What's new for admins in 8x8 Contact Center?

So far in 2025, we have introduced the following features and enhancements requiring admin configuration. Here's a summary:

• Ability to customize the chatbot name

• Ability to enable audio and visual notification in the web chat

• Ability to personalize the web chat theme

Ability to customize the chatbot name

Administrators can now personalize their chat experience, including changing the chatbot name, to create a more customized and engaging user experience. This increased flexibility improves user satisfaction and engagement by accommodating individual preferences.

Features

• Admins can change the chatbot name in the 8x8 Configuration Manager by navigating to the Webchat design > Window page.

• Admins can create an identity for the chatbot, which adds a human touch to its presence in the interaction.

• The chatbot updated name will be used in all customer interactions with the chatbot, including:

  • ICA
  • Quick replies
  • Gateway

Limitations

Admins can define the chatbot name only in 8x8 Configuration Manager, not via API.

• The chatbot window displays the new name, while other areas, such as interactions retrieval, keep the chatbot name as BOT.
• The default chatnot name shows as BOT.
• To ensure optimal functionality and user experience of the webchat feature, you need the webchat v2 version. To learn more about the webchat v2 version, see Webchat v2.

To personalize a chatbot’s name:

1. From the Configuration Menu, open Chat Design.
2. Go to the Window tab.
3. Select the desired window and click Edit in the row.
4. Under Chatbot name, enter your preferred name.
5. Save your changes.

Note: The chatbot window shows the new name you entered in the 8x8 Configuration Manager, while the chatbot’s name remains the same in other contexts, such as during customer interactions with an agent.

To learn how to customize the window, see Design a chat window.

Ability to enable audio and visual notification in the web chat

Customers using 8x8 web chat can easily see when they have received a new message, enabling quicker responses and improving communication efficiency. Customers are still notified even if they close or minimize the web chat window.

This new feature is designed to improve user experience by reducing delays in conversation, ensuring that essential messages are not missed. This update lets users engage more effectively with their agents, making it a valuable tool for business interactions.

Features

• The alert notification can be both audio and visual.
• When a new message is sent to customers via web chat, notify the customer with an alert in the 8x8 web chat.
• While a customer is in the conversation panel, the new message alert appears before the unread message, making it easier to find the unread conversation. The alert notification disappears once customers read the unread conversation.
• If a customer minimizes or closes the web chat window or leaves the website, an alert notification is displayed on the site tab, and a notification sound also plays.
• Admins can enable the notification in the 8x8 Configuration Manager, by navigating to the Webchat design > Window page.

Limitation

• Customers may not receive notifications on their mobile phones if they have closed their web chat.

• To ensure optimal functionality and user experience of the web chat feature, you need the webchat v2 version. To learn more about the webchat v2 version, see Webchat v2.

To allow alert notifications:

1. From the Configuration Menu, open Chat Design.
2. Go to the Window tab.
3. Select the desired window and click Edit in the row.
4. Under Features, select Allow chat notifications.
5. Save your changes.

Customers receive both a visual and audio notification when a new web chat message arrives:

• A new message alert highlights unread messages in the 8x8 webchat window. This alert will disappear once the message is read.

  

• When sound notifications are enabled, an alert tone plays, and a visual notification appears in the website tab as well as in the web chat widget if the chat window is minimized or closed.

  

Customers can personalize these alerts within the web chat window. They can enable sound alerts by clicking More > and enabling the Sounds option.

To learn how to customize the window, see Design a chat window.

Ability to personalize the web chat theme

After configuring your web flow, admins may modify their chat window settings. Although this can be done within the 8x8 Configuration Manager, it lacks the flexibility to theme all areas. Admins can adjust the theme related to the notification settings, including the size, colour, or position of the message badge or button. When changing the notification theme, remember to maintain a unified approach regarding the colour used for all chat window elements, such as buttons, wedges, and more.

See our API documentation to learn how to adjust the theming notification settings.