Working with Apple Messages for Business in the Agent Workspace

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In Agent Workspace, agents can converse with customers who come in through their Apple Messages for Business channel. They can accept conversations and compose messages like any other messaging conversation. Some additional features are available to agents to enhance customer conversations through the Apple Messages for Business channel and impact their communication flow.

This article includes the following sections:

Applying rich templates to agent responses

Working with closed conversations

For information on setting up the Apple Messages for Business channel in Admin Center, see Adding and configuring the Apple Messages for Business channel.

Applying rich templates to agent responses

Accounts using Zendesk Suite Professional or higher can install the Interactive Messaging Templates app, created by our partner, Zenplates. Using this app, agents can preview rich messages in the ticket sidebar before sending the message to the end user.

After sending, the conversation history reflects the template, though it won't be a replica. Quick replies will show buttons, and rich links will show the text and link, for example.

To apply a rich template to a response

In a ticket, click the Apps icon ( ) in the context panel and locate the Interactive Messaging Template app.

Select the template you want to apply to the conversation. Use the available filters to find the template, if needed.

Click Use this template. The template is added as a comment in the conversation.

Working with closed conversations

With Apple Messages for Business, end users can choose to block a business from sending additional messages to them at any point.

When an end user leaves a conversation while talking to a live agent, the messaging session will immediately close, the agent will no longer be able to send messages over Apple Messages for Business, the conversation history will display a system message that the user left the conversation, and the message composer will be disabled for the Apple Messages for Business channel.

Agents can continue to communicate with the end user through other channels if the end user's email or phone number is available and can leave internal notes on the conversation.

If the end user re-opens the conversation with the business, a new ticket and new conversation is initiated.

If an end user leaves a conversation while talking to an AI Agent, the AI Agent is blocked from sending further messages.