Virtual Agent chat widget interface

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 5, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Virtual Agent chat widget interface

    The Virtual Agent chat widget interface, powered by Natural Language Understanding (NLU), offers an automated messaging platform between users and the Virtual Agent within ServiceNow. It enables users to view all available help topics, submit requests, transfer to live agents, send and receive attachments, and receive both visual and audio notifications. This widget is integrated with the Service Portal web widget and is configurable for custom service portals, supporting Customer Service Management (CSM), HR Service Delivery, and IT Service Management (ITSM) portals.

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    Key Features

    • Conversational Flow: Users initiate conversations with a welcome message and prompt to enter queries or select from a list of topics. The interface supports rich controls like choice lists and image carousels to enhance interaction.
    • Topic Exploration: Users can browse all topics the bot can assist with and filter them via a search box, making it easier to find relevant assistance.
    • Conversation Management: Users can stop ongoing conversations, start new ones, and access support to transfer seamlessly to live agents.
    • Live Agent Interaction: When transferred, the chat interface updates to indicate live agent engagement, enabling users to upload attachments (images, text, PDFs) that are virus scanned before delivery.
    • Attachment Handling: Supports file uploads in bot conversations across most clients; however, mobile chat supports attachments only during bot interactions, not live agent chats.
    • Notifications: Both audio and visual alerts notify users of new messages. Visual indicators display message counts on the chat icon, and authenticated users can toggle audio and notification settings via the chat menu.
    • Customization: Administrators can modify the default audio notification sound or disable audio notifications entirely using system parameters.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Provides a user-friendly, interactive chat interface that streamlines user support and engagement across CSM, HR, and ITSM portals.
    • Enables efficient self-service through comprehensive topic listings and guided conversations, reducing the need for immediate live support.
    • Facilitates smooth escalation to live agents with seamless attachment sharing and real-time notifications, enhancing support responsiveness.
    • Offers customization options for notification sounds and behaviors, allowing alignment with organizational preferences and policies.

    The Natural Language Understanding (NLU) Virtual Agent chat widget interface captures an automated messaging session between Virtual Agent and the user. Users can see a list of all the topics that the bot can help with, enter a request, request a transfer to a live agent, send and receive attachments, and receive visual and/or audio notifications.

    The chat widget interface uses the Service Portal web widget, which you can configure for custom service portals. This widget is available in the CSM, HR Service Delivery, and ITSM Service Portals.

    Note:
    The information in this content is applicable to only Natural Language Understanding (NLU) Virtual Agent. For more information about the LLM Virtual Agent end-user experience, see Using Now Assist in Virtual Agent.
    Figure 1. Simple conversation example — chat widget
    The chat widget window has icons to view support options and start a new conversation. Conversation elements include a welcome message, user and bot responses, and a closing message.
    A simple conversation typically includes the following elements:
    • Default welcome message from the virtual agent, followed by the first prompt for the conversation. The initial prompt asks the user to type a question or to choose from a list of available topics.
    • User response to the first prompt. In this example, the user chooses the topic for checking an IT ticket.
    • Series of prompts, acknowledgments, and responses exchanged between the virtual agent and the user until the users reach their goals or complete their tasks. You can use different rich controls in bot prompts, for example, choice lists with buttons or a carousel of images to select an item.
    • Closing message to end the conversation.

    When your users start a conversation with the bot, they can enter a request or see a list of everything that the bot can help with. If they choose to see everything, the chat window displays all topics available to the user. Your users can use the search box to filter the list of topics.

    Figure 2. See all topics
    List of All Topics displayed after user chooses to see everything the bot can help with.

    The conversational interface offers your users several options to manage the conversation. Users can stop the current conversation and start a new one, contact support to access a live agent for immediate assistance, and control audible alerts for chats.

    Figure 3. Support options menu
    The Support options menu lets users talk to a live agent if available, call or email support, and change notification settings.

    When users transfer to a live agent, the chat window header changes to indicate that they are now interacting with a live agent. The attachment and send icons are available in the chat window for uploading an image, text, or PDF file and sending it to the agent.

    Figure 4. Live agent transfer
    The chat window header no longer says "NOW Support." It now says, "LIVE AGENT."
    During live chat, users can attach a file of any type (for example an image, text, or PDF file) and send it to the agent. The system automatically performs a virus scan on the file attachment. If the scan is successful, the file is sent to the agent.
    • If the scan fails, a message informs the user that the scan did not pass so that the user can correct the file and then upload the file again.
    • If the upload and virus scan process times out (the upload takes too long), a message tells the user that the file couldn't be processed and to try the file upload again.
    Note:
    Most chat clients support file attachment uploads. However, the mobile chat client only supports file attachment uploads in bot conversations. Users cannot upload files in mobile chat with a live agent.
    Your users automatically receive audio and visual alerts when they receive a message from a live agent or virtual agent.
    • The visual indicator displays the number of messages received, next to the chat icon in the Service Portal window. When the user opens the chat, the indicator number closes.
      Figure 5. New message alerts
      New message alerts.
    • Your authenticated end users can enable or disable audible alerts of chats through the toggle switch on the chat menu (Contact Support).
    • Authenticated end users can also enable or disable the delivery of notifications through the toggle switch on the chat menu (Contact Support).
    • The default sound notification uses the sn_va_web_client_alert.mp3 audio file.
      • You can change the sound that requesters hear by uploading your own audio file. For details, see Manage audio files.
      • To turn off the audio notification for your instance, use the system parameter sysparm_disable_audio_notifications=true. For example: https://<your-instance name>.service-now.com/nav_to.do?sysparm_disable_audio_notifications=true