LivePerson's Conversational Cloud platform offers a powerful feature called Connect to Messaging (C2M) that allows brands to deflect calls from their Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to messaging channels like WhatsApp.
Setup Connect to Messaging (C2M)
Connect to Messaging is an IVR deflection solution that lets brands move voice calls to messages through the Conversational Cloud platform.
Connect to Messaging includes SMS, WhatsApp, Google RCS, Apple Messages for Business, or App Messaging, allowing the consumer to respond and start messaging with the brand using their mobile device
Prerequisites:
- A LivePerson Conversational Cloud account.
- WhatsApp messaging channel enabled on your brands account.
For information on setting up an WhatsApp messaging channel see, here.
Enable Connect to Messaging
After logging into the Conversational Cloud, click the icon above the profile badge bottom left of the image to the left, then click Connect to Messaging at the top left.
When Connect to Messaging has not previously been enabled within the LivePerson account you are working with, it will likely need enabling; you may need to reach out to your LivePerson Account representative to enable it.
Enabling Connect to Messaging as LPA-user
If you had to follow the previous page and have logged in with LPA-username to the conversational Cloud, you can now navigate back to the Connect to Messaging.
You will now see an Activate option. Clicking it will enable the feature.
The Connect to Messaging page appears.
Creating the API Handoff
An API handoff bundles configurations like channels and their priorities. By providing the API handoff ID when calling the Connect to Messaging eligibility endpoint, brands enable the API to use these configurations for sending the IVR deflection outbound message.
Click New Handoff. The Handoff Configure page appears.
Provide the required information:
- Title: Input the name for your handoff.
- LookBack Period: Select the period duration from the dropdown menu, click the checkbox if you want to route all conversations to selected skill within lookback period.
The LoopBack Period can be set between 1 hour - 30 days, it is the time a consumer can respond to the in-app notification before it is then accepted by the default engagement should they reply after the period expires.
3. Select and Set Channel Priority: Ensure that the Apple Business Chat option is enabled.
Once done, click Next. The Compose page appears.
Provide the required information:
- Send From: Select the number set up for your brands WhatsApp.
- ABC Business ID: Select your Brand's Apple Messages for Business identification number.
- ABC URL: Select the required URL for your brand from the dropdown menu.
- Message Preview: Provide the primary message template to be sent from the brand, note that the URL must be added to the preview.
- Message Preview Second: Provide the secondary message template to be sent from the brand.
Consider keeping your message under 140 characters to prevent the need for multiple messages.
Prepare a WhatsApp message template informing customers about the switch to WhatsApp and providing instructions on continuing the conversation.
This template will be integrated into the API call.
Once done, click Next. The Confirm page appears.
Confirm the information and click Save. The Handoff is created.
The handoff ID acts as a unique ID that can be used to route to a skill or to trigger a particular bot.
Device Check
After setting up your API Handoff, click SETTINGS > Device Check. The Device Check page appears.
Ensure that the check is enabled.
Enable the option to verify if callers on your brands IVR are using mobile devices. Activate this feature if you'd like LivePerson to perform this validation. However, if your brands IVR already includes similar functionalities, it might be wise to deactivate this feature.
Once enabled, click Save.
Routing
Once you have set up the API handoff and enabled device check you must set the skills to be used for routing from the Routing section of Connect to Messaging.
Click SETTINGS > Routing. The Routing Location page appears.
The skills added are listed here.
Select the skills your brand requires for routing and click Save.
Your Connect to Messaging set up for IVR to WhatsApp deflection is now complete, the API handoff ID is used within the required bot or the API to correctly route the deflection.
Your brand will need to integrate the Connect to Messaging flow into their existing IVR system. This typically involves adding prompts within the IVR that allow callers to choose WhatsApp deflection and triggering the API call upon selection.
LivePerson Connect to Messaging (C2M) is an IVR deflection solution that lets brands move voice calls to messaging through the LP Conversational Cloud platform.
The C2M API acts as an intermediary, it facilitates communication between the brand's IVR System and LivePerson Conversational Cloud. By inviting consumers to interact with agents through eligible messaging channels, C2M ensures seamless engagement. Once a consumer responds to a message from their WA number, the API efficiently routes the conversation to an agent with the relevant skills as specified by the brand. The brand would have to invoke the C2M API to deflect voice calls from their IVR system to the LP platform.
As you embark on the journey of API implementation, comprehending error status codes and their implications becomes paramount. These codes serve as a critical element in guaranteeing proper API functionality, effectively communicating errors and warnings to users or systems, and establishing a seamless and user-friendly experience.
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