Auto-responders are messages that, if enabled, are automatically displayed to end-users in certain scenarios, e.g. when all agents are busy or when a customer has reached your business outside of support hours. Default messages have been added for each type of auto-responder that you can either use as-is or edit to create custom messages.

To manage your auto-responders, log into the Clickatell Portal and navigate to My Workspace --> Chat Desk. Click 'Launch Chat Desk Dashboard', then 'Settings', and go to the 'Auto Responders' tab.

 The following auto-responders are available:

• Directing to Agent message (WhatsApp & SMS): If no agents are available, an incoming chat is added to a queue and assigned to the first available agent. Manage customer expectations by informing them of this.

• Connecting Agent message (WhatsApp & SMS): Inform an end-user when they are being connected with an available agent via WhatsApp and what the agent's name is.

• End Chat and Opt-Out Keywords message (WhatsApp & SMS): Enable your customers to end a chat or opt-out of the service using specific keywords.

• Agent Busy message (WhatsApp & SMS): Manage customer expectations by informing customers when all agents are busy.

• Out of Support Hours message (WhatsApp & SMS): Let customers know they have reached you outside of support hours and that an agent will attend to their chat as soon as possible during core support hours.

• End Chat message (WhatsApp & SMS): This message is displayed to an end-user when either an agent or an end-user closes/ends a chat. Desk Dashboard', then 'Settings', and go to the 'Auto Responders' tab.

When purchasing more agent seats, these new seats should be active within a few minutes if your payment was successful.

If your agent seats do not reflect as active, or you have any problems making a payment, please contact our support team who will be happy to assist.

You can add as many agent users as you want to your Chat Desk. The number of agents that can log in simultaneously will be determined by the number of seats that you purchase.

When activating Chat Desk, you always get one agent seat for free. Now, say you have 20 agent users set up and activated in your account. If you purchased 10 seats, this means that 11 agents can be logged in simultaneously at any given time (including the free seat).

This works well for environments where you have agents working in shifts and logging in at different times. You only pay for the maximum number of agents you want to be logged in simultaneously, which makes Chat Desk a very cost-effective solution for contact centers operating during extended business hours.

Social media, instant messaging platforms and chat apps have changed the rules of engagement. Customers expect fast support and live chat customer service across multiple channels, and the wait time for queries to be processed by sales staff, customer service and social media teams can lead to a loss of customers and business.

Chat Desk is a live chat tool that enables you to unify your response teams across inbound channels for consistent, real-time messaging and on-demand customer service delivery.

Benefits include:

• Increased customer engagement - reach more customers, and serve multiple customers simultaneously

• Improved customer experiences - resolve customer queries in minutes by enabling customers to communicate with live agents on their favorite chat apps

• Reduced call center volumes and costs - decrease the number of incoming calls and email queries by supporting customers efficiently and effectively on chat channels

• Streamlined support and increased sales

• Optimized cross- and up-selling efforts by leveraging rich media​

Chat Desk is an easy-to-use web-based application that enables real-time communication with your customers via a single web interface. It allows your customers to contact you via multiple channels (including WhatsApp) while your customer service agents manage and respond to these customer messages from one, central web-based agent desk. Chat Desk also makes monitoring queries, chats, agent performance, and SLAs easier so you can ensure your customers are receiving the best and most efficient service.

The main features include:

• Chat Desk Dashboard (supervisors only) -  provides a summary of near real-time data relating to agent performance and availability and also provides a view of your customers' engagement behavior

• Supervisor Desk (supervisors only) - provides greater visibility to a supervisor into their agents' activities and interactions with clients to ensure their teams are providing efficient and quality service to end-users

• Agent Desk - enables agents to engage with end-users across multiple chat channels in real-time, including two-way rich media support, chat history retrieval, and the ability to transfer chats

   

 For more information, please refer to the Chat Desk User Guide.

You can activate and enable the Chat Desk product free of charge. This includes one agent seat with full access to all Chat Desk features. You can add as many agent users as you want to your free account, but only one agent will be able to log in at any given time. If you want more than one agent to log in at the same time, you'll need to upgrade your account and purchase more agent seats.

The following channels are currently available on Clickatell Chat Desk:

• WhatsApp - engage in two-way conversations with your customers or initiate a chat via an approved HSM template.

• SMS - engage in two-way conversations with your customers via SMS

• One-way SMS - send notifications to or initiate a chat with your customers.