Zendesk Integration Guide

Bright Pattern Documentation

Generated: 11/01/2024 12:08 am
Content is available under license unless otherwise noted.

Contents

About

Bright Pattern Contact Center omnichannel cloud call center software integrates with Zendesk applications to help you manage increasing contact volume, provide better service to your customers, and increase agent productivity and performance.

Similar to Bright Pattern software, Zendesk applications offer live chat, messaging, talk services, and analysis and reporting. Zendesk interfaces directly with Bright Pattern, so that contact centers using Zendesk can take advantage of Bright Pattern's features without losing their existing data records and contacts.

This Bright Pattern Contact Center Zendesk Integration Guide provides detailed descriptions of Zendesk integration features, as well as instructions for setting up your Bright Pattern Contact Center to function in an integrated manner with your Zendesk applications.

Features and Benefits

Zendesk integration provides everything you need to implement a model Zendesk Call Center, including the following:


Zendesk integration icons


Zendesk Phone Integration

The integrated phone system is powered by Zendesk Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology for customer recognition and self-service, voicemail tickets, and more. Zendesk IVR automates common or frequently performed telephone transactions by means of a computer interacting with a person by playing prompts and responding to touch-tone or voice input.

When integrated with Bright Pattern Contact Center software, your business can keep running even outside of normal hours of operation. For example, Zendesk phone integration allows you to do the following, and more:

Zendesk Chat and SMS

Rich contact channels and powerful tools such as Zendesk chat and Zendesk SMS make it easier for customers to reach you by offering service over rich web chat, SMS, social messengers, and mobile apps.

Zendesk chat provides push routing, multiple concurrent chats on agent, Facebook Messenger, SMS and other messaging, and customer identification. Likewise, Zendesk SMS lets you handle customer inquiries over SMS as chat, send reference information via SMS on a call, process post-call surveys via SMS integrated with Zendesk, and more.


Zendesk integration scenario


Customers and service providers benefit in so many ways:

Integrated Agent Desktop

The integrated Agent Desktop user interface helps to increase agent productivity. Featuring a built-in softphone, screen pop, click to call, activity history, and a convenient user interface, it is optimized to minimize clutter while keeping functions at close reach. Conveniently, it displays only the controls and information needed at each point of work.


Zendesk Integration Agent Desktop


With Agent Desktop integrated with Zendesk, you can work more efficiently:


Use the Bright Pattern Contact Center Zendesk Integration Guide to learn more about and take advantage of the many benefits of Zendesk integration.


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Audience

The Zendesk Integration Guide is intended for the IT and/or technical personnel responsible for the data infrastructure of the contact centers that use Bright Pattern Contact Center solutions for customer interaction processing and Zendesk applications for customer relationship management. Readers of this guide are expected to have experience in administration of the above systems, as well as a solid understanding of contact center operations and resources that are involved in such operations.


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Scope

The Zendesk Integration Guide discusses the following aspects of Zendesk integrations:



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Prerequisites


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Zendesk Integration Setup

When the Bright Pattern Contact Center is integrated with Zendesk, your Bright Pattern Agent Desktop is essentially embedded into the Zendesk environment. From one integrated Agent Desktop interface, you have direct access to Zendesk application features such as the phone, live chat, SMS, mobile messenger apps, customer and agent records, interaction details, and more.

How to Set Up the Integrated Agent Desktop

Step 1: Log in and navigate to Apps.


Apps > Marketplace


Step 2: Begin application installation.

If you cannot find this application in Zendesk Marketplace, you can request it from Bright Pattern Support. You will receive a .zip file. Upload this file via Apps > Manage > Upload App and click Install App.


Apps-Marketplace-Install.png


Step 3: Link the app to your Agent Desktop.


Step 4: Review ticket assignments and adjust if needed.


Step 5: Set roles to determine who can access the integrated desktop.


Step 6: Customize the size of the Agent Desktop widget.


Step 7: Confirm that you set up the app correctly.

Click Update.

You should now be able to see the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop widget with a login dialog. If you do not, then go back and try reinstalling the app.


Zendesk-integration-guide-image4.png


Step 8: Log in with your Bright Pattern Contact Center credentials.

By default, you log in with a softphone. To choose another device, click the current Phone device setting and select the desired type of device. For more information about the available device options, see section Selecting a Phone Device of the Agent Guide. Note that if this is your first login into the Bright Pattern Contact Center on the given computer, you will be prompted to install the Agent Desktop Helper Application.

The Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop widget will now show a standard set of telephony controls available to a contact center agent. For more information about these controls see the Agent Guide. Note that the appearance of these controls has been modified to match the overall look and feel of Zendesk.

To minimize the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop Window, click the icon directly above it. When you are logged on, this icon reflects your agent state (or your presence state if you are not an agent). For example, when you are in the Ready state, the icon will look like this: Zendesk-integration-guide-image5.png. Agent states and corresponding icons are explained in section How to Interpret Your Current State Information of the Agent Guide.

If you receive a new interaction, you will see the same interaction alert window that you would normally see in the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop. You will be able to accept an interaction even if your Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop window is minimized.


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Single Sign-On Setup

The Single Sign-On (SSO) function enables you to log in to just one application to use your integrated Zendesk desktop interface. You do not have to sign in to both the Bright Pattern Contact Center and Zendesk too. Thanks to SSO functionality, logging in to the Bright Pattern Contact Center logs you in to Zendesk as well, for a truly seamless experience.

How to Set Up SSO

Step 1: Log in to change your settings.


Step 2: Activate SSO functionality.


Zendesk-integration-guide-image10.png


Step 3: Set up remote login/logout.


Step 4: Enable sharing between you and Zendesk.


Step 5: Add Zendesk as a new integrated account.


Step 6: Name your new integrated Zendesk account.


Step 7: Link the account you just created to Zendesk.


Zendesk-integration-guide-image11.png


Step 8: Test the SSO functionality and confirm it works.


From this moment, every time you enter the URL of your Zendesk desktop, you will be redirected to the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop login page for a single sign-on (SSO).

To log into Zendesk directly (without a simultaneous login to Bright Pattern), use the following URL: https://<zendesk-domain-name>/access/normal


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Screen-Pop

Screen-Pop is a useful feature that automatically pushes relevant data about a customer or ticket to the agent who is handling the interaction. This feature may be used to facilitate better customer interactions, as well as to launch outbound campaigns.

If you are running a business, chances are that you will plan an outbound campaign service or two. A campaign is a type of service in which a contact center proactively initiates interactions with customers for a specific reason, such as for surveys or telemarketing, using destination data in the associated calling list(s). An outbound preview campaign distributes relevant calling records and caller data directly to agents for preview--before the campaign is kicked off.

One way to distribute that data to agents is through the Screen-Pop feature, which literally pops targeted Zendesk data onto the Agent Desktop screen. When you launch your next outbound preview campaign, give agents the useful information they need, before they dive into a sea of calls.

Configuring Screen-Pop

To configure Zendesk data screen-pop for an outbound preview campaign, first make sure you have followed the previous steps to setting up Zendesk integration. Then follow these steps:

Step 1: Confirm that your Zendesk calling records include necessary Zendesk object identifiers.

Before importing a calling list that will be used in this campaign, make sure it contains identifiers (e.g., first name, last name, phone number, and so forth) of the Zendesk objects that are to be displayed on the Agent Desktop when the corresponding calling records are distributed to the agent for preview. These identifiers must be obtained from Zendesk, where they are generated for every ticket and user object. If the calling list is missing the data required, the list will fail to be imported.


Step 2: Name your calling list.


Step 3: Tell the Screen-Pop feature which calling list to grab.


Zendesk-preview-sceenpop-config-a2.png


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Accessing Zendesk Data from Scenarios

If you do not wish to configure your Bright Pattern Contact Center for Single Sign-On with Zendesk, you can access Zendesk data directly from Bright Pattern scenarios instead. The instructions that follow will walk you through the process.

Perform the following preliminary steps only if you skipped the Single Sign-On configuration process; otherwise, proceed directly to Step 1.


Step 1: Manage settings for your Zendesk API.


Zendesk-integration-guide-image12.png


Step 2: Save the new token.


Step 3: In the Bright Pattern Contact Center, set up access to the integrated Zendesk account.


Zendesk-integration-guide-image13.png


Step 4: Confirm your connection to Zendesk data.

Click the Test connection button. You should receive confirmation that the connection between the Bright Pattern Contact Center platform and Zendesk data repository is valid.


Step 5: Use scenario blocks to access Zendesk data.

To access Zendesk data and enable screen-pop, use the following blocks of the Bright Pattern Contact Center Scenario Builder application:


This Zendesk Integration Guide contains a scenario example that illustrates how the Search and Screen Pop blocks can be used to obtain Zendesk data and display it to the agent upon interaction delivery.

Note that you can create multiple Zendesk integration accounts for access to different Zendesk systems. If you have multiple integration accounts, use scenario block Zendesk Select Account to specify the integration account that will be used by Zendesk blocks in the given scenario. If this block is not used, all Zendesk blocks in the given scenario will use access data from the integration account marked as Default account. (See Step 3.)


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Integrated Agent Desktop

The integrated Agent Desktop user interface is the same as the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop application, but with the look and feel of the Zendesk environment. Designed to increase agent productivity, the integrated Agent Desktop displays only the controls and information needed at each point of work. Agents and supervisors can work more efficiently using the integrated desktop's softphone, live chat/texting/messaging services, cross-functionality with Zendesk data records, and real-time tracking of customer interactions.

Phone

A built-in software telephone enables inbound/outbound calls, voicemail, and so forth.


Zendesk softphone with dialpad shown


Click Once to Call

Click-to-Call functionality allows agents to dial customers’ phones with a single click. Simply click the Click-to-Call icon Zendesk-integration-guide-image6.png next to a name.


Click the phone icon to make a call

Chat, Text, Message, and More

Live chat, SMS, and Mobile Messenger app services make it easy to communicate and exchange data with customers, agents, and supervisors.


Chatting in the integrated Agent Desktop

Interaction Information Saved Automatically

Activity history provides real-time operations displays, information about conversations, saved ticket logs, call recordings, and voicemails, all from the center of the screen.


Activity history shown in the integrated Agent Desktop


Instantly Access Zendesk Data

Tapping into Zendesk data records from the integrate desktop enables agents, supervisors, or administrators to set up campaigns, caller lists, screen-pop, and more. Screen-Pop functionality lets agents access relevant Zendesk data during an interaction, on the fly.

Refer to the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Guide to learn more about the Agent Desktop user interface and its applications.


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Built-In Softphone and Click-to-Call

Inbound calls, outbound calls, voicemails, and recorded calls are at your service. From the integrated Agent Desktop, you can accept or reject calls, dial out, place internal calls to other agents or supervisors, monitor call activity, and much more.

The built-in softphone and its inherent functions is part of an integrated phone system offering customer recognition and self-service, voicemail tickets, and more. Powered by Zendesk Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology, the integrated phone system channels customer recognition and self-service, voicemail tickets, and more. Zendesk IVR automates common or frequently performed telephone transactions by means of a computer interacting with a person by playing prompts and responding to touch-tone or voice input. Customers are automatically prompted for information that will help the Call Center direct the customer to the appropriate agent or service to handle the ticket.


Zendesk-AD-repeates-timeinstate.png


Zendesk Softphone

Accessible from the Dial tab of the Active Communications List, the built-in softphone comprises a dialpad with numeric digits and a text entry field for typing in phone numbers manually. Details about each call (i.e., caller ID, call duration, phone number, connectivity status) are displayed and updated in real time.

Using the Dialpad

On the dialpad, you will see the following icons, each of which allow you to perform a different action.

Zendesk-Numeric-Entry-Field.png

Type in the phone number.

Zendesk-Voice-Inbound-Icon.png

Select the service.

Zendesk-Call-Icon.png

Place the call.

Zendesk-Blind-Icon.png

Place a blind call (keep your caller ID hidden).

Zendesk-Chat-Bubble-Icon.png

Switch to chat.

Zendesk-Star-Icon.png

Mark the caller as a favorite.

Zendesk-Record-Voice-Icon.png

Record the call.

Zendesk-Flag-Icon.png

Flag the call for later use.

Zendesk-Pause-Icon.png

Pause the call (put on hold).

Zendesk-Microphone-Icon.png

Enable or mute your microphone.

Zendesk-Hangup-Icon.png

Hang up the phone (end the call).

Zendesk-Click-to-Call-Icon.png

Click to call.

Zendesk-Click-to-Chat-Icon.png

Click to chat.

Click-to-Call

Click-to-Call is an important function that allows you to initiate calls to people who originated or handled a Zendesk ticket, with a single click.

How to Use the Click-to-Call function


Click the Click-to-Call icon to make a call


When the call is answered, you should have all of the call control functions (e.g., mute, hold, transfer, release) available to you via the integrated Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop window. Note that when you transfer an interaction to another integrated desktop user, the Zendesk item that was open on your desktop at the time of transfer will be displayed for that user.

For more information, see the Agent Guide.


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Live Chat and SMS

Zendesk chat and Zendesk SMS services make it easier for customers to reach you over rich web chat, SMS, social messengers, and mobile apps. Live chat provides push routing, multiple concurrent chats on agent, Facebook Messenger, SMS and other messaging, and customer identification. Likewise, SMS lets you handle customer inquiries over SMS as chat, send reference information via SMS on a call, process post-call surveys via SMS integrated with Zendesk, and more.

Incoming messages look the same to the agent on the integrated Agent Desktop, no matter what type of service is used. Whether it is a web chat initiated from a website widget, an SMS text message launched from a mobile phone, or a message sent from a social messaging app, the incoming message is routed to the agent and displayed in a chat window. This simplicity keeps the focus on the chat itself rather than on the technology used to deploy it.

Refer to the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Guide to learn more about handling chat services and mobile interactions.

Example Chat

What follows is the sequence of actions that could occur in a typical chat. In this example, a web chat service is used.

Action 1: A customer initiates a chat.

From your website, the customer clicks the chat widget to begin a conversation. If the chat service scenario is set up to request such information, the customer is prompted for details such as name, account ID, email address, and of course, the message to be sent. The customer hits SEND and the message is transmitted to the next available agent.


A customer initiates a chat


Action 2: The agent accepts the chat and interacts with the customer. Bright Pattern Contact Center software routes the chat to the next available agent, who receives an incoming chat alert. From the integrated Agent Desktop, the agent accepts or rejects the chat (in this case, the agent accepts). The chat message appears in the Chat tab of the Active Communications List (see on the right-hand side of the screen). Information about the customer interaction (i.e., the ticket) is updated in real time and displayed in the Activity History (in the center of the screen).

The following items are shown in the Chat tab:


From the integrated Agent Desktop, the incoming chat is accepted


Action 3: The agent's response keeps the conversation going.

The agent responds to the customer by typing in the text entry field.

As with the classic Agent Desktop application, the Zendesk integrated Agent Desktop enables agents to


The agent types a reply in the chat window


Agents and supervisors can customize canned responses and greetings or update notifications, passwords, and other settings by clicking on the Settings icon in the Active Communications List (located in the upper right-hand corner).


How to update settings


Refer to the Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Guide to learn more about handling chat services and mobile interactions.


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Activity History

In the integrated Zendesk environment, information about each interaction is saved, updated in real time, and shown as a running list of notes in the center of the desktop interface. The information contained in these notes is called activity history. Notes with basic data are added automatically to the activity history upon completion of any interaction activity (i.e., hanging up a call, ending a chat, setting dispositions, finishing after-call work (ACW), and so forth).


Zendesk-activity-history.png


The Zendesk ticket activity history includes interaction-processing details such as the following:


Becoming Familiar with Activity History

To test the activity history function, you simply release (i.e., complete or end) the previously established call. Upon completion of the after-call work (ACW) , you should be able to see a new internal note added to the ticket with basic data about the call you just finished. This data includes start time, call type, phone number, duration (talk+hold time), disposition, service, and global interaction identifier. The global interaction identifier is provided as a link. Clicking this link opens the Interaction Records Search page of the Contact Center Administrator application with the global interaction identifier preset as a search condition.


Zendesk Activity History information

Additional Interaction Data Is Linked

If the call was recorded, the activity history will also contain a link to the voice recording. When you click the voice recording link, you should receive an incoming call. Playback of the recording will begin as soon as you answer this call. Note that in order to listen to the recording you must have the privilege Listen to call recordings linked to CRM records.


Default Settings and Customization Options

By default, the activity history is written to the last open ticket (i.e., interaction). If, according to your workflow, you need the activity history to be written to tickets that open when interactions are delivered to agents, perform the following steps:

The basic activity history data set can be extended with custom fields using the Attached Data scenario block in the Scenario Builder.


Writing Activity History to Specific Zendesk Tickets

You can choose whether to write activity history to the Zendesk ticket that was popped to the agent only, rather than to the ticket in focus. In addition, you can select whether the activity history should be written to the first ticket open or to the last ticket open when the interaction is completed. The ability to write activity history notes to specific tickets is a useful feature for agents who receive multiple calls and chats simultaneously.

In the following example, let's walk through the process of viewing activity history and writing notes to it for certain tickets.


Step 1: Become familiar with the integrated desktop.

An agent working in Zendesk will have an integrated desktop such as the one shown, where the activity history is displayed in the middle of the interface. Each open ticket appears in its own tab at the top of the screen. In order to write a note to a specific ticket, you must make sure you first click on the tab the corresponds to the desired ticket.


The integrated Zendesk desktop


Step 2: Accept or reject the ticket popped to the agent.

When a call or chat is initiated by a customer or other user, a new ticket is popped to the agent. Notice that the ticket pop-up window looks the same as the alerts that pop up in the Agent Desktop. The agent can either accept or reject the call.


A ticket is popped to the agent


Step 3: Add relevant, helpful notes to the expand the basic data given for the ticket.

If the agent accepts the call, the activity history in the middle of the screen is updated with data regarding the current Inbound Call. The agent is able to write a note to the ticket in focus (i.e., the current inbound call's activity history) by clicking and typing into the box highlighted in green. The agent can write either a Public reply or an Internal note.


The agent can write a note for the ticket in focus


Step 4: Complete the call, set a disposition, and add more notes if needed.

The note is saved, and the activity history is refreshed in real-time with the new note. It appears at the top of the activity history feed in the middle of the screen. When the interaction is complete, the agent enters the after-call work (ACW) state and is able to set the disposition for the call. This is done from the dialpad pull-down menu on the right. The agent completes the ACW tasks, and the activity feed is refreshed.


The activity history is refreshed with the note for the ticket in focus


Step 5: View all notes and data for the ticket in the activity history.

In the following image shown, a different user or agent has written a note to the same ticket. This added note includes a link to the recorded conversation, and the note is appended to the existing note for the ticket. You can see all notes for the ticket in the activity history feed. The most recent note appears on top.


A new note is written to the ticket during ACW


You can select any note in the activity history and/or select any ticket tab (at the top of the screen), and update it with more information.

Handling Multiple Interactions

The following rules apply to ticket-interaction association and activity history recording when agents handle multiple interactions simultaneously:


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Call Center Supervisor

Call Center Supervisor functionality lets a user with supervisor privileges perform typical contact center supervisor functions, such as real-time monitoring of key contact center performance indicators, helping agents with call handling, supervising agent activity, managing campaign tasks in real time, and more. These supervisor functions are essentially the same as those available to supervisors not working in Zendesk. For more information on supervising from the Agent Desktop application, see the Supervisor Guide.

To test Bright Pattern Contact Center's Call Center Supervisor functionality, click the Call Center icon Zendesk-integration-guide-image9.png in the main menu of the Zendesk desktop, on the left. The Bright Pattern Contact Center Agent Desktop should now occupy the entire Zendesk working area.

This full-screen Agent Desktop mode is normally used by supervisors only. To be able to use the supervisor functionality, you must have the privilege Access full Agent Desktop. Important: To enable integrated desktop for other users of your system, make sure they all have the privilege Use Zendesk.


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Using Zendesk Integration Scenario Blocks

A scenario is a script that defines the logic of automated processing of interactions satisfying some specific criteria (e.g., inbound interactions arriving at a specific access point). In Bright Pattern Contact Center software, scenarios are used to map out the sequence of actions that may occur during an interaction (voice, chat, SMS, etc.), with all the possible options, exits, prompts, and so forth, that could be presented to a user or customer.

Scenarios are built and defined in the Bright Pattern Contact Center Scenario Builder application, which is available via the Bright Pattern Contact Center Administrator application. You can create your own scenario from scratch, or you can use a template scenario (easier) and then customize it to suit your needs. Scenarios are constructed using "blocks," which you can learn about in more detail in the Scenario Builder Reference Guide.

For the purpose of this Zendesk Integration Guide, let's consider the integration scenario blocks that could be used in a simple scenario involving look-ups to recognize the customer and screen-pop of the customer's Zendesk data.

Example Scenario

What follows is the sequence of actions that could occur in a basic scenario flow.

Action 1: An inbound call comes in, and the customer is prompted for information.


Collect Digits scenario block


A customer calls Bright Pattern Support. (For simplicity, service hours verification is omitted, and agent skill requirements are identified by the dialed number.) The customer is greeted with a Collect Digits block with the following prompt: Welcome to Bright Pattern support. If you are calling about an existing case and have the case number, please enter it now followed by the pound sign. Otherwise please remain on the line.


Action 2: The customer does not enter a case number, so the scenario identifies the customer by caller ID.


Zendesk Search scenario block


If the customer does not enter any digits, a Zendesk Search block is used to recognize the customer by ANI (Caller ID).


Customer identification by ANI


Action 3: The customer's data is pulled from Zendesk data and popped to the agent.


Zendesk Screen Pop scenario block


If the customer record is found, a Zendesk Screen Pop block is used to pop the customer record into the Zendesk application of the agent that will receive the call. The call is then sent to the service queue.


Customer record screenpop


Action 4: The scenario looks up case/ticket data.


Zendesk Search scenario block


If the ticket number is entered, a Zendesk Search block is used to look up the ticket information.


Ticket search by ticket number


Action 5: The customer is directed to a menu.


Menu scenario block


A Menu block is then used with the following prompt: Thank you. We have found the ticket with subject $(zdTicket.subject). For the status of this ticket, press 1. For any other inquiries, press 2 or stay on the line.


Action 6: A prompt regarding ticket status is played to the customer.


Play Prompt scenario block


If the self-service is selected, a Play Prompt block is used to inform the customer about the current ticket status: The current status of this ticket is $(zdTicket.status). Thank you for your inquiry. Goodbye. The call is then marked as self-served and released.


Action 7: The customer's ticket/case information is popped to the agent.


Zendesk Screen Pop scenario block


If the customer needs the agent's help, a Zendesk Screen Pop block is used to pop the ticket to the Zendesk application of the agent who will receive the call. The call is then sent to the service queue.


Ticket screenpop


The Complete Scenario

The diagram shown illustrates what a complete scenario looks like when designed in the Scenario Builder application.


Zendesk-integration-guide-scenario1.PNG


For more information about scenarios, refer to the Scenario Builder Reference Guide.

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