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How to Send Outbound Support Messages

JQ Lee Updated by JQ Lee

In this article, you'll learn how to send outbound messages to customers with previously closed conversations when needed.

Some issues may need more time to resolve, requiring support agents to follow up with a customer after a conversation is closed. To reopen a conversation, agents will need to find the Contact with a closed conversation on the platform and send an outbound message based on the conditions of each Channel.

Benefits of Outbound Messages

Support agents may need to send outbound messages to:

  • Follow up with customers on unresolved issues after closing the conversation on the platform.
  • Provide updates to VIP customers with dedicated support agents.

Method for Sending Outbound Messages

  • Find the Contact with a closed conversation and reopen the conversation to send an outbound message.

Send Outbound Messages

Method Objectives

  • Find the Contact with a closed conversation.
  • Reopen the conversation with a customer to send an outbound message.

How-To

Find the Contact with a closed conversation
Tip: Learn more about Contact Search, Sort and Filter here.

Use the Sort and Filter dropdown along with the Search Bar to find a specific Contact on the platform. Choose the right filters based on the location of the Contact within the platform.

Then input the Search Bar with fields such as Contact’s first name, last name, email or phone number.

The search behavior depends on the field type you input. Learn more about search behavior and the fields that can’t be searched here.

There are two ways to find Contact with a closed conversation.

  • If the Contact is assigned to you, use the Mine Inbox > select the Closed filter > type the Contact’s name, phone number or email in the Search Bar.
  • If the Contact is not assigned to you, use the All Inbox > select the Closed filter > type the Contact’s name, phone number or email in the Search Bar.
Reopen the conversation with a customer to send an outbound message
Tip: Learn more about Channels Capabilities here.

The ability to reopen a conversation differs among Channels. Most Channels allow you to send outbound messages anytime, some Channels have a messaging window with limitations, while some Channels do not allow you to message customers after the messaging window closes.

Channels with no messaging window

Most Channels allow you to message customers any time after they’ve become a Contact on the platform. The list of Channels without a messaging window are Telegram, LINE, Website Chat, SMS and Email.

To reopen a conversation, go to the Inbox module > use the text box to send a customer an outbound message.

Channels with messaging limitations after the messaging window closes

However, some channels have a messaging window that limits what you can send after the messaging window is closed. Here are the channels with messaging windows and their limitations.

WhatsApp
WhatsApp has a 24-hour messaging window. After the messaging window closes, use WhatsApp Message Template to send outbound messages. These Message Templates are messages that require pre-approval from WhatsApp. Learn more about WhatsApp Message Template here.

Facebook Messenger
For other messaging platforms, Facebook Messenger has a standard 24-hour messaging window. However, respond.io has an extended 7 days messaging window period due to Facebook’s HUMAN_AGENT tag integration on the platform. After the messaging window closes, use a Message Tag to send outbound messages. Learn more about Facebook Messenger Message Tags here.

Viber
Viber has a 24-hour messaging window. Messages sent by the bot outside the messaging window will be considered Chatbot-initiated Messages. Viber provides free 10,000 chatbot-initiated messages every month. Once exceeded the monthly free limit, you'll get an error message on the platform.
To send more chatbot-initiated messages beyond the monthly limit, you must agree to Viber’s Chatbot Commercial Terms. Learn more about Viber Bot pricing and message types limitations here.

Channels that do not allow outbound messages after messaging window closes

There are also channels with a messaging window that do not allow businesses to send any outbound messages after the messaging window closes until their customer sends them a message again. Here are the channels with messaging windows and their limitations.

Instagram
For other messaging platforms, Instagram has a standard 24-hour messaging window. However, respond.io has an extended 7 days messaging window period due to the HUMAN_AGENT tag integration on the platform. After the messaging window closes, no outbound messages can be sent to customers. Learn more about Instagram here.

WeChat
WeChat has a 48-hour messaging window with a maximum limit of 20 outbound messages within this timeframe. The messaging window will close if either 48 hours session has expired or 20 outbound messages have been sent within this session.

After the messaging window closes, no outbound messages can be sent to customers. Messages sent outside the messaging window will not be delivered and there will be a red exclamation mark next to the message sent indicating the message is not delivered.

If the Contact responds to your message, both the messaging window and message limit will be reset. Learn more about WeChat here.

Once a conversation is open, the customer will automatically be assigned to the agent who sends the outbound message. When the agent has finished chatting with a customer and closes the conversation, the agent may be unassigned from the customer depending on the closing conversation logic your business decides to use.

Tip: Learn more about closing conversations here.

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