Channels in Conversational Interfaces

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated November 14, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Channels in Conversational Interfaces

    Channels in Conversational Interfaces define how end users engage with virtual and live agents through different communication modes—chat mode for real-time conversations and messaging mode for asynchronous, long-running interactions. These channels enable flexible user-agent engagement based on availability and the chat applications used within your business environment.

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    Channel Types and Their Use

    • Chat Channels: Support synchronous, two-way real-time conversations between users and live or virtual agents. They guarantee immediate responses and integrate with platforms such as Service Portal chat widget, Mobile web client, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Workplace from Facebook, Alexa, WhatsApp (Twilio), LINE, and Facebook Messenger.
    • Messaging Channels: Facilitate asynchronous communication over extended periods, allowing participants to converse at their convenience without needing to be online simultaneously. Messaging channels include the Mobile web client (configured for iOS, Android, and desktop), the Now Assist panel, and SMS via Conversational SMS Integration with Twilio.

    Configuration and Management

    Channels are defined and managed in the Messaging Channels table [syscschannel]. When creating custom chat integrations using the custom chat integration framework, admins can set the channel mode to either chat or messaging. Live Agent support is enabled by default but can be disabled per channel via a property setting, allowing control over which channels support live agent interactions.

    Key Features

    • Message Indicators: Notify users of new and unread messages, even when offline, displaying counts and allowing users to navigate unread messages across multiple conversations.
    • Typing Indicators: Show when a chat participant is actively responding to keep conversations engaging.
    • System Messages: Provide status updates such as conversation timeouts, enhancing user awareness during interactions. These messages can be customized via system properties.
    • Secure Data Handling: Sensitive information like passwords and account numbers is masked and protected during conversations.
    • Automatic Conversation Closure: Idle chats or messaging conversations close automatically to maintain system efficiency.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging these channels, ServiceNow customers can offer their users flexible and reliable conversational experiences that adapt to real-time needs or asynchronous communication preferences. This improves user engagement, ensures timely responses, supports multiple communication platforms, and maintains secure, manageable conversations across different interaction modes.

    The various ways in which your end users engage with virtual and live agents are called channels. In Conversational Interfaces, users and agents converse through channels that have specific communication modes: chat mode for real-time conversations and messaging mode for long-running conversations.

    Conversation channels provide your end users and agents with different options for interacting. These options are based on when your users and agents are available to connect, and the chat applications used in your business environment. There are two types of channels: chat channels and messaging channels.

    Chat channels

    Chat channels support two-way conversations in real time. These conversations may involve a user and a live agent or a user and a virtual agent. This mode of conversation is synchronous, and the user is guaranteed a response. Supported chat channels let your end users and agents interact based on the chat applications (clients) that they’re using and when they’re available to connect.

    The following channels are supported for synchronous chat:

    Messaging channels

    Messaging channels let end users and agents communicate over longer periods of time, especially when one party isn’t online. This mode of chat is asynchronous and happens at the parties' convenience.

    When your end users and agents must communicate over longer periods without being online concurrently, pre-built messaging channels let them chat asynchronously, at their convenience.

    The following channels are available for asynchronous chat:

    Messaging Channels table

    Messaging channels are defined in the Messaging Channels table [sys_cs_channel]. If you’re using the custom chat integration framework to create custom chat integrations, you can specify the channel mode for those integrations—either chat or messaging. For channels such as the mweb channel, you can choose either chat or messaging as well.

    Figure 1. Configured channels for an instance
    The Messaging Channels table displays all of the channels that are configured for the instance.

    Live Agent support by channel

    Not all channels may be suitable for Live Agent support. For example, you may want to disable support for the Bot-to-Bot and voice channels. Live Agent support is enabled by default, but admins can change this setting in the Messaging Channels [sys_cs_channel] table. For details, see Disable live agent support for a channel.

    Chat and messaging features

    The Conversational Interfaces channels offer basic features that make it easy for your agents and end users to stay connected:
    • Message indicators that inform your users of new and unread messages received when they’re away from chat or when they’ve been offline.
    • Typing indicators that show a chat participant is responding.
    • System messages, displayed to users and agents that provide information about the conversation state.
    • Secure handling of sensitive data, such as passwords or account numbers. This data is masked when users enter the information, and it cannot be viewed by others.
    • Automatic closing of idle chat or messaging conversations.

    New and unread message indicators

    End users receive new message indicators on chat and messaging channels when they're offline. Users can be anonymous (guests) or known (authenticated). The unread message count is displayed on the chat widget.

    In asynchronous chat, the unread message count reflects the number of any offline messages sent by a live agent and any simple notifications received.

    Figure 2. Unread message count and new message indicators (Service Portal chat widget)
    Unread message count and new message indicators in the Service Portal chat widget.
    Message indicators are displayed as follows:

    • 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’re shown the last message received. They can scroll up or down to read the unread messages, as directed by the New messages above button or New messages below button.

    • A new messages separator line is displayed between the read and unread messages.

    • When a user closes and reopens the chat window, the messages displayed are considered as "read" even though the user might not have reviewed them.

    System messages

    During active conversations with live or virtual agents, certain system messages inform users and agents about the conversation state. For example, if a user is engaged in live chat, but doesn’t respond within a certain amount of time, a conversation timeout message is displayed: The conversation is timing out, are you still there?

    You can change base system messages by editing their related system properties in Chat Settings in the Conversational Interfaces console.