Set up messaging deflection

Messaging deflection lets Pluno answer chats. On each channel you enable, Pluno responds first and hands the conversation to your agents when it cannot resolve it.

Before you start#

• Pluno has finished learning from your tickets. Until then, Messaging deflection is locked.
• You have the Admin role in Pluno and admin access to your help desk.
• In Zendesk, your plan includes the Conversations API (Suite Professional or higher) and you use the Agent Workspace.

Step 1: Add your messaging credentials#

If you added these during setup, skip to step 2.

1. In Zendesk, go to Admin Center, then Apps & integrations, then Conversations API, and create an API key.
2. In the Pluno web app, open Deflection, then Messaging deflection, and select Complete Setup.
3. Enter the App ID, Key ID and Secret key.
4. Select Test Connection, then Save Credentials.

Step 2: Turn on email notifications for handed-over chats#

Customers often leave a chat before your agent replies. These two changes in Zendesk make sure they are emailed when that reply comes.

1. On Messaging deflection, open 1. Enable Email Notifications.
2. Select Configure in Zendesk Settings and enable Continuous Conversations.
3. In Zendesk, go to Messaging Triggers and find the trigger Request email for continuous conversations, which Zendesk creates when you enable the setting.
4. Open its three-dot menu and select Deactivate.

Step 3: Test in your widget#

1. Open 2. Test Messaging Widget.
2. Enter your widget key under With Widget Key, or the address of a page where your widget is installed under Or with URL.
3. Select Test Widget and chat with Pluno.

The test works before any channel is enabled, and Pluno answers exactly as it would for a customer. If your widget is restricted to certain domains, add app.pluno.ai to its allowed domains first.

Step 4: Enable your channels#

1. Open 3. Select Zendesk Messaging channels. Every messaging channel in your help desk is listed.
2. Switch on Enabled for each channel Pluno should answer.

Pluno becomes the first responder on those channels straight away. Switch a channel off to hand it back to your team.

Step 5: Choose what to collect before a handoff#

When Pluno hands over a web widget chat, it can first ask the customer for details your agents need. Other channels hand over without a form.

1. On a Web Widget row, find Fields to collect before escalation.
2. Select the fields. You can choose Email and any of your dropdown or text ticket fields. Email is selected by default.
3. Select Save.

How the form behaves:

• Pluno sends its reply first, then the form.
• Every field is required.
• Email is only asked for when the customer is not signed in and Pluno does not know their address yet.
• When the customer submits, the values are written to the ticket and Pluno sends your escalation confirmation message.

Save resolved chats to your help desk#

By default, a chat that Pluno resolves stays with Pluno and never becomes a solved ticket. Turn this on if you want resolved chats recorded in your help desk, for example so your satisfaction survey runs.

1. Open 4. Push Resolved Chats to Zendesk.
2. Switch on Push resolved chats to Zendesk.
3. Enter Inactivity before resolving (hours). The default is 72, which is also the maximum. Use 0.5 for 30 minutes.
4. Select Save inactivity period.

After that period without a new message, Pluno sets the ticket to Solved and ends the messaging session. Your own triggers can then send a survey. A new message from the customer starts a new ticket.

Customize Pluno's messages#

Open 5. Customize Messages & Ticket Details, make your changes, and select Save.

Delay Pluno's replies (optional)#

Open 6. Reply timing and set Messaging delay (minutes) and, if you like, Messaging randomness (minutes). They work the same way as for tickets. The default is no delay.

Turn messaging deflection off#

Switch off Enabled for a channel under 3. Select Zendesk Messaging channels. Pluno stops being the first responder on that channel, and chats go to your agents as before.