Handle live chats when all the agents are offline
Offline handling is sometimes referred to as offline ticketing/ Offline chat, although this configuration is applicable only for live chats.
Importance of implementing offline handling
You can manage live chat requests incoming after working hours (or during working hours if the entire team is logged off) in the offline handling setting section. This feature is essentially a status update that informs the users that an agent is unavailable to chat.
If none of the agents are available (all the inbox agents have logged out) to resolve live chats and you want to address the customer requests raised at that time offline handling can be enabled.
Use cases of offline handling
- You can manage the limit and status of the chat after working hours to provide 24/7 support.
- Offline handling uphold the continuum of service that your customers expect. If you have customers around the globe, you can anticipate that they may need support outside of your normal operating hours.
- Offline handling ensured that the inquiries are acknowledged and customers receive a satisfactory answer until an agent has the opportunity to follow up.
Configure offline handling
When offline handling is:
- Enabled: Live chats will remain in the Open chats section for agents to address.
- Disabled: Live chats will be moved to the Missed chats section and will not be attended to.
Follow the steps below to enable offline handling of live chats:
Open Inbox > Setting.
Search and select Offline handling.
You can Enable/Disable offline chats. Enable the toggle to allow Inbox to handle live chats when all the agents are offline.
By clicking the edit button you can configure offline chats for different groups. Click edit next to the required group name.
- You can choose the Default group and configure default settings to manage live chat requests received by all the groups.
Select the type of field you want to create and decide the ticket behavior for agents. Click Submit.
- Enable/Disable offline tickets: Enable this to serve the customer requests received when the agents are offline, disable otherwise.
- Max offline tickets allowed: Enter the number of tickets that can go to Open state while all agents are offline.
- Auto-assign tickets: If this is enabled, the tickets in Open state will be auto-assigned when the agents come back online.
- Priority of auto-assignment: The ticket type (Queued/Open) that should be given priority and auto-assigned when agents come back online.
infoOpen chats:
- Open chats are assigned to the agent who logs in first during the upcoming working hour window. This means that when an agent logs in, they will be assigned any open chats that are currently available for handling.
- If the number of open chats exceeds the agent's concurrent capacity (the maximum number of chats an agent can handle simultaneously), any remaining open chats will be assigned to the subsequent agent who logs in.
Queued chats:
- Queued chats are typically assigned one by one based on the agent's concurrency and availability. This means that when an agent becomes available to handle a new chat, the next chat in the queue will be assigned to them.
This can be configured for all the available groups.
Offline handling expected behaviour
1. When the Inbox admin has enabled offline handling
Assume all the agents are offline at the same time and a customer has requested to talk to an agent.
A live chat request is raised
The live chat appears in the "Open chats" section of the inbox
The customer waits on the chat screen
When any agent in that group comes online and becomes available, the chat is immediately assigned to them
2. When the Inbox admin has disabled offline handling
Assume all the agents are offline at the same time and a customer has requested to talk to an agent.
A live chat request is raised
The live chat appears in the "Missed chats" section of the inbox
Customer request is not addressed
To notify customers on agent unavailability when offline handling is enabled, refer to thisdetailed guide.