Web chat interactions

In the 8x8 Contact Center, chat interactions promptly and effectively respond to customer inquiries. This approach enhances our service efficiency and quickly addresses customer needs.

Agents in the 8x8 Contact Center can be assigned to one or multiple chat queues. These chat queues prioritize and route interactions to available agents assigned to an enabled queue.

Note: As an agent, you can handle up to six concurrent chats with customers and unlimited chats with agents.

Features

  • Provide a means of responding in real-time to customer inquiries.
  • Process up to six concurrent chats from customers and unlimited chats with agents.
  • Use the chat's customer information to access customer or case records in the Local CRM.
  • Use the available multilingual support for chat interactions.
  • Use an automatic translation tool.
  • Access auto log and screen pop for chats.
  • Comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to enhance the usability of your website for people with disabilities.

Webchat version 2

In the updated web chat version, we have enhanced our digital customer service by allowing customers to personalize their web chat experience. Now, they can display their profile picture and add a bio in the company logo section during web chat interactions.

Note: We recommend using the new 8x8 Webchat v2 in the future. The existing version, Webchat v1, will reach its end-of-life (EOL) status, and if you are currently using this version, you will receive a notification regarding this change.

Let’s say a customer uses the web chat on a company's website. Upon being transferred to an agent, the customer will view the agent's avatar and biography instead of the company logo. Agents can customize their web chat appearance through the My Profile section from the 8x8 Agent Workspace app. To learn more about how to personalize an agent’s avatar and biography, personalising an agent’s avatar and biography, see 8x8 Agent Workspace - Ability to personalize your avatar and biography.

Default 8x8 logo display Displaying agent's avatar and bio during a web chat interaction

Webchat v2 allows administrators to enable or disable the display of avatars and bios in the logo section of the web chat:

Features

  • This feature allows the avatar and biography to be displayed in web communications with agents in the logo section.

  • Agents can customize a different avatar for each tenant.
  • Agents can customize their avatar and biography via 8x8 Agent Workspace on the My Profile page.

Limitations

  • Co-browsing is not compatible with Web Chat v2, but it will be available soon..

The differences in features between Web Chat v1 and v2 are:

Features V1 V2
Webchat design CSS only is supported in v2 Theming is now available for most parts of the webchat; see the documentation here. Note - CSS will not be supported
Agent avatar Not supported Fully supported, and a VPAT is available if required
WCAG 2.2aa Not supported The modernzied version for v2 is available on our developer portal - API references. This updated version provides features such as triggering the chat window and passing customer information
Embedding chat Available Available
Webchat API V1 of API Available but also with theming capabilities
Mobilization optiomization Not supported Available
Quick replies Available Available but also with theming capabilities
Keep session Available Available
Chat as a pop-out Available Not supported; using the keep session is recommended.
Co-browse Available Not currently supported, expected by 31st January 2025

The differences in features are as follows:

Agent Avatar

  • Our agent avatar feature is only available with Webchat v2.
  • Agents can customize a different avatar for each tenant.
  • The avatar and biography are displayed in the logo section of web communications with agents.
  • Agents can customize their avatar and biography via 8x8 Agent Workspace on the My Profile page.

To learn more about agent avatars, see 8x8 Agent Workspace - Ability to personalize your avatar and biography in the September 2024 Releases section.

Mobile optimization

  • 8x8 Webchat v2 is fully optimized for mobile or tablet devices, allowing customers to minimize the widget and return to it.

Chat API v2

  • A new API is available with Webchat v2, providing extra theming capabilities (see Webchat API v2 - Theming on our developer portal - API references) and the ability to pass on customer information and other features.

To learn more about Webchat API v2, see the API documentation on our developer portal - API references.

WCAG 2.2aa

  • Webchat v2 is certified as WCAG 2.2aa compliant to ensure it is more accessible to all users, especially those with cognitive, learning, or motor disabilities. A certified VPAT for this can be provided on request.
  • Until 31st March 2025: We will no longer add new features to Webchat v1.
  • 31st March 2025: After this date, admins can no longer generate a script using the Webchat v1 option. While this change will not affect the functionality of existing web chat scripts, admins must use the Webchat v2 option to generate new web chat scripts.
  • 30th June 2025: We will no longer provide support for Webchat v1. Users are advised to migrate to Webchat v2 for any queries.
  • 31st January 2026: We will switch off Webchat v1, and all customers need to migrate to Webchat v2.

How to generate the code for the Webchat version 2

Currently, the Webchat version 2 is in use.

To generate the Code for Webchat v2:

  1. Log into your 8x8 platform.
  2. On the 8x8 Application Panel, click the Configuration Manager for the Contact Center tile.
  3. Click Scripts on the navigation menu.
  4. Click the Chat tab.
  5. Search for your web chat script and double-click in the row.
  6. Go to the Code tab.
  7. Select the desired channel from the channel list.

  8. Click Generate Code Chat v2 to generate the code.

    Generate a code chat script to embed an agent avatar in a web chat

    Please refer to the feature comparison between Webchat v1 and v2 for more information.

  9. Optional: You can test the script before submitting it to the web team, by using a test site:

    • Simply paste the script on the left side and run the web chat.
    • Copy and paste the code precisely on the place where you want to insert the chat button into your website (remember to select the right channel before generating the code snippet). Paste the script on the left side.
    • After selecting the option to generate the code, you can forward it to the website team for integration.

To learn more about creating chat scripts, see Create chat script.

Enable agents to display their avatar and bio during web chat interactions

To display the agent’s avatar and bio during web chat interactions, admins have to enable this option.

To enable agents to display their avatar and bio during web chat interactions:

  1. From the Configure Manager menu, go to Chat design.

  2. Under Avatar, select the Show agent profile picture checkbox to enable the agent’s avatar to be displayed under the company logo section during web chat interactions.

    Note: Clear the Show agent profile picture checkbox if you want the default company logo displayed instead of the agent’s avatar.

  3. Under Chatbot name, enter a custom name for your chatbot that will be displayed in all interactions.
  4. Save your settings.

To learn more about designing a chat window, see Designing a Chat Window.

Create chat window - Enable agents to display their avatar and bio during web chat interactions