Process 8x8 Contact Center SMS interactions

SMS has become a popular channel of communication in customer service. As an 8x8 Contact Center agent, you can interact with customers via SMS channels. SMS messages received from customers are directed via the SMS channels to chat queues. As a member of chat queues, receive these messages and interact with customers using the chat interface in 8x8 Agent WorkspaceClosedThe brand new interface for 8x8 Contact Center agents to receive and process customer interactions.. As an agent, you can look up customer records if the message is from an existing customer, check for outstanding cases, and history of interactions to handle the conversation effectively.

Availability

SMS channels for receiving SMS messages can be configured in 30 countries (Learn more). SMS messages can be sent to most countries in the world (note that the cost of sending messages to different countries varies based on the country, with the US and Canada being the least expensive).

Features

  • Connect and communicate: As contact center agents, use SMS messages to communicate with customers in real time. Agents cannot initiate SMS messages.
  • Route messages: Based on agent skills, SMS messages are routed via chat queues to available agents. These messages are then directed to available agents based on rules/schedules/skills.
  • Engage with customers effectively: Multitask and maximize your productivity by handling SMS messages from up to six customers at a time.
  • Handle interactions more efficiently: Increase efficiency by accessing the customer record via screen pop. When an existing customer sends a message, quickly look at the popped customer record and learn about recent cases.
  • Track past activity: Save the SMS interactions in a chat transcript and automatically link it as a case to the right customer record for future reference. Agents always end SMS interactions.

Limitations

  • SMS conversations must be initiated by the customer (the external party). At this time, agents cannot initiate an SMS conversation with a customer (or other external party).
  • We do not support SMS messaging to short code numbers currently. We support messaging to toll-free and regular phone numbers.
  • SMS messaging does not support images or emojis. It is plain text only.

Before you start

To receive SMS messages in 8x8 AgentClosedAgents use the Agent Console to view and manage customer interactions. Virtual Contact Center supports Regular agents and Supervisor agents. Workspace, you must:

  • Be a member of the chat queue to which the chat is routed.
  • Place yourself in the Available status.

Handle an inbound SMS interaction

Agents receive SMS interactions via chat queues they are serving. When agents are available, an SMS message received by a customer is routed via the SMS channel to a chat queue and offered to them. The chat tab blinks red, indicating an incoming interaction. An incoming SMS message has its own distinct icon. If the message is from an existing customer, the customer record pops. You can now review the customer details along with any historical cases. Accept the chat and interact with the customer. Once the interaction is indicated as complete by the customer, save the chat transcript and end the interaction. The chat log is saved as a case linked to the customer record.

To process an inbound SMS interaction:

  1. Log in to 8x8 Agent Workspace and change tour status to Available.
    The chat notification in the Control Panel indicates an incoming SMS interaction. If there is a customer match, the customer record pops. For new customers, a new customer record pops.
  2. Preview the record details and click to accept chat.

    3. Note: The reject interaction button is disabled if your contact center administrator has not granted the permission. This prevents agents from rejecting the interactions they are offered.

    Note: If you reject the chat, or fail to accept it before the acceptance interval lapses, your status is changed to Work Offline or on Break.

  3. Respond to the messages and complete the interaction with the customer. You can insert FAQs with text-only content.

    Note: Images or emojis are not supported.

  4. Click to send your message.
  5. After finishing the chat, click . The timer indicates the time for wrap-up.
  6. Select Go to disposition and select a call outcome.
  7. Click Wrap up.
  8. A chat log pops and includes the chat transcript. Edit the chat log case as desired, and save or save as a draft.