Is this article helpful?

We love to hear from you!

Table of Contents

Inbound Support: Identify Contacts by Email and Phone Number

Joshua Lim Updated by Joshua Lim

Business Goal: Collect Contact's phone number or email when you get a new Contact to identify if they are an existing customer.

Identifying an existing customer gives support agents more context on the customer. With a better understanding of a customer, agents can provide better assistance. On respond.io, Contact identifiers can be collected using Workflows and Website Chat Widget.

Benefits of Collecting Emails and Phone Numbers

Use the email address or phone number collected to:

Methods to Collect Contact Identification

Here are four methods that you can use to collect Contact identifiers:

  1. Automatically obtained from Channel's Metadata.
  2. Ask for a Phone Number or Email using Workflows.
  3. Pre-Chat Form on Website Chat Widget.
  4. Identify logged-in Contacts via Website Chat Widget.

Automatically obtained from Channel's Metadata

Use this method when you are using channels that pass metadata containing Contact's phone number or email to respond.io platform.

respond.io platform automatically receives Contact's phone number or email address for the following channels:

For channels that do not provide Contact's phone number or email to respond.io platform, use the other three methods to collect Contact identifiers.

Ask for a Phone Number or Email using Workflows

Use this method when you expect Contacts to message you via instant messaging.

Method Objectives

  • Select a Workflow Template and customize steps if needed
  • Continue the Workflow when the question is skipped

Workflow Setup

There are Workflow templates set up by our team that you can use immediately. These templates can be edited to fit your business needs.

Learn more about Workflow Templates here.
Select Workflow Template and customize steps if needed

On the respond.io platform, click Workflows > + Add Workflow and choose your template.

To collect emails, click Welcome Message & Ask For Email > Use Template.

Select a Workflow Template

To collect phone numbers, click Welcome Message & Ask For Phone Number > Use Template.

Select Workflow template

Then, customize the Welcome Message & Ask a Question Step as desired.

Ask a Question Step Configuration for Email
Click the Ask for Email step to edit the Question Text. The Question Type should remain as Email. Finally, click Save and Publish to activate the Workflow.
Ask a Question Step configuration for Phone Number
Click the Ask for Phone Number step to edit the Question Text. The Question Type should remain as Phone. Finally, click Save and Publish to activate the Workflow.
Additionally, you can configure the Save Response As to save the answer as a variable to reference it at a later step of the Workflow.
Continue the Workflow when the Question is Skipped

These Workflow templates are set up with a Branch Step to check if the Contact Field already contains the email address or phone number.

Condition

Outcome

Contact identifier does not exist

Ask the question

Contact identifier exists

Skip the question

Add a Jump Step to define the next step in the Workflow when the question is skipped. Often, you will choose the Step after the Ask a Question Step.

Workflow branches
Learn how to configure the Jump Step here.
Consider continuing your Workflow with Contact Enrichment, Routing, or Assignment.

Pre-Chat Form on Website Chat Widget

Use this method when you expect Contacts to message you via Website Chat Widget.

Unlike instant messaging channels which will provide the name of the Contact, when Contacts message from the Website Chat Widget, you’ll also need to get their name in addition to the phone number or email address.

Method Objective

  • To ask for Contact’s Name, Phone Number or Email Address using the Pre-Chat Form.

Feature Setup

Here’s how to set up the Contact information you want to collect from the Pre-Chat Form.

Must-have: First add and install the respond.io Chat Widget.

Navigate to Settings module > Channels > Website Chat Channel > Customize.

Pre-Chat Form Configuration for Name & Email
1. Open the Pre-Chat toggle and enable Pre-Chat Form.
2. Add First Name and Email Address field to the form.
3. Make the fields Mandatory so Contacts must fill them out.
Pre-Chat Form Configuration for Name & Phone Number
1. Open the Pre-Chat toggle and enable Pre-Chat Form.
2. Add First Name and Phone Number field to the form.
3. Make the fields Mandatory so Contacts must fill them out.
Learn more about Pre-Chat Forms here.

Identify logged-in Contacts via Website Chat Widget

Use this method when you expect Contacts to message you via Website Chat Widget from a logged-in area on website.

If Contacts are logged in, you can get the name, email, phone number and more automatically.

Method Objective

  • To have the Website Chat Widget identify logged-in Contacts on your website.

Feature Setup

Follow the instructions to add JavaScript code to your website here.

Feeling stuck? Do not fear.

Need assistance? Contact us for support. Help is here!

Inbound Support: Enrich Customer Data from a CRM or other Business Software

Can't find what you're looking for?

Talk to an expert here!

Contact Us
© 2023 Respond.io.
Powered by HelpDocs (opens in a new tab)

Powered by HelpDocs (opens in a new tab)