Two-Way Chat User Guide
Using the Two-Way Chat Service
To consume the 2-Way Chat service, Clients are required to have a valid SDC account and subscription to Syniverse’s Cloud messaging service. The 2-Way Chat services provides access to a web-based Tenant which includes up to 5 properties and 5 user logins or agents.
The service includes the two-way delivery of mobile originated (“MO”) and mobile terminates (“MT”) messages to and from Clients and their Clients via an approved Sender address
How it works:
The Two-way Chat service Features
Features |
Description |
SMS |
SMS is supported in plain text and UNICODE. This allow messaging in multiple languages |
Cloud Access |
Clients can access the cloud-based service anywhere and anytime |
Multiple Property/Department and Keyword routing |
Customers can send a keyword such as “BILLING” via text message to initiate a chat session with a specific property/department. The keyword is only needed for the initial first message. Subsequent messages do not need the property keyword. |
Agent co-browsing |
Multiple agents or users can view chat sessions at the same time and agents can take turns responding to customers inquiries. |
Agent Collision Detection |
Agents are alerted once an agent reply is initiated to prevent duplicate response to their customers. |
Online & Offline alerts |
Audible and visual alerts will notify agents of new customers inquiries. If no agent response within a configurable time, an email is sent to an administrator |
Contacts |
Clients can store up to 5 million customers contact info automatically in the system. |
Global & Local templates |
Agents can respond to requests using pre-defined message templates. Templates can be created on a corporate or local property basis. |
Agent Tracking |
Agent responses can be tracked in real-time, including agent’s name, reply message and timestamp. |
Message Delivery status |
Allows Clients to view the delivery status of messages. |
Business Hours |
If a customers starts a chat session and the Clients or the property/department is closed, an auto-reply can be configured to be sent indicating that they are closed and what their normal business hours is and when to expect a response |
Agent Initiated Chats |
Agents can view opted-in Clients and initiate a chat with a Clients in the contact list. |
External Application Integration API |
Clients can send numerous customers alerts/information messages, such as order shipments, order delivery, credit card failed to process, etc. by integrating the Client’s e-commerce/CRM/other system with Syniverse Service platform and enable customers to have two-way conversations with a customer service agent for support |
Welcome Message |
Automatically send a configurable welcome message when a customer starts a chat. Each Client/department can configure its own welcome message |
End Message |
Automatically send a configurable good-bye or end message to a customer when a chat ends.Each property/department can configure its own message |
Automatic Response |
When a customer sends a message with a HELP keyword, the HELP message can be configured to automatically be sent. When a customer sends a message with a STOP keyword, (or its variants), the customer is opted-out, any existing chat is closed and the STOP message is automatically sent to the customer. When a customer sends a message that is not understood or cannot be routed to a Clients’ property, the “ERROR” message is sent to the customer. Client can configure what they want their error message to say. |
Auto-insert Keyword |
Automatically add a keyword to every message sent to a customer |
Chat Filter |
View chats by “New”, “Active” or “Closed” status |
Chat History |
See the whole chat history for a customer ( up to 90 days) |
Chat Search |
Search for a chat by customer name, customer phone number or message |
End Chat |
Agents can end a chat or let the chat automatically end after a period of inactivity (configurable) |
Role Based access |
Clients can provide user with differentiated and hierarchical roles |
Message Character count |
Whenever a message or a predefined message (e.g. welcome message, end message, etc.) is entered, the character count shows the maximum number of characters and the number of characters available. |
Access Count |
In addition to having a login to the portal, access to the portal can be restricted from specific internet addresses. For example, agents can be blocked from accessing this from home. |
Self-help page |
Administrators can setup a self-help page (e.g., user guide, cheat sheets, etc.) for internal helpdesk service |
Reporting |
Standard reporting metrics by message are available and exportable.( e.g. date & time, sender, recipient, property/department, delivery status) |
In addition, the Two-way Chat service supports a plethora of configuration functions:
- Get conversation details
- Get conversation messages
- Delete a message from a conversation
- Start responding to a message by locking a conversation (to block other users for a short time period from responding to the same message)
- Become eligible to respond to a message when a lock expires
- Get list of departments
- Get department details
- Create/edit a department
- Get conversation list in department
- Search for conversations by name, number, or message text
- Get list of users in a department
- Filter conversation by state
- Add a user to a department
- Change Password
The Two-way Chat service supports the following types of users:
- Agent: the primary activity of an agent is to have a conversation with end-users and monitor activity. Login/register as an agent to chat
- Property Manager: the primary activity of a property manager is to supervise a specific department. Login/register as a property manager to manage all activities within a specific department, including chatting with end-users
- Global Manager: the primary activity of a global manager is to manage, supervise, and administer the whole account (including all departments and all users).
Signup & Account Activation
Contact Syniverse Sales or to sign up at https://developer.syniverse.com . Once registered, your account will be setup with the initial user (e.g global manager), configuration items, and features.
Configurable features are:
- SMS Channel: Configured by default. Enable sending and receiving text messages to/from users with a SMS application. The channel can support sender address of Type: Longcode, Shortcode or Toll-free number
- Facebook Messenger: Enable sending and receiving multimedia (text and urls, audio, video, images/graphics) messages to/from users with the Facebook Messenger and Facebook web/mobile applications.
- Chat Assignment: Enable automatic assignment of incoming chats to agents in round-robin fashion
- Business Hours: Enable an agent to configure the hours and days that a business is closed, so that an autoresponse message is sent to the end-user when a chat is initiated outside business hours.
- Transfer: Enable an agent to transfer a message to another department so that another agent can handle the chat with the end-user.
- Whitelist - Enable/Disable access to the User Interface by IP address(es).
Access
- Access the Chat User Interface at https://chat.syniverse.com/<your-business-name> (e.g. https://chat.syniverse.com/syniverse/)
Each user must login using his/her username and password.
Password criteria:
- must contain 8 or more characters
- must contain at least one uppercase, lowercase, and alphanumeric character
- must contain a special character (e.g. underscore "_", bang '!", hash '#")
- Password cannot reuse the last 6 passwords
- Password cannot contain or match the user's name or user name
In addition, passwords expire and have to be renewed every 60 days.
Change Password
- When a new account is created for you it is setup with a temporary password. When you login the first time, you will be prompted to set up your password.
- Ten (10) days before your password will expire, you will be sent an email reminder. You will also be prompted to change your password when you login the next time. If the password is not renewed within ten (10) days, your account will be locked.
- To change the password, please enter the old password and enter the new password twice.
- If you account is locked, please use the 'forgot password' function to reset the password
Change Password while logged in
A property manager or a global manager is able to change his/her own password while logged in.
In the User Interface:
- Click the arrow next to My Account, located at the top right corner of the window.
- Select Account Settings.
- Select Change Password and enter a new password.
Forgot Password
- Access the forgot password function in the login page of the Chat User Interface
- Click the 'I forgot my password' link
- Enter your email address
- If the email address exists, an email will be sent to the email address with a link to reset the password.
- Open the email and click on the link (Note: the Link will expire in 1 hour)
- When the web page opens, enter a new password in two places.