Extending multichannel support in Guided Conversations  

Extending multichannel support in Guided Conversations  

Hello everyone!

 

In this post, we will discuss the importance of creating GC flows for different channels. 

 

Guided Conversations are structured dialogues designed to assist users in achieving specific goals or tasks on a conversational interface. These conversations are guided by predetermined flows that lead users through a series of steps, questions, or options to help them accomplish their objectives. 

 

With many businesses now offering customer support through multiple channels, it's clear that self-service options should also be available across channels. Multichannel support offers customers the opportunity to interact with the support teams and get their questions or problems resolved through the channel they use more often.  

 

Offering multichannel support through GC flows, allows customers to chat with bots across channels such as Web, WhatsApp, on both web and mobile interfaces.  

 

 

Imagine inquiring about an order through a mobile app or swiftly resolving an issue via WhatsApp. Sounds convenient, right? 

 

This is precisely where channel-specific GC flows come into play, empowering businesses to streamline customer interactions across multiple platforms.

 

What is a channel-specific flow?

 

Customers interact with businesses through different channels based on convenience, availability, and sometimes their business structure. For example, start-ups or solo entrepreneurs may be more likely to prefer conversational platforms like WhatsApp.  

 

To cater to different business types, flows can be built exclusively for a specific platform. By implementing channel-specific flows, businesses can provide consistent and optimized experiences that enable users to interact with them regardless of the channel they choose. 

 

 

How does it work?

 

With channel-specific flows, users can navigate through processes effortlessly using a chat-based guided approach. Whether it's placing an order, making inquiries, or seeking support, these exclusive flows are designed to enhance user experience and streamline interactions.

 

Here's how we can cater to each business type with specific considerations:

 

Small scale organizations

Channel-specific chatbot flows can be ideal for small businesses that primarily interact with customers over messaging platforms like WhatsApp. These businesses often have limited resources and bandwidth, so having a bot handle routine inquiries or tasks can help streamline communication and free up time for value-adding work. 

 

Let's say a customer prefers to use WhatsApp to ask about a product or check on an order. They send a message to the company's WhatsApp business account. The channel-specific flow appears, providing a guided conversation tailored for WhatsApp. The customer can receive instant responses to common questions, access product information, and request further assistance within the familiar WhatsApp interface.

 

Midsize businesses

Midsized businesses often prioritize mobility and flexibility. Mobile accessibility is crucial for midsize businesses because employees may need to respond to inquiries or manage tasks while on the go, meeting clients, or attending events. Providing a mobile-specific (iOS or Andriod) GC flow for accessing support resources would cater to their needs effectively.

 

Enterprise businesses

For an enterprise e-commerce company, providing a self-service platform is crucial to efficiently handle customer inquiries and support requests. Upon visiting the website, customers can be greeted by a chat widget that guides them through a personalized assistance journey.

With channel-specific flows, customers can easily navigate through options, view product details, and even initiate a purchase directly within the chat window. Channel-specific flows ensure a smooth and consistent experience for the customer, regardless of the platform they use. Whether it's through the website or WhatsApp, Guided Conversations can assist them in achieving their goals efficiently.

 

In addition to creating flows for multiple channels, we have these enhancements as well:

 

Editing flows' display names during widget creation

 

When creating a flow, users can select the relevant channels and provide a suitable flow name. However, during the association of a flow with a GC widget, users may encounter constraints imposed by certain channels, like WhatsApp's character limit for display names. In such cases, users can edit the display name of the flow. This flexibility ensures optimal visibility and clarity across different channels, which empowers users to create meaningful and concise display names that effectively communicate the content of the flow within the constraints of each channel's character limit.

 

 

For further insights on utilizing channel-specific flows and editing the display name of flows while creating a GC widget, kindly refer to the help article: Building the Guided Conversations Flow.

 

This feature is now available for all users across data centers. We encourage you to give it a try and share your thoughts and experiences with channel-specific flows in the comments below.

 

Thank you, and have a great day!

 

Regards,

Varsha P | Zoho Desk - User Education


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