Multi-conversations let your end users conduct multiple messaging conversations simultaneously in your Web Widget or mobile app, providing faster resolutions to their support issues and a more satisfying customer experience.
See Allowing multiple messaging conversations for information about setting up this feature.
See Configuring multi-conversations for developer information about this feature.
This article includes the following topics:
About multi-conversations
This topic includes the following sections:
Considerations when turning on multi-conversations
Before activating multi-conversations for your account, consider the following:
- All web, iOS, and Android messaging channels are updated when you turn on multi-conversations for any messaging channel. Channels not selected to display the New conversation button will perform as described in Removing the New conversation button. We recommend turning on multi-conversations for all available messaging channels to align the end-user experience.
- You can't fully revert to the single conversation experience for end users after you turn on the feature. You can prevent end users from starting additional conversations by removing the New conversation button, but end users will continue to have access to all conversations in the conversations list. End users can raise new issues by continuing any conversation in the conversations list.
- Merging authenticated users will no longer combine conversations into a single history. By default, before turning on multi-conversations, authenticating an end user after starting a messaging conversation merges that end user with the matching authenticated user profile, and conversations under the authenticated user profile are combined into a single conversation history. When you turn on multi-conversations, authenticating an end user after starting a messaging conversation still merges them with the authenticated user profile. However, the conversation isn’t merged with prior conversations. This change is irreversible. If you are authenticating your end users you should work with your developers to ensure the authentication occurs before starting messaging conversations. Delaying authentication may result in duplicate tickets for the same issue. See Configuring multi-conversations for more information.
Requirements and limitations
- Messaging is turned on.
- Your account must be using the Omnichannel Backend (OCB).
- Zendesk iOS or Android SDK version 2.10.0 or later is required for multi-conversations. For the best user experience, version 2.25.0 or later is recommended.
- Older SDK versions do not support this feature and will default to a single conversation experience.
Currently, multi-conversations have the following functionality limitations:
- Zendesk Unity SDK and social messaging channels connected to your account do not support multi-conversations.
- V1 SunCo APIs do not support multi-conversation.
- Social channel linking (allowing an end user to move the conversation from the Web Widget to a social channel) is only available for the first conversation started by the end user. End users can’t continue subsequent conversations on social channels.
See our Developer documentation for more information, including additional Sunshine Conversations API capabilities and limitations.
Impact on the agent experience
In Agent Workspace, your agents likely support more than one conversation simultaneously. In this sense, turning on multi-conversations does not impact how they work with and view incoming conversations.
Even though each new conversation created by an end user and handed off to an agent results in a new ticket, agent interaction with these tickets and end-user profiles in Agent Workspace remains unchanged.
Understanding the end-user experience
Multi-conversations will significantly impact how end users interact with your web or mobile conversation widget.
In the mobile and Web Widget channels, your messaging bot behavior runs when an end user starts a new conversation.
This topic includes the following sections:
Changes to the mobile experience
If you offer messaging support through your mobile app, end users will see several changes in their UI.
The conversation list screen
This screen displays a list of the end user’s conversations. All conversations appear in the list, regardless of ticket or messaging session status. Conversations are listed in descending order based on the time of the latest message in each conversation.
Each conversation in the list includes the following information:
- The title of the conversation.
- The profile picture of the agent who sent the latest message in the conversation. Your bot avatar is displayed if an agent hasn’t responded to the conversation. The default agent image is displayed if the agent doesn’t have a profile picture.
- The beginning of the latest message in the conversation. The agent’s username precedes the message if the agent submitted the most recent comment, or “You” if the end user submitted the most recent comment. The content of the message appears in bold if the end user has not read the latest message.
- The timestamp of the latest message in the conversation.
- A badge counter for unread messages.
- The New conversation button. Tapping this button navigates the end user to the conversations screen and creates a new conversation. The button doesn’t appear if you have removed the New conversation button. In this case, end users can’t create a new, separate conversation but can continue to raise support issues in any pre-existing conversation.
The conversation screen
When you turn on multi-conversations, the header on the conversation screen includes the following features:
- The conversation title, by default the start date/time of the conversation.
- The profile picture for the agent who sent the most recent message in the conversation.
- A back button that navigates to the previous screen.
The launcher button
When the end user taps the launcher button to open the widget, its behavior depends on their pre-existing conversations.
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If there are no pre-existing conversations, a new conversation opens on the conversation screen.
If there are one or more pre-existing conversations, the conversation list screen opens. The end user can select the conversation they want to continue or start a new conversation by tapping the New conversation button.
Push notifications
When a new message is added to a conversation, the user receives a push notification on their mobile device. Tapping the notification takes them to the Conversation screen, with the updated conversation open.
Notifications can be received when the end user:
- Is viewing another conversation in the app.
- Is viewing another screen in the app.
- Is not currently in the app (depending on how their notifications are configured
However, new message notifications aren’t displayed if the end user is viewing the Conversation list. Instead, the newly updated conversation moves to the top of the list, and the new message is highlighted.
Changes to the Web Widget experience
If you offer messaging support through the Web Widget, your end users will see several changes in their UI.
Conversations list
When the end user clicks the launcher button, the Web Widget displays a list of the end user’s existing conversations. Conversations are listed in descending order based on the time of the latest message in each conversation. End users can click a conversation to open it in the Web Widget.
Each conversation in the list includes the following information:
- The title of the conversation.
- The avatar of the agent who sent the latest message in the conversation. Your bot avatar is displayed if an agent hasn’t responded to the conversation. The default agent image is displayed if the agent doesn’t have an avatar.
- The beginning of the latest message in the conversation. The agent’s username precedes the message if the agent submitted the most recent comment, or “You” if the end user submitted the most recent comment. The content of the message appears in bold if the end user has not read the latest message.
- The timestamp of the latest message in the conversation.
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A badge counter for unread messages.
The New conversation button. Clicking this button navigates the end user to the conversation screen and creates a new conversation. The button doesn’t appear if you have removed the New conversation button. In this case end users can’t create a new, separate conversation but can continue to raise support issues in any pre-existing conversation.
Conversations
When the end user is viewing a conversation, the Web Widget frame includes the following features:
- The conversation title, by default the start date/time of the conversation.
- The avatar of the agent who sent the most recent message in the conversation
- A back button to return to the list of conversations.
The launcher button
When the end user clicks the launcher button to open the Web Widget, its behavior depends on their pre-existing conversations.
- If there are no pre-existing conversations, the Web Widget opens, and a new bot interaction begins based on your bot configuration – essentially, the bot behavior is the same as it would be without multi-conversations turned on.
- If there are one or more pre-existing conversations, a list of conversations opens, allowing the end user to select the conversation they want to continue or start a new conversation by clicking the New conversation button.
If you remove the New conversation button, end users with only one conversation will navigate to the Conversation screen, where their conversation is displayed.
Proactive Messages
When you turn on multi-conversations, proactive messages sent to end users create new conversations rather than being appended to an existing conversation.
If you remove the New conversation button, your proactive messages will stop creating new conversations. Instead, subsequent proactive messages are appended to the latest updated conversation.