Launch of the New Messenger App - OvationCXM - Product Updates

3 years ago 12/13/2022

Launch of the New Messenger App

We’re excited to announce the launch of our newest product, Messenger.

Messenger is the new and improved version of Webchat. We rewrote the application from the ground up in order to deliver better customer experiences.

We re-architected the code base to move from a chat-first approach (the original webchat was chat-only) to a multi-component digital interface. This updated architecture opens new doors for us to add new functionality, improve customer context, and introduce Smart Buttons, contextual on-page deep links, which we’ll talk about in an upcoming post.

Given that live chat is now just one of the many ways for a customer to get the information they need, we changed the name from Webchat to Messenger. Messenger allows knowledge and information to be delivered via chat, browsing or searching articles, email, phone, embedded journeys overviews, form submissions, custom websites, and more. Messenger is the digital interface that connects you with your customers.

As part of this update we added a number of new features and performance enhancements as well as resolved all known issues in the old Webchat product.

Features

Core User Experience

When a customer opens Messenger, they are now immediately routed to the home screen before having to provide their email address. This allows you to provide more information and communication channel options to your customers without adding any friction. Only when they start a chat conversation do we ask for some information so we can identify them early to provide a more personalized experience.

Updated Designs

In addition to the user workflow enhancements, we made a lot of interface design updates as we rebuilt Messenger. These include:

New Mobile Screen Optimization

We completely revamped how Messenger works when it is accessed on a mobile screen. We optimized the container so that it is easier to access and expand, but also easier to minimize and get out of the way when it’s not needed.

Enhanced Chat Notifications

We added new real-time chat message indicators for when a customer is not in the chat session, but needs to see there are new messages. This could be when Messenger is in a minimized state or even when the customer is on the home screen.

Hours of Operations

When your chat is set to unavailable, the away message will now show on the home screen so customers still have the ability to get support via other methods provided.

Dynamic Container Sizing

Messenger is much more responsive in real time when it comes to browser size and zoom than Webchat was. Messenger will automatically resize to fix the browser size and will never go off the screen. A customer can also now zoom in to over 400% and the container resizes and is 100% usable at each state.

Updated User Workflows

We optimized the user experience across all core workflows as a customer navigates through chat, knowledge search, form submissions, and more. The navigation actions and language are now more intuitive and customers are less likely to get stuck on any screen.

Copy/Paste From Clipboard

We added the ability for customers to copy and paste screenshots from their desktop into the Messenger composer to make it easier for customers to share images.

New file upload UI

We added a new file upload workflow to make it easier and more intuitive for customers to load one or multiple files at a time to a single message. Files can also be reviewed, and removed before sending the message for complete control. An updated file progress bar shows the upload process in real time before the message is sent.

Displaying Action Messages when Chats End

We added action messages in the chat interface for when a chat is ended. Previously it just brought the customer to a rating screen but did not tell them that the chat was closed. We will be adding more action messages in the future. This could include when an agent joins the chat, when the customer goes inactive, when assignment has changed, and more.

Smart Buttons

Finally, Messenger comes with a powerful new feature called Smart Buttons. We will discuss the details of Smart Buttons in a separate post, but in short, they are power contextual elements that can be added to a screen that deeplink the customer to specific knowledge, bots, or forms within Messenger without leaving the current screen to provide faster, more contextual experiences.

Performance

Along with the new features included with Messenger, we also made a few performance, security, and reliability improvements. These improvements include:

Bug Fixes & Small Updates

If you would like to move from Webchat to Messenger please email us at product@ovationcxm.com.

Alan Finlay