Introduction to Instant Messaging
Instant messaging (IM) enables you to connect with your customers on the messaging apps they use, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and more. This feature consolidates customer conversations from various platforms into one unified interface, helping your agents provide faster, consistent, and more personal support.
What Is Instant Messaging?
Instant messaging allows you to exchange text messages with others in real time. It enables quick and direct communication, facilitating immediate responses.
Why Use Instant Messaging?
By integrating IM into Zoho Desk, you can:
- Engage customers on their preferred messaging platforms
- Reduce response time with real-time interactions
- Centralize communications in one interface. This makes it easier to track and manage conversations.
- Automate and personalize support using bots, canned replies, and AI-powered tools like Zia
- Ensure team collaboration through routing rules and departmental configuration
How IM Works in Zoho Desk
- Zoho Desk’s IM module acts as a bridge between your business and various messaging platforms. When a customer sends a message on a connected platform:
- The message appears in your IM Inbox.
- Zoho Desk automatically creates or updates a ticket based on your threading settings.
- Agents can respond directly from the unified interface, attach files, use canned replies, and leverage AI suggestions.
- You can configure automation rules, bots, and routing logic for efficient message handling.
Supported Platforms:
- WhatsApp Business
- Facebook Messenger
- Telegram
- LINE
- WeChat
- Instagram
- Business Messaging
Key Features of IM in Zoho Desk
- Unified Inbox: View and respond to messages from all integrated platforms in one place.
- Real-Time Responses: Provide immediate assistance for faster resolutions.
- Canned Responses: Use predefined replies to handle common questions efficiently.
- File Sharing: Send and receive images, documents, and other media to assist customers.
- Bot Integration: Automate routine questions and smartly hand the conversation over to human agents.
- AI Enhancements: Use Zia for sentiment analysis, tone suggestions, summaries, and translations.
Channel Creation Process Flow
The following is the channel creation process flow for all platforms in Instant Messaging (IM)
A Few Steps to Get Started with Instant Messaging
Follow these steps to set up and optimize IM in your Zoho Desk account:
1. Integrate Messaging Platforms
Integrate specific messaging platforms into Zoho Desk’s Instant Messaging module to support your customers directly from the platform.
Learn more: Integrate Messaging Platforms
2. Create Channels
Create various channels under each messaging platform. Customize these channels for each department and agent with the integrated channels. Once agents are associated with a channel, they will start receiving notifications. This customization can be done for the following messaging platforms:
3. Ticket Configuration
For each integrated channel, set the threading interval to define when a new ticket should be created from ongoing conversations.
Learn more: Chat-to-Ticket Conversion
4. Conversation Rules
Configure auto-close timers for both agent and bot conversations to manage inactive chats effectively.
Learn more: Conversation Rules
5. Business Hours
In the Conversation Rules section, set your organization’s business hours for each channel created for each messaging platform.
Learn more: Business Hours
6. Chat Routing
You can automate the assignment of incoming chats to active agents sequentially. Additionally, set up greeting messages to welcome users. You can also configure offline messages to inform customers when your support team is unavailable.
Learn more: Chat Routing
7. Set Up Bots
Configure the bot to handle simple customer questions and ensure a smooth transfer to an agent for complex issues. Set preferences for each channel, choose which visitors the bot engages with, and define the bot’s availability.
Learn more: Bot
8. Use Canned Message
Create predefined replies for common customer inquiries to maintain consistency. Agents can access these canned messages during conversations.
Learn more: Canned Message
9. Widget Customization
Customize chat widgets and embed them on your website as QR codes, chat links, or clickable buttons to facilitate customer engagement.
10. Zia-Powered Communication Panel
The IM inbox is equipped with AI-powered tools to help agents understand and respond to customer messages more effectively. It includes Sentiment Analysis. Tone Detection, Conversation Summary, and Suggested Responses based on your knowledge base to help agents reply faster and more accurately. These tools work together to enhance communication efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Learn more: Zia in your IM Inbox
11. Zia-Powered Composer
The Zia-powered composer enables agents to craft responses with greater precision and tone control. The composer also offers length controls for short or detailed replies based on the nature of the inquiry. It also gives smart suggestions to auto-generate appropriate responses.
Learn more: ZIA-Powered Composer in Inbox
12. Translate Messages
The AI translation feature within the composer allows agents to translate outgoing messages directly, making it easy to provide support in multiple languages. Whether it’s a manually typed response or a canned reply, agents can ensure clarity and consistency across all customer interactions. This built-in translation capability eliminates the need for third-party tools and enables seamless multilingual communication.
Best Practices
- Start with one or two key platforms based on your customer base.
- Monitor IM Inbox performance regularly using Desk reports.
- Use bots for handling peak hours or FAQs.
- Regularly update canned responses and bot content.
- Train agents on Zia suggestions for faster and smarter responses.
Conclusion
Instant Messaging in Zoho Desk is a powerful tool to modernize your customer service. With real-time interactions, centralized control, and AI enhancements, it’s designed to help you respond faster, reduce workload, and keep your customers satisfied across the platforms they already use
Access your files securely from anywhere
Zoho CRM Training Programs
Learn how to use the best tools for sales force automation and better customer engagement from Zoho's implementation specialists.
Zoho DataPrep Personalized Demo
If you'd like a personalized walk-through of our data preparation tool, please request a demo and we'll be happy to show you how to get the best out of Zoho DataPrep.
- Zoho Workerly Home
- Forums
- Connect With Us:
- Zoho Recruit Home
- Forums
- Connect With Us:
New to Zoho Writer?
Create. Review. Publish.
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
You are currently viewing the help pages of Qntrl’s earlier version. Click here to view our latest version—Qntrl 3.0's help articles.
New to Zoho Survey?
Zoho Sheet Resources
Zoho Forms Resources
New to Zoho Sign?
Zoho Sign Resources
Sign, Paperless!
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
Zoho TeamInbox Resources
New to Zoho ZeptoMail?
Design. Discuss. Deliver.
New to Zoho Workerly?
New to Zoho Recruit?
New to Zoho CRM?
New to Zoho Projects?
New to Zoho Sprints?
New to Zoho Assist?
New to Bigin?
Related Articles
ZIA-Powered Composer in Inbox
Overview The ZIA-Powered composer in IM Inbox leverages advanced AI capabilities to transform customer engagement by automating responses, optimizing tone and length, and providing intelligent message suggestions. This feature helps agents manage ...FAQs: Instant Messaging
Why can't I send Canned Messages? The Auto-ticket conversion must be switched On. Why? Because the canned message contains placeholders from the Agents & Contacts module. Navigate to Instant Messaging > Preferences > Check_lists to Switch On the ...A Guide to Instant Messaging
An Overview Zoho Desk's Instant Messaging module is a pay-as-you-go feature that enhances your business by making customer communication easy and efficient. In this document, you will find out why Zoho Desk's IM is the perfect messaging platform to ...WhatsApp Multi-WABA support by Instant Messaging
If you've been using the WhatsApp channel to communicate with your customers, you're likely aware that every WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) needs a verified phone number specifically dedicated to that IM channel for the current WhatsApp Business ...Canned Messages for Instant Messaging in Zoho Desk
Need a faster way to reply to customer messages on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and other platforms? Canned Messages are here to help your agents stay quick, clear, and consistent, no matter how many chats they handle. What are Canned ...
New to Zoho LandingPage?
Zoho LandingPage Resources