proactive message.

To use dynamic content in the proactive message

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the dynamic content.
  2. Enter the placeholder for the dynamic content you want to use.

Setting the rules

Next, you’ll need to set the rules, which includes:

  • Adding conditions. A condition includes an object (visitor or device), an operator, and a value. You can also nest conditions to create more complex conditional logic. You can expand the Condition key to use as a reference.
  • Configuring the timing for checking conditions. Here, you’ll determine what event can trigger the condition check – usually when the customer visits a specified web or help center page, often for a specified amount of time.

For more information on the options for building conditions, see Proactive messaging conditions and events reference.

To set the condition rules

  1. In the Set the rules section, configure the conditions that must be met to send a proactive message.
  2. Click Add condition.
  3. Use the drop-down field to select an Object as the subject of the condition.
  4. If you’re using the customer’s visit information as a condition for sending the message, select Visitor in the Object drop-down, then:
    • Use the Field drop-down to choose what information to consider: The Page URL of the customer’s current page, the Page title of the customer’s current page, or the Visit history of the customer.
    • Use the Operator drop-down to choose an operator. Depending on your Field selection, this can be Is, Is not, Contains at least one of, or Doesn’t contain.
    • Use the Value field to enter the page URL or title to check. If you selected Visit history in the Field drop-down, choose New user or Returning user.
      Note: Page URL and Page Title values are case-insensitive.
  5. If you’re using information from the device the customer is on, select Device in the Object drop-down, then:
    • Use the Field drop-down to select the Language option.
    • Use the Operator drop-down to choose an operator, Is or Is not.
    • Use the Value drop-down to select the language you want to check for. This value is checked against the language set on the customer’s device.
  6. Click Add to save the condition.
  7. To add another condition to the rule, click the + and select Add condition. Repeat steps 4 and 5 as needed.
  8. To create a nested condition, click the + and select Add nested condition. A nested condition is a condition that contains two or more conditions inside it. You can use nested conditions to build complex logic that relies on multiple conditions. They are especially useful when combining conditions using both AND and OR.
  9. Under When to check the conditions, use the Event drop-down to define what customer event causes a condition check, then use Minutes and Seconds to define how long the event must last before the check is triggered.
  10. Optionally, add tags to the tickets created from the proactive message interaction.
  11. Click Next to expand the Schedule section.

Choosing when to send the message

Finally, you’ll choose when, and how often, to send the message to the customer, and publish your message.

To choose when to send the message

  1. In the Choose when to send section, select the Time of day for sending the proactive message:
    • Any time conditions are met. This sends the message whenever the customer meets the conditions defined in the previous section, regardless of any set business hours.
    • Only during business hours. This lets you select one of your previously-defined schedules to restrict when proactive messages are sent. This option is only available if you have setbusiness hoursfor the channel.
    • Only outside of business hours. This sends the message only when the customer meets the conditions outside of any previously-defined schedules. This option is only available if you have setbusiness hoursfor the channel.
  2. Under Frequency, choose how often a customer will receive a proactive message:
    • Once per customer. Message will only show the first time the customer meets the conditions. After clearing the browser’s cache, the customer will be treated as a new user at their next visit and will see the message again.
    • Once per visit. After the message is opened or dismissed, it won't show again until the customer’s next visit.
    • Every time the conditions are met. Recommended only for critical or time-sensitive messages.
  3. Click Publish.
Note: When you publish the proactive message, it is immediately activated in your Web Widget, and its status is updated to Live. For more information on activating and managing the status of proactive messages, see The proactive messages admin page.

Pausing and resuming proactive messages

All published proactive messages can be paused manually by admins at any time. Paused proactive messages are indicated by a Paused label in the Proactive messages list:

Proactive messages that use AI agent capabilities, such as generated replies, are automatically paused when your account is configured to pause AI agent functionality when it reaches its automated resolution limit. These proactive messages will automatically resume when automated resolutions are again available on your account. Proactive messages paused for this reason are indicated by a warning icon next to the Paused label in the Proactive messages list:

Note: If you update an AI agent proactive message to an Agent proactive message when AI agent functionality is paused, you will need to manually resume the message when automated resolutions are again available on your account.

To manually pause a proactive message

  1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Proactive messages.
  2. In the Proactive messages list, hover over the message you want to pause and click the options menu icon ().
  3. Select Pause.

To manually resume a proactive message

  1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Proactive messages.
  2. In the Proactive messages list, hover over the message you want to resume and click the options menu icon ().
  3. Select Resume.

Troubleshooting proactive messages

If your proactive messages are not sending correctly, check that Conversation control is set to Release control.

To configure Conversation control

  1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
  2. On the Messaging channels page, click Manage settings.
  3. Expand the Conversation control section and select Release control.
  4. Click Save settings.
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