| Announced on | Rollout starts | Rollout ends |
|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2023 | July 5, 2023 | October 16, 2023 |
Zendesk is turning on messaging at the account level on behalf of some Chat customers. Messaging provides a better conversational experience for businesses that are connected across web, mobile, or social apps. It’s easy to automate right out of the box, and can be completely customized with our open and flexible platform. Zendesk messaging is also evolving at a very fast pace with new capabilities like automations and bots, omnichannel routing, and support for social messaging channels, beyond what we support on the Chat product today.
This announcement addresses the following questions:
- Why is Zendesk making this change?
- Am I impacted?
- What do I need to do?
- How can I opt out of the messaging activations?
- What new features are available after upgrading?
For more information, see our FAQ: Chat to messaging auto-activation.
Why is Zendesk making this change?
Messaging is the future of Zendesk conversational experiences. Since its launch we have been continuously evolving the product and keep on adding new features and capabilities. As messaging becomes more powerful we intend to assist existing Chat customers with the transition to this enhanced conversational experience to make it as simple as possible for them to benefit from the capabilities.
Am I impacted?
This only applies to a small subset of existing Chat customers. You’ll receive an email with more detail if your account will be included in the upgrade.
What do I need to do?
Zendesk will complete the initial step required to begin using messaging by turning it on at the account level on customers’ behalf, and admins will be encouraged to complete a series of tasks to finalize the move from Chat to messaging and make it available to end users and agents.
Preparing for activation
Customers actively using Chat or the Web Widget (Classic) will be notified via email and in-product banner about 60 days in advance of their account-level activation date. Customers who aren’t actively using Chat or the Web Widget (Classic) will be notified approximately 30 days in advance.
There are no required pre-activation tasks, but customers will be encouraged to familiarize themselves and their agents about the differences between Chat and messaging, review the limitations in messaging functionality, and to try messaging in advance of the change.
Messaging Activation Banner on Admin Center
Messaging Activation Banner on Agent Workspace
During activation
There will be no downtime or disruptions when messaging is turned on at the account level, which will involve Zendesk selecting the Turn on messaging for your account checkbox in customer accounts.
Active Chat/ Web Widget (Classic) accounts won’t see any other changes until an admin takes action to finalize the move to messaging.
Inactive Chat/ Web Widget (Classic) accounts will see an active/ ready-to-use (messaging) Web Widget created on their behalf. Admins will have the option to customize the Web Widget and install it in their help center or an active web page to begin using messaging. The messaging Web Widget will replace the Web Widget (Classic) on any web pages (aside from a Guide help center) where it’s embedded and not actively being used.
After activation
Account admins will receive an in-product confirmation once messaging is turned on at the account level. At that point they will be encouraged to finalize the move by completing a series of optional configuration steps to make messaging live for individual brands.
When active Chat/ Web Widget (Classic) accounts convert to messaging, live chats will end and any in-progress tickets will remain pending. These customers will be advised to complete this step during an off-peak period, close out any active live chats, and take agents offline. Once completed for a given brand, the Web Widget will change from Classic to messaging and the end user, agent, and admin experiences will change to messaging for that brand.
Inactive Chat/ Web Widget (Classic) accounts will have the option to customize the Web Widget and embed it in their help center or website to start using messaging. As noted above, the Web Widget (Classic) will automatically be updated to the (messaging) Web Widget on any web pages where it’s not actively being used.
All customers will continue to have the option to turn messaging off and revert to Chat/ Web Widget (Classic) at any point after activation.
Pricing implications
Bot builder (formerly Flow Builder) will be inactive by default when messaging is turned on. Suite customers who choose to use a bot in messaging will be subject to the new monthly active users (MAU) pricing model beginning in September 2023. See About monthly active users for Zendesk bots for details.
How can I opt out of the messaging activations?
As noted above, this account-level activation is simply the first step required to move to messaging and will not force customers to make any changes. However, any customers who’d like to opt out can request an exemption by completing this form, which will be linked from the in-product experience and email that account admins will receive.
What new features are available after upgrading?
Some of the key benefits of messaging are:
- Conversational bots. Bots can automate deflection options and triage support issues before (or instead of) handing the conversation over to a live agent.
- Proactive messages. You can have a bot reach out to customers before they initiate a conversation.
- Multiple channel availability. You can initiate and conduct conversations across a range of channels, such as web, mobile, and social messaging.
- Persistent conversations. Both agents and customers can have multiple interactions over a period of time in a single conversation, and can refer to earlier interactions for better context.
- Portable communication. Customers can start a conversation from home in Web Widget, then continue it on WhatsApp in line at the grocery store, for example.
- Ticket creation. Agents can follow up on more complex support requests through Zendesk Support tickets.
- Integration in the Agent Workspace. Messaging conversations are handled alongside traditional channels like email, web form, and API by agents in Agent Workspace, for increased productivity.
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