Using Asynchronous Chat in messaging channels
Summarize
Summary of Using Asynchronous Chat in messaging channels
Asynchronous Chat enables ServiceNow customers to facilitate long-running conversations between agents and end users on messaging channels without requiring simultaneous online presence. This feature supports continuous engagement by allowing users to respond at their convenience and agents to proactively send important alerts or updates. Conversations can span hours or days and resume seamlessly where they left off.
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Messaging channels like SMS and the web (mweb) channel support asynchronous chat. The mweb channel uniquely supports both chat and messaging modes, with asynchronous chat specifically referring to its messaging mode.
Requirements
To use Asynchronous Chat, customers must activate specific plugins and applications including:
- Glide Conversation Server – Provides Virtual Agent and conversation server functionality.
- Conversational Messaging – Enables messaging features and actions within Workspace.
- Now Mobile app (v12.2) – Allows end users to manage requests and communicate via Agent Chat and Virtual Agent.
- Agent-initiated Messaging Interface (v3.0) – Supports agents initiating conversations proactively in messaging channels.
How Asynchronous Chat Works
Key features enhance conversational experience for users and agents:
- Unread Message Indicators: Users receive notifications of new messages even when offline. Unread counts appear on the chat widget, with up to 50 messages viewable across multiple conversations.
- System Messages: Certain system notifications are tailored or suppressed depending on whether the channel is in messaging or chat mode.
- Idle Conversation Timeout: Messaging channels automatically close conversations after two days of user inactivity, but admins can customize this timeout per channel.
- Proactive Messaging: Agents can initiate communication with users via the mweb channel, sending messages containing links and attachments. Users can reply to continue the conversation, preserving context.
End User Experience
When users receive offline messages and later open the chat widget, they enter live agent conversations. They can resume chats with the original agent if available, or with another agent based on reassignment rules and queue wait times.
Configuration Notes
To enable asynchronous chat on the web channel, the chat widget must be configured as a messaging channel within the Messaging Channel [syscschannel] table. This setup allows seamless switching between chat and messaging modes as needed.
Enable your organization or brand to maintain constant engagement with end users. With Asynchronous Chat, your agents and end users can participate in long-running conversations without being online concurrently. Agents can also proactively contact users whenever there is useful information to share, such as important alerts or updates.
With Asynchronous Chat, end users and agents can engage in conversations that might span several hours or even days. These conversations run on messaging channels that allow your users and agents to communicate at different times and to resume conversations where they left off. Users can respond at their convenience and are no longer limited to working with agents only during customer support hours.
Long-running conversations are supported on channels that are designated as messaging channels in the Messaging Channel [sys_cs_channel] table. Messaging channels provided with your base system include the SMS channel, which is used by the ServiceNow Conversational SMS Integration with Twilio app and the ServiceNow Conversational SMS service channel app.
Requirements
| Plugin or ServiceNow app | Description |
|---|---|
Glide Conversation Server [com.glide.cs] |
Enables Virtual Agent functionality handled by the Conversation Server, including conversation settings and the Virtual Agent chat widget plugin (com.glide.cs.sn-va-web-client-app). The Conversation Server is included with Virtual Agent Lite, which is provided with your base system. For full Virtual Agent functionality, see Activate Glide Virtual Agent, which is available by subscription. |
| Conversational Messaging [com.glide.messaging.awa] |
Enables features for conversational messaging, such as messaging actions in Workspace. For details, see Activate Conversational Messaging. |
| Now Mobile app (Version 12.2) |
Enables users to submit incidents and requests, manage tasks, and request help from Agent Chat (and Virtual Agent if using Virtual Agent). End users install the Now Mobile app for iOS or Android systems from the Apple App Store or the Google Play store, respectively. |
| Agent-initiated Messaging Interface (Version 3.0) |
Supports agent-initiated conversations in messaging channels. This ServiceNow app, available from the ServiceNow Store, also installs the Conversational Messaging plugin (com.glide.messaging.awa). |
How Asynchronous Chat works
- Message indicators that inform users of new and unread messages received when they're away from the chat window or when they've been offline.
- System messages, displayed to users and agents, that are tailored to either messaging or chat channels.
- Idle conversation timeout period that admins can adjust for messaging channels, as needed.
- Proactive messaging capability that enables agents to initiate communication with users
The following sections explain how these features work for Asynchronous Chat.
New and unread message indicators
End users can receive messages on a messaging channel, even when they're offline. Users can be anonymous (guests) or known (authenticated). The unread message count is displayed on the chat widget. The unread message count reflects the number of any offline messages that were sent by a live agent and any simple notifications received.
- There is no limit on the number of unread messages. Up to 50 unread messages can be viewed at a given time. Messages can span multiple conversations, either open (current) or closed (past) conversations.
- When users open the chat client, they land on the very last message received. They can scroll up or down to read the unread messages, as directed by a New messages above button or New messages below button.
- A new messages separator line displays between the read and unread messages.
- When users close and re-open the chat window, the messages displayed are considered as "read" even though users might not have reviewed them.
System messages
Certain system messages that are displayed to users and agents in chat mode are not applicable in messaging mode, and are suppressed as needed. The following table identifies system messages that are displayed or suppressed, depending on the mode.
| System message | Messaging mode (web and mobile) | Chat mode |
|---|---|---|
| X has closed the support session. [Displayed when either the agent or user closes the chat session] |
Displayed | Displayed |
| The support session was closed. [Displayed when the chat session was not closed by the agent or user] |
Suppressed | Displayed |
| X has entered the chat. | Suppressed | Displayed |
| Thank you for contacting support. I am looking into your question and will be with you shortly. | Displayed | Displayed |
| The conversation is timing out, are you still there? [ Controlling idle live chat sessions controlled by the com.glide.cs.idle_chat_reminder_message system property] |
Suppressed | Displayed |
Idle conversations and messaging actions in messaging channels
In chat channels, the default idle conversation timeout period for Virtual Agent and Live Agent conversations is two hours (7200 seconds). However, for Live Agent conversations in messaging channels, certain messaging actions are automatically applied, which affects how idle conversations are handled. In messaging channels, when a requester hasn't responded to an agent message within two days, the conversation state changes to Closed Abandoned and the message is closed. For more information on messaging actions, see Configure messaging actions.
As admins, you can override the conversation idle timeout period per channel by setting the value in the Conversation Idle Timeout field in the Messaging Channels [sys_cs_channel] table. For details, see Override the conversation timeout period by channel.
Proactive messaging
Using the Agent-initiated messaging interface, agents can proactively communicate with end users to share relevant or helpful information. When agents initiate messaging from the mweb channel in Asynchronous Chat, your users have the option to respond immediately and engage in a two-way conversational experience. Proactive messaging with the mweb channel has the following capabilities:- Compose Message feature that agents use to create and send messages to selected users. Messages can contain links and file attachments.
- When a user replies to a message, the ongoing interaction context is retained, providing the agent with the information needed to maintain the conversation.
For more information on agent-intiated messages, see Install agent-initiated messaging interface.
End user experience in live agent conversations
- If Agent A is available, the user can resume the conversation with Agent A.
- If Agent A is not available, but Agent B is, depending on the agent reassignment settings, the chat window displays Agent B's name and avatar and the conversation resumes.
- If no agents are available, the conversation is routed to an agent based on the Queue Max Wait Time. If there isn't a wait time, the conversation waits until an agent becomes available.