There is no limit on the number of users you can add to your Chat Flow product. With role-based access controls (managed from the user portal), you can group permissions into roles to control system access to appropriately authorized users.

For more details on managing users and their permissions, see here.

Yes, you can go beyond chat and provide app-like functionality through API integration with your own business systems, adding value to your customers through deep, personalized engagements.

In order to utilize APIs within Chat Flow, you must first add them in the API Configuration section in Chat Flow. Once you've added an API endpoint in the integration section, it can be utilized across multiple flows.

The API Integration action node allows you to call an external API using HTTP. The API can be from a 3rd party organization or from within your own organization. An API Integration node can be used to invoke an HTTP GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE with headers, query parameters, and (in the case of POST) a request body.

We store data temporarily for the duration of the chat session. When the session ends, all data relating to it is removed from our system.

When using the Request input node in Chat Flow, you have the option to enable a “Sensitive” toggle when asking the user for sensitive information that you do not want in the chat. If the “Sensitive” toggle is turned ON, the user is presented with a link when they arrive at this step in the flow. Clicking the link takes the user to a secured, external website hosted by Clickatell where they can enter the sensitive data (e.g., a password). When the user clicks Submit they are taken back to the channel to continue with the next step.

When the “Sensitive” toggle is turned ON, the information provided by the user in this step is masked out in the Chat Flow logs, is not visible (even to the user themself) within the channel, and if the user is transferred to Chat Desk, the information the user entered is masked out with asterisks (see image below).

NOTE:

The “Sensitive” toggle is turned OFF by default. The information provided by the user in this step is visible in the Chat Flow logs, in the chat channel, and for the agent to read when the conversation with the user is transferred to Chat Desk. 

The External Link node allows you to call an external web URL and in turn, allows the URL to return a single variable result. Your end-user is directed to an external web page from within a Chat Flow conversation and then returns to the Chat Flow conversation with optional additional data gathered from the external web page. Examples include directing your users to visit a website to read terms and conditions or complete a survey on their experience.

The External Link node typically provides your end-user with the required information and URL (hyperlink) to the website they must visit. Remember to include instructions to your end-user so they understand what you expect from them when clicking out to the website provided.

For more detailed instructions on how to set up this node type, refer to the Chat Flow User Guide.

After designing, testing, and saving your flow, you have to submit the flow for approval before it can be deployed to production. When a flow is submitted for approval, an approver will be required to review the flow and approve or decline the flow. Although all users can view flow details, only people in your organization who have been granted the correct permissions will have the ability to approve (or decline) and deploy flows. Once it has been approved, the flow must also be deployed by the approver - this will then deploy the last saved version to production.

Note: You cannot approve a flow if you are the author/creator of that flow yourself. You require another person from within your company (with ‘admin’ rights) to approve your flow.

Please refer to the Approving and Deploying Workflows section of the Chat Flow User Guide for full details.

You can currently use Chat Flow with the following channels:

• SMS

• WhatsApp

• USSD

Additional channels will be added in the future.

Chat Flow is a conversation builder - a product that lets you design and deliver intelligent, immersive self-service engagements with your customers, helping them to help themselves through the convenience of chat.

Chat Flow lets you create, edit, test, and manage complex experiences across multiple channels, building rich conversational engagements with your customers visually. Deploy purpose-built, menu-driven workflows that enable innovative self-service customer experiences based on your own business logic, and when human support is necessary, switch seamlessly to live agent engagement (see Chat Desk). Build it yourself, or make use of our Professional Services to build workflows that will delight your customers.

Chat Flow is available on the Interact and Transact packages.