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Salesforce

Basic Live Agent Implementation

2022-07-20

Live Agent connects the customers with support agents through the web chat. Customers can get quicker responses to their queries with Live Agent. In this, agents can handle multiple chats at a time. We can configure this setup according to our requirement along with the salesforce features which are already implemented by default.

Before customizing live agent, we need to create basic live agent implementation for our salesforce organization. Now, we will look into how to create a basic live agent.

Enable Live Agent:

Click on Setup --> Build --> Customize --> Live Agent Settings.

Enable Live Agent and click on save.

Create Live Agent users:

We need to assign users as Live Agent users. These users are support agents who have salesforce permissions to chat with customers.

Click Setup --> Admin --> Manage users --> Users

Select the user, click on edit and enable live agent user checkbox.

Create and Assign Skills to Live Agent Users:

Skills are used to identify agent's area of expertise. Upon assigning a skill to the agent, that agent receives the chat requests which are related to agent's skill areas. 

Click on Setup --> Build --> Customize --> Live Agent --> Skills.

Provide the skill name, developer name and description. Assign users and profiles who are expertise in the mentioned skill.

Create Live agent configuration:

Configuration defines live agent functionality which is made available to the agents and supervisors. Configuration helps us to control the functionality.

Click Setup --> Build --> Customize --> Live Agent --> Live Agent configuration.

Click on new, select the settings and save it.

Create Chat buttons:

Customers use these buttons to request a chat with an agent directly from the website. Before creating a chat button, we have to create skills and a force.com site, static resources to use custom images for the offline and online versions of the button.

Click Setup --> Build --> Customize --> Live Agent --> Chat buttons & Invitations.

Select the type, name, language and remaining options. Select the routing type, skills.

In customization, select the online and offline images which are uploaded using static resources. Upon saving the chat button, a code is generated, which should be copied and pasted on every web page where a live agent is to be deployed.

Create Live Agent deployments:

It's a place on our company website where Live agent is enabled. We can implement and control the functionality of Live agent by creating deployments. 

Click Setup --> Build --> Customize --> Live Agent --> Deployments.

Click on new, select the settings for deployment and save it.

After saving deployment, a code is generated. Copy that code and paste it on each web page where you want to implement live agent. After setting up Live agent, to start using it, we have to create a console app.

How to set up Live Agent in Salesforce Console:

Live Agent can be made available to the agents and customers, once we add it to the console. Before adding to the console, we have to create a salesforce console app.

Click on Setup --> Build --> Create --> Apps.

Click on new, select type of app(console), name, image and select the objects to be shown in the console app.

After selecting objects, choose the display options, and finally you will get include Live Agent in this app checkbox, select the checkbox and the options below.

Next, choose which user profiles can access the console by selecting the respective user profiles and click on save. We can Set up Salesforce Knowledge to the agents where they can get answers to customer's questions. To get this option, we have to create knowledge article type and assign it to this chat application.

Features of Live Agent implementation:

  • Customers can save the transcript of their chat after completion of chat with agents. This can be done by selecting the option, Allow Visitors to Save the Transcript in Deployments.
  • Agents can view the customer's typing before they click send. This can help agents to be prepared for the questions and search them in their knowledge base. This can be done by selecting the Sneak Peak enabled option in Live Agent Configurations.
  • File transfers can be done between Customers and support agents. To get this, select Agent File Transfer Enabled in Live Agent Configurations. Size of file can be up to 25mb.
  • Whenever an agent requires help from the other support agent or from a supervisor, they can transfer and conference the chat. They are enabled in Configuration settings.
  • Quick Text helps to create common messages, which are used in the chat so that the agent doesn't need to type the same message every time. This can be done by enabling Quick Text in Quick Text settings in our organization.
  • We can create new cases from the queries customers have and can attach the chat with the newly created case.