Displaying the estimated wait time banner in messaging conversations

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<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Display an estimated wait time banner in messaging conversations to manage customer expectations and improve their experience. This feature shows users their expected wait time or queue position, reducing uncertainty and increasing transparency. The wait time is calculated using recent and historical data, and the banner updates dynamically. Learn how to enable this feature to enhance communication with your customers.</p>
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<p class="p">When customers are unaware of the amount of time it will take for them to connect with
the agents, it results in frustration and abandoned conversations. Managing expectations
on wait time, specifically the amount of time it will take to connect customers to an
agent, is critical for a good customer experience.</p>
<div class="p">Communicating the expected wait time can provide several benefits, such as: <ul class="ul" id="messaging_wait_banner__ul_pf2_c32_m2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Enhanced user experience</strong>: By informing users of their expected wait
times, the banner reduces uncertainty and anxiety, allowing them to better
manage their expectations.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Increased transparency</strong>: The wait time banner contributes to a clearer
support process by keeping users updated on the status of their tickets.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">This article describes how a messaging wait time banner works and how to turn it on.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="messaging_wait_banner__image_dsq_hcm_m2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/messaging-wait-banner.png" width="300"></p>
<p class="p">This article includes the following sections: </p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="messaging_wait_banner__ul_sdr_kmm_nyb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_m5w_g32_m2c">Prerequisites for using a wait time banner</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_efz_s32_m2c">Understanding how wait times are calculated and displayed</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_jnn_qj2_m2c">Understanding when the wait time banner is displayed</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_zmk_gk2_m2c">Understanding when the banner isn't displayed</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ejq_qk2_m2c">Turning on the messaging wait time banner</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_m5w_g32_m2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Prerequisites for using a wait time banner</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Ensure the following is set up:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_m5w_g32_m2c__ul_ts5_332_m2c">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408827701530" target="_blank">Messaging is turned on</a> and you are
using at least one native messaging channel:<ul class="ul" id="topic_m5w_g32_m2c__ul_hb5_j32_m2c">
<li class="li">Zendesk Web Widget</li>
<li class="li">iOS or Android Zendesk SDKs version v2.30.0 or later</li>
<li class="li">Unity Zendesk SDK v3.2.0 or later</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_efz_s32_m2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Understanding how wait times are calculated and displayed</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">It’s important to understand that wait times are estimates. There are many factors
that influence the accuracy of the calculations.</p>
<p class="p">To understand how the wait times are calculated, you need to know:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_efz_s32_m2c__ul_zll_v32_m2c">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_rm2_z32_m2c">The primary data used by Zendesk’s
statistical model to calculate the wait times</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_u2y_cj2_m2c">How recent that data
is</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_glc_h2q_2fc">How wait times are displayed</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_r4m_lj2_m2c">Factors that can negatively affect
the accuracy of wait time estimates</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_rm2_z32_m2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">The primary data used to calculate wait times</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">Zendesk uses a statistical model to calculate the wait time for a ticket based on
two primary data points:<ul class="ul" id="topic_rm2_z32_m2c__ul_ud5_1j2_m2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Average wait time for the customer’s place in line</strong>: The model
calculates the average wait time based on the customer’s position in
line. In other words, the model uses historical data to estimate how
long customers in similar positions have waited in the past.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Historical wait times specific to the group or queue</strong>: The model
also considers the historical wait times for the ticket’s assigned group
or queue. This allows for a more tailored estimation, as different
groups may have different performance metrics based on their staffing
levels, ticket types, and operational efficiency.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_u2y_cj2_m2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">The recency of the data used to calculate wait times</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="note note" id="topic_u2y_cj2_m2c__note_wth_2j2_m2c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Wait time estimates are only provided for queues and
groups that have had at least one ticket routed in the last seven days. This
ensures that the model has access to relevant and recent data to make accurate
predictions.</div>
<div class="p">The model pulls performance data from the most recent periods available:<ul class="ul" id="topic_u2y_cj2_m2c__ul_b3s_fj2_m2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Previous 10 Minutes</strong>: This provides a snapshot of the most current
activity and wait times, allowing for short-term estimates.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Previous Two Hours</strong>: If no data is present from the previous 10
minutes, use data from the previous two hours.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Previous Seven Days</strong>: If no data is present from the previous two
hours, use data from the previous seven days.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_glc_h2q_2fc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">How wait times are displayed</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Wait times are displayed in a range with a lower and upper value. For example if
the range is 5 to 10 minutes, the lower value is 5 minutes and the upper value
is 10 minutes. </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_glc_h2q_2fc__ul_cly_jfq_2fc">
<li class="li">If the upper value is less than 60 minutes, both the upper and lower values
are displayed in minutes. </li>
<li class="li">If the upper value is less than 24 hours, but more than 60 minutes, both the
upper and lower values are displayed in hours.</li>
<li class="li">If the upper value is more than 24 hours, both the upper and lower values
are displayed in days.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">To avoid displaying indistinguishable time ranges, such as 1 to 1 hours, the
lower value will be rounded down and the upper value will be rounded up. For
example, if the lower estimate is 65 minutes and the upper estimate is 80
minutes, the range will be displayed as 1 to 2 hours.</p>
<p class="p">The estimated wait time is displayed in the end user's language preference set in
their profile.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_r4m_lj2_m2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Factors that negatively affect the accuracy of wait time estimates</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">Several factors can affect the accuracy of the estimated wait times provided by
the model, including:<ul class="ul" id="topic_r4m_lj2_m2c__ul_bvm_nj2_m2c">
<li class="li">A sudden increase in ticket submissions can impact accuracy in the
short-term. This is because the sudden influx can overwhelm the existing
resources, leading to longer wait times than reflected in the usual
data. However, as more data becomes available, reflecting the increase
in tickets and wait times, the system adjusts and the accuracy of the
wait times estimates improve.</li>
<li class="li">Insufficient recent ticket data forces the model to rely more heavily
more outdated data, which may not provide an accurate foundation for its
current estimates. This can occur in situations where there is a low
volume of tickets routed in the recent past, leading to a lack of
historical performance data to draw upon.</li>
<li class="li">Change in agent availability may provide inaccurate data for a short
while.</li>
<li class="li">New queues or groups can lack sufficient historical data for the model
to make informed estimates. As the queue processes more tickets over
time, the model will gradually accumulate data and provide more accurate
predictions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested1" id="topic_jnn_qj2_m2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title8">Understanding when the wait time banner is displayed</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Based on the wait time banner settings, users will see a wait time or a queue
position. As they wait, it’s then helpful to reassure them that an agent will be
with them soon.</p>
<div class="p">The wait time banner is displayed only when group or queue assignment changes.
Specifically:<ul class="ul" id="topic_jnn_qj2_m2c__ul_uqp_sj2_m2c">
<li class="li">A ticket is assigned to a group or added to a queue for the first time. This
initial placement triggers the banner to inform the user of their expected
wait time.</li>
<li class="li">A ticket transfers from one group or queue to another. If there is already a
wait time banner displayed, the wait time may be updated. This change is
significant because the wait time may vary due to the new queue dynamics,
and the business must inform the user of this adjustment.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">The data refreshes every minute, displaying the updated wait time if there
have been any changes within the last minute.</p>
<div class="p">There may also be situations where the wait time or queue position increases. For
example:<ul class="ul" id="topic_jnn_qj2_m2c__ul_m5n_vj2_m2c">
<li class="li">The account uses ticket priority to determine the order of tickets in the
queue. Higher priority tickets may displace Normal and Lower priority
tickets, leading to an increase in both queue position and wait time.</li>
<li class="li">If agents are taking longer than usual to resolve issues, the wait time will
reflect this by showing a longer duration.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_lvd_1k2_m2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">Displaying "Agent will be with you shortly" in the banner</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">When an agent begins working on a ticket, the banner is updated to inform the
user that “An agent will be with you shortly.” This message appears in the
banner when:<ul class="ul" id="topic_lvd_1k2_m2c__ul_ufs_bk2_m2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">An agent accepts the ticket</strong>. Tickets associated with messaging
conversations are offered to agents. Depending on the account’s
settings, these tickets can be accepted manually by the agent or
automatically.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Omnichannel routing directly assigned the ticket to an agent</strong>. The
banner also appears when an admin or team lead manually assigns a ticket
to an agent through omni-channel routing.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">An agent assigns the ticket to themselves</strong>. When an agent views an
unassigned ticket and assigns it to themself using the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408887127450-Manually-assigning-a-ticket" target="_blank"><u class="ph u">take it</u></a> option.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">The banner is hidden as soon as the agent sends their first message.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title10" class="topic nested1" id="topic_zmk_gk2_m2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title10">Understanding when the banner isn't displayed</h2>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">The wait time banner isn’t displayed to users in the following situations:<ul class="ul" id="topic_zmk_gk2_m2c__ul_nzm_kk2_m2c">
<li class="li">The group or queue associated with the ticket is offline when the group or
queue assignment changed.</li>
<li class="li">There is no group or queue associated with the ticket, and the account is
offline when the group or queue assignment was changed.</li>
<li class="li">If the ticket is directly assigned to specific agents , no banner with
estimated wait time is displayed.</li>
<li class="li">During agent-to-agent transfers when tickets do not return to the queue. In
these situations, the ticket is being handed directly to another agent, and
therefore doesn’t have an additional wait time.</li>
<li class="li">When a ticket has exited the queue. For example, when a messaging session
times out.</li>
<li class="li">If an agent is the only online member of the ticket's group. In this
scenario, tickets are assigned directly to the agent without delay even if
they might not be able to respond immediately.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title11" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ejq_qk2_m2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title11">Turning on the messaging wait time banner</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">To turn on the messaging wait time banner:</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_ejq_qk2_m2c__ol_nsr_rk2_m2c">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_ejq_qk2_m2c__d7e867" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_channels_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Channels</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Messaging and social &gt;
Messaging</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Select your channel (Android, iOS, Web Widget, or Unity).</li>
<li class="li">Click or expand <strong class="ph b">Wait time</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Show estimated wait time</strong> checkbox to display the estimated
agent response time.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Show queue position</strong> checkbox to allow users to see their
position in the queue.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ejq_qk2_m2c__image_pkf_kqh_q2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/messaging-wait-banner-settings.png"></p>
</div>
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