About proactive messages

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">With proactive messaging, you can deliver targeted messages to your customers through your Web Widget or mobile SDK channel without waiting for them to start the conversation.</p>
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<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Proactive messaging lets you initiate conversations with customers through your Web Widget or mobile SDK based on set conditions. Use it to offer support, engage customers, and boost sales. Configure messages by adding content, setting rules, and choosing timing. Manage messages via the admin page, and choose between agent or AI agent responses to enhance customer interactions.</p>
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<div class="body">

<p class="p">With proactive messaging, you can deliver targeted messages to your customers through your Web
Widget or mobile SDK channel without waiting for them to start the
conversation.</p>
<p class="p">This article includes the following topics:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_znk_zgy_wwb__ul_zxd_shy_wwb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_tsn_shy_wwb">Overview of proactive messaging</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_yl5_shy_wwb">The Proactive messages admin page</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_sgz_shy_wwb">Agent response types</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_gcf_thy_wwb">Requirements and limitations</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_e5j_thy_wwb">The customer experience</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="p">Related articles:<ul class="ul" id="topic_znk_zgy_wwb__ul_hwp_m12_cjc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5511266103834" target="_blank">Creating proactive messages for the Web
Widget</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5511216991898" target="_blank">Creating proactive messages for mobile SDK
channels</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_tsn_shy_wwb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Overview of proactive messaging</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Proactive messaging lets you automatically initiate conversations with customers based on
specified conditions that you define. Your customers can then choose whether
or not to respond.</p>
<p class="p">This can be useful in a number of ways, including:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_tsn_shy_wwb__ul_ktw_p3y_wwb">
<li class="li">Providing proactive support, such as offering automated self-service based
on user behavior and interaction history, as well as show delays on product
delivery and scheduled maintenance.</li>
<li class="li">Driving customer engagement, acquisition and retention with custom
greetings, guided onboarding and announcements.</li>
<li class="li">Increasing sales and conversion rates with targeted messages based on user
events and past interactions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">Setting up a proactive message includes the following tasks:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_tsn_shy_wwb__ul_alv_s3y_wwb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Adding the proactive message</strong>. This creates a framework for the
message and adds it to the Proactive messages list.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Composing the message</strong>. Write and format a message for your customers using text and
emojis, capture customer data if needed, select a messaging
channel, and choose whether to have an AI agent initially manage
the conversation or to pass responding customers to a human
agent instead. See <a class="xref" href="#topic_sgz_shy_wwb">Agent response types</a> for more information.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Setting the rules</strong>. This is where you define the conditions a customer
must meet to receive the message, and optionally create tags to add to any
tickets generated from the conversation.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Choosing when to send the message</strong>. Here, you’ll indicate when a
proactive message can be sent: During or outside business hours, or any time
of the day. You’ll also select how often a message can be sent to a
customer: One time only, once per customer visit, or every time the customer
meets the defined conditions for receiving the message.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Publishing the message</strong>. This simple click of a button makes the
message live, meaning any customers who meet the message’s conditions will
immediately begin receiving those messages.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">For more information, see the following articles:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_tsn_shy_wwb__ul_krj_1jy_wwb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5511266103834" target="_blank">Creating proactive messages for the Web
Widget</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5511216991898" target="_blank">Creating proactive messages for mobile SDK
channels</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">The Proactive messages admin page</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The Proactive messages page in Admin Center is your starting point for the tasks
described above, as well as a list of existing messages. You can click the message
to view its configuration page.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__image_sgx_cky_wwb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/PM-admin_page.png" width="600"></p>
<p class="p">The list of existing messages includes columns displaying the following
information:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__ul_zdt_2ky_wwb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Name</strong>: A short, descriptive name for the message.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Status</strong>: The current state of the message. You can sort the list by
this column.
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__ul_gyn_gky_wwb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Live</strong>: The proactive message has been published and the
message is being sent to customers who meet the conditions.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Draft</strong>: Message creation is in progress, and the message
has not been previously published.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Paused</strong>: The proactive message campaign has been temporarily halted. This can happen when:<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__ul_wtt_z2d_42c">
<li class="li">An admin has manually paused a previously live
proactive message.</li>
<li class="li">The proactive message uses AI agent capability
(such as generative replies) and your account is
configured to pause AI agent functionality when it
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6958358659226#topic_iw3_b2h_bdc" target="_blank">reaches its
automated resolution limit</a>. These campaigns
will <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5511266103834#topic_szk_tjd_42c" target="_blank">resume</a> when
automated resolutions are available. Proactive
messages paused for this reason are indicated by a
warning icon in the Proactive messages
list:<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__image_ehr_pfd_42c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/pm_paused_ar_limit.png"></p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Contains errors</strong>: Previously published message is no longer active due to errors. Most
often this status appears when the connected
messaging channel is deleted or altered in a way
that makes it incompatible with the proactive
message, such as deleting the connected AI agent.
You can view the message for information on
missing or inadequate information.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Channel</strong>: The channel on which you want to run your proactive
message.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Sent</strong>: The number of customers who have been sent the proactive
message. You can sort the list by this column.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Opened</strong>: The number of customers who have viewed the proactive message
and clicked on the message. You can sort the list by this column.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Replied to</strong>: The number of customers who have interacted with the proactive message, which
means engaged with the AI agent or shared details when the agent
response type was configured. You can sort the list by this
column.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Updated</strong>: The date of the most recent update to the proactive message.
You can sort the list by this column.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">Each message in the list has an options menu (
<img class="image" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__image_kvw_q3r_r5b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ticket_field_options_icon.png">), visible when you hover over the message. The
following options may be available from this menu, depending on the message’s
current status:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_yl5_shy_wwb__ul_rxc_tky_wwb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Edit</strong>: Opens the message’s configuration page. Option appears on all
messages regardless of status.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Clone</strong>: Creates a copy of the message and adds a draft of it to the
message list. Option appears when message status is
<em class="ph i">Live</em>,
<em class="ph i">Draft,</em>
or
<em class="ph i">Paused</em>.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Publish</strong>: Activates the proactive message. Option appears when message
status is
<em class="ph i">Draft</em>.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Pause</strong>: Temporarily stops a published proactive message. Option
appears when message status is
<em class="ph i">Live</em>.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Resume</strong>: Restarts a proactive message. Option appears when message status is
<em class="ph i">Paused</em>. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Delete</strong>: Permanently deletes the message. Option appears on all
messages regardless of status.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">When you first visit the Proactive messages admin page, there are three
partially-configured messages in draft form. Each one is configured to address a
common use case for proactive messages. You can use these messages as a starting
point for creating your own messages by cloning or editing them.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_sgz_shy_wwb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Agent response types</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">There are two agent response types you can choose to use in your proactive messages:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_sgz_shy_wwb__ul_xp3_xky_wwb">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Agent</strong>: This is the simpler response type, which requires you to
compose a short text-only message for the customer (no emojis) and
optionally request the customer’s name and/or email address before handing
off the conversation to a live agent.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">AI agent</strong>: AI agent responses allow you to create your message by referring to an answer
in an active, published AI agent <em class="ph i">within the same brand</em>.
After the initial message appears, the connected <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6970583409690" target="_blank">AI agent</a> manages the
conversation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">See
<a class="xref" href="#topic_e5j_thy_wwb">The customer experience</a>for
more information and examples of these message response types.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_gcf_thy_wwb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">Requirements and limitations</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Consider the following requirements and limitations before getting started with
proactive messaging.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_bxs_1ly_wwb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Requirements</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Your account must meet the following requirements to use proactive messaging:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_bxs_1ly_wwb__ul_hq5_cly_wwb">
<li class="li">Agent Workspace must be activated.</li>
<li class="li">Messaging must be activated.</li>
<li class="li">At least one messaging Web Widget OR one mobile SDK channel must exist
to publish a proactive message.</li>
<li class="li">To use an AI agent response, the connected channel must have one active, successfully published
AI agent .</li>
<li class="li">(Legacy AI agents) When using an <a class="xref" href="#topic_sgz_shy_wwb">AI agent
response</a>, you can only choose from
successfully published answers in the connected AI agent
as your follow-up message.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_rsx_1ly_wwb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Limitations</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The following limitations apply to the current version of proactive
messaging:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_rsx_1ly_wwb__ul_q5d_hly_wwb">
<li class="li">You can create up to 140 proactive messages.</li>
<li class="li">Proactive messages aren't sent to customers in currently
active messaging conversations. </li>
<li class="li">Proactive messages are only available for the Web Widget and
Mobile SDK messaging channels.</li>
<li class="li">Proactive messages aren't supported for third-party bots and social messaging channels.</li>
<li class="li">Proactive messages can't be used with <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6970583409690" target="_blank">AI agents -
Advanced</a>.</li>
<li class="li">Proactive messages can only be used on one channel at a time. Channels,
however, can have multiple proactive messages running
simultaneously.</li>
<li class="li">Proactive conditions with two conditions or less can't use nested conditions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested1" id="topic_e5j_thy_wwb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title8">The customer experience</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The customer experience with proactive messages varies – not only with your specific settings and
messages, but depending on whether you’re using a live or AI Agent
response.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ogj_why_wwb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">Customer experience: Agent response</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When the customer meets the defined criteria for activating a proactive message
using the Agent reply type:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ogj_why_wwb__ul_smz_ply_wwb">
<li class="li">A message appears above the messaging launcher button, displaying the
text defined in the message configuration.
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ogj_why_wwb__image_fmz_nly_wwb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/PM_agent_reply_initial.png" width="300"></p>
<p class="p">This message is sent
from the default sender defined in the channel settings, and
overrides previously-configured launcher text.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">If the customer chooses to click the message text to open the messaging window,
any data capture requests are displayed. The customer can then choose to:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ogj_why_wwb__ul_crr_wly_wwb">
<li class="li">Enter the requested information. The follow-up message is displayed, and
the conversation is handed off to a live agent.</li>
<li class="li">Close the messaging window using the close launcher button. The message
disappears. It may appear at another time, depending on the configured
frequency settings.</li>
<li class="li">Ignore the message.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">If the customer chooses to click the
<strong class="ph b">X</strong>
to hide the message
without opening it:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ogj_why_wwb__ul_ehf_1my_wwb">
<li class="li">The message disappears. It may appear at another time, depending on the
configured frequency settings.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title10" class="topic nested2" id="topic_vnq_why_wwb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title10">Customer experience: AI agent response</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">When the customer meets the defined criteria for activating a proactive message using the AI
agent reply type:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_vnq_why_wwb__ul_kjd_1ny_wwb">
<li class="li">A message appears above the messaging launcher button, displaying the text defined in the
message configuration. <p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_vnq_why_wwb__image_chf_t4y_wwb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/PM_bot_reply_inital.png" width="300"></p>
<p class="p">This message is sent from the conversation AI
agent.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">If the customer chooses to click the message text to open the messaging
window, the answer selected in the message configuration appears. The customer
can then choose to:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_vnq_why_wwb__ul_g5d_b4y_wwb">
<li class="li">Interact with the answer.</li>
<li class="li">Close the messaging window using the close launcher button. The message
disappears. It may appear at another time, depending on the configured
frequency settings.</li>
<li class="li">Ignore the message.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">If the customer chooses to click the
<strong class="ph b">X</strong>
to hide the message
without opening it:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_vnq_why_wwb__ul_a5c_d4y_wwb">
<li class="li">The message disappears. It may appear at another time, depending on the
configured frequency settings.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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