Unlocking the Future of Conversational Interfaces in Tokyo

Unlocking the Future of Conversational Interfaces in Tokyo

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Virtual Agent Improvements
   1. Home Page Metrics
   2. Dynamic Call to Action Cards
   3. Progress Panel or Bot Accelerator
   4. Language Detection and Dynamic Translation
3. Issue Auto Resolution Enhancement
   1. Support for Email and SMS
   2. Case Criticality and AI Search Results
4. Google Dialog Flow Integration
5. Virtual Engine Notifications Enhancement
6. Virtual Agent Analytics
   1. Downloadable Transcripts
   2. Information Available in Analytics Dashboard
7. Promoted Topics in Teams and Slack Integration
8. Branding Your Bot in Slack
9. Interactive Voice Response in Virtual Agent
10. OmniChannel Callback Store App
11. Advanced Work Assignment
    1. Advanced Work Assignment APIs
    2. Order Assignment Feature
12. Agent Chat and Conversation History Overview
13. Introduction to Sidebar
    1. Group Discussions and Subject Matter Experts Interaction
    2. Docked Windows for Multiple Interactions
    3. Sidebar Quick Actions for Easy Access
    4. Utility Menu for Chat Management and Search
    5. Activity Stream Integration

Virtual Agent Improvements

Virtual Agent, introduced in the Tokyo release, has undergone several improvements to enhance its functionality and user experience.

Home Page Metrics

The Conversational Interfaces home page now includes metrics that provide quick access to information about the overall health of the virtual agent deployment. These metrics enable users to monitor the performance and effectiveness of their virtual agent.

Dynamic Call to Action Cards

The home page now features expanded dynamic call to action cards that provide richer and more intelligent behavior. These cards appear Based on the existing configuration and provide users with specific actions or suggestions based on their Context.

Progress Panel or Bot Accelerator

A new progress panel, also known as the bot accelerator, is now available on the home page. This panel provides guidance to users and encourages them to perform essential configurations for optimal virtual agent performance.

Language Detection and Dynamic Translation

Virtual Agent now supports language detection and dynamic translation. Users can have conversations with the virtual agent in any language of their choice, regardless of their language profile. When the user types in another language, the virtual agent automatically detects and translates the conversation.

Pros:

• Enhanced user experience with multi-language support.
• Increased accessibility for users from different regions.

Cons:

• Possible translation inaccuracies due to external translation services.

Issue Auto Resolution Enhancement

Issue Auto Resolution (IAR) has been enhanced to include support for email and SMS as response channels. IAR now determines the criticality of a case and routes it to a live agent if needed. For non-critical cases, it delivers AI search results.

Google Dialog Flow Integration

In the Tokyo release, Google Dialog Flow integration has been introduced, adding it as an NLU (Natural Language Understanding) service provider alongside IBM Watson and Microsoft Lewis. This integration allows users to leverage Google Dialog Flow ES for intent predictions and entity recognition within the ServiceNow Virtual Agent.

Virtual Engine Notifications Enhancement

Virtual Engine notifications have been enhanced to support higher volumes. The default number of recipients per notification has been increased from a thousand to a hundred thousand. The default number of notifications allowed per day has been upgraded from ten thousand to a hundred thousand. System properties have also been created to further increase these limits based on customer-specific use cases.

Virtual Agent Analytics

In the Tokyo release, virtual agent analytics have been improved to include downloadable transcripts in CSV format. These transcripts are available in the conversations tab of the analytics dashboard. They provide detailed information such as system events, bot responses, NLU thresholds met, node block information, and more.

Promoted Topics in Teams and Slack Integration

Promoted topics have been introduced in the Teams and Slack integration. Admins can now configure up to six promoted topics to be displayed on these channels. Different sets of promoted topics can be set up for Teams and Slack, offering flexibility in customization.

Branding Your Bot in Slack

The Tokyo release includes the ability to brand your bot in Slack. Users can configure the bot name and icon for the Slack integration, providing a personalized and branded experience.

Interactive Voice Response in Virtual Agent

A new feature called Interactive Voice Response (IVR) has been added to the Virtual Agent API plugin. IVR enables support to be carried out over phone channels, allowing requesters to interact directly with the virtual agent using only their voice. This feature utilizes virtual agent topics and NLU for automated support, eliminating the need for learning a new development method.

Omnichannel Callback Store App

The Tokyo release introduces the Omnichannel Callback store app. This app provides requesters with the ability to indicate if they want to receive a callback. It allows incoming questions to be offered to call back at the nearest opportunity. The app offers various configuration options, including greeting users, setting conditions for callbacks, and more.

Advanced Work Assignment

The Tokyo release brings advancements to work assignment with the introduction of Advanced Work Assignment (AWA). AWA APIs provide the ability to expose the results of advanced work assignment to external systems. This allows users to utilize advanced work assignment without the need for using the agent workspace inbox module.

Order Assignment Feature

Another new feature in Advanced Work Assignment is Order Assignment. This feature enables the direct assignment of work to an agent based on their availability, capacity, and skill set. It prevents agents from having to manually accept or reject work items. The configuration for order assignment is defined at the assignment rule level, allowing efficient and automated assignment based on assignment group or work item criteria.

Agent Chat and Conversation History Overview

Agent Chat in the Tokyo release now includes a conversation history overview feature. This feature enables agents to view all the conversations that have happened before an incident is assigned to them. The conversation history can be accessed when the agent has an active chat window open.

Introduction to Sidebar

Sidebar is a new product released in Tokyo as a store app. It provides agents with the ability to discuss and resolve tickets faster through group discussions with other agents and subject matter experts. Agents can initiate group discussions directly from ServiceNow records like incidents and cases.

Docked Windows

With the introduction of Sidebar, agents now have the ability to dock multiple chat windows at the bottom of the screen. This allows agents to have multiple interactions with different users and discussions simultaneously, improving their productivity and efficiency.

Sidebar Quick Actions

Sidebar includes quick actions similar to Agent Chat, providing agents with easily accessible slash commands for common actions like referencing the ticket number or Knowledge Base articles. Agents can utilize out-of-the-box or custom quick actions within the Sidebar.

Utility Menu

The utility menu is an essential component of the Sidebar. It displays the total number of new activities or conversations for the agent. Agents can click on the chat icon to access the panel, view all chats, unread chats, or saved chats. The saved chats feature allows agents to bookmark specific chats for future reference.

Search

Agents have the ability to search through all the conversations exchanged with other agents using the search feature in the Sidebar. This helps agents find Relevant information and previous discussions, facilitating faster ticket resolution by leveraging previous interactions.

Activity Stream Integration

Sidebar integrates with the Activity Stream feature, allowing agents to choose which discussions to post into their activity streams. Agents can remove a message from the activity stream or Pin a discussion within the activity stream, ensuring important discussions are easily accessible and visible to relevant stakeholders.

Demo: Dynamic Language Detection and Translation

Virtual Agent in the Tokyo release includes dynamic language detection and translation. In a demo, a user initiates a conversation in English. As the user types in Spanish, the virtual agent dynamically detects the language and offers to switch the conversation to Spanish. The virtual agent continues the conversation in Spanish, demonstrating the seamless and dynamic translation capability.

Demo: Interactive Voice Response

The demo showcases the interactive voice response feature in the Virtual Agent. A user calls the ServiceNow help desk and interacts with the virtual agent using voice commands. The virtual agent understands the user's request and provides appropriate responses, demonstrating the level of automation and support possible with voice interactions.

Demo: Sidebar in Action

The demo highlights the features of Sidebar in resolving incidents faster. Agents can initiate group discussions from ServiceNow records like incidents, allowing collaboration with other agents and subject matter experts. The demo showcases docked windows, quick actions, utility menu, search, and activity stream integration within Sidebar.

Highlights:

• Virtual Agent brings several improvements and new features in the Tokyo release to enhance its functionality and user experience.
• Language detection and dynamic translation enable users to have conversations with the virtual agent in their preferred language.
• Advanced Work Assignment APIs provide the ability to expose work assignment results to external systems, freeing users from the agent workspace inbox module.
• Sidebar allows agents to have group discussions, Interact with subject matter experts, dock multiple windows, and utilize quick actions for efficient ticket resolution.
• Demos demonstrate dynamic language detection and translation, interactive voice response, and the features of Sidebar in action.

FAQ

Q: Can Virtual Agent support multiple languages in a single conversation? A: Yes, Virtual Agent now supports multi-language conversations. Users can interact with the virtual agent in any language of their choice, and the system will automatically detect and translate the conversation.

Q: How can agents access the conversation history in Agent Chat? A: Agents can view the conversation history in Agent Chat when they have an active chat window open. The history overview provides visibility into previous conversations related to the assigned incident.

Q: Can agents interact with subject matter experts using Sidebar? A: Yes, Sidebar enables agents to interact with other subject matter experts in different groups. Agents can initiate discussions and seek assistance from non-agents or users in other groups to resolve tickets faster.

Q: Can agents search for previous discussions in Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can search through all the conversations within Sidebar to find relevant information or refer to previous discussions. This feature helps agents gather additional insights and resolve tickets more effectively.

Q: Is it possible to route work items to agents based on their availability and skills with Advanced Work Assignment? A: Yes, the Order Assignment feature in Advanced Work Assignment enables direct assignment of work to agents based on their availability, capacity, and skill set. It eliminates the need for manual acceptance or rejection of work items.

Q: Can Virtual Agent handle voice interactions for automated support? A: Yes, with the Interactive Voice Response feature, Virtual Agent can interact with users using voice commands. This feature leverages virtual agent topics and NLU for seamless voice-based interactions.

Q: How can agents brand their bots in Slack? A: Agents can configure the bot name and icon for Slack integration using the provided configuration pages connected to the messaging app integration page. This allows agents to customize the bot's appearance and create a personalized experience.

Q: Are there any limitations to the number of recipients and notifications in Virtual Engine notifications? A: Virtual Engine notifications now support higher volumes. The default number of recipients per notification has been increased to a hundred thousand, and the default number of notifications allowed per day has been upgraded to a hundred thousand as well. System properties can further increase these limits based on specific use cases.

Q: How can agents view metrics and monitor the overall health of their Virtual Agent deployment? A: The Conversational Interfaces home page includes metrics that provide quick access to information about the overall health of the Virtual Agent deployment. These metrics give agents insights into the performance and effectiveness of their Virtual Agent.

Q: Does Virtual Agent now support Google Dialog Flow as an NLU service provider? A: Yes, Virtual Agent now supports Google Dialog Flow integration as an additional NLU service provider alongside IBM Watson and Microsoft Lewis. This integration enhances natural language understanding within the ServiceNow Virtual Agent.

Q: Can agents collaborate and resolve tickets faster using Sidebar? A: Yes, Sidebar facilitates collaboration among agents and subject matter experts, allowing them to discuss and resolve tickets more efficiently. Agents can initiate group discussions from ServiceNow records and benefit from features like docked windows, quick actions, and activity stream integration.

Q: Is it possible to personalize and customize the Virtual Agent experience in Slack? A: Yes, agents can brand their Virtual Agent in Slack by configuring the bot name and icon. This customization enhances the bot's appearance and creates a consistent brand experience within Slack.

Q: How can agents improve ticket resolution time using the Advanced Work Assignment APIs? A: The Advanced Work Assignment APIs provide the ability to expose work assignment results to external systems. This allows agents to utilize advanced work assignment without relying solely on the agent workspace inbox module, improving ticket resolution efficiency.

Q: Can agents prioritize and assign work items automatically using Advanced Work Assignment? A: Yes, the Order Assignment feature within Advanced Work Assignment enables the direct assignment of work to agents based on their availability, capacity, and skill set. This automated assignment helps prioritize and streamline work distribution.

Q: What are the benefits of Dynamic Language Detection and Translation in Virtual Agent? A: Dynamic Language Detection and Translation allow users to have conversations with the Virtual Agent in their preferred language, regardless of their language profile. This makes the Virtual Agent accessible and user-friendly for users around the world.

Q: Can agents quickly access important conversations and discussions using Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can access important conversations and discussions within the Sidebar utility menu. The utility menu provides visibility into new activities and unread chats, ensuring agents can easily navigate and prioritize their interactions.

Q: How can agents search for specific information within the conversations using Sidebar? A: Agents can utilize the search feature within Sidebar to find specific information within conversations. The search functionality uses AI to search through all available discussions, making it convenient for agents to retrieve relevant information.

Q: Can agents save important chats for future reference within Sidebar? A: Yes, agents have the ability to save specific chats within Sidebar for future reference. The save chats feature allows agents to bookmark and refer back to the saved chat whenever needed.

Q: Can agents integrate discussions from Sidebar into the activity stream? A: Yes, agents can choose to integrate a discussion from Sidebar into the activity stream. This allows agents to post discussions into the activity stream of the relevant record, providing a centralized view of important interactions.

Q: Does the Tokyo release include improvements to Issue Auto Resolution? A: Yes, the Tokyo release enhances Issue Auto Resolution by adding support for email and SMS as response channels. It also provides case criticality detection and AI search results for improved and automated issue resolution.

Q: Can agents initiate group discussions with subject matter experts using Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can initiate group discussions with subject matter experts directly from ServiceNow records using the Sidebar. This enables collaboration and faster resolution of tickets by leveraging relevant expertise.

Q: Can Virtual Agent handle voice interactions for automated support? A: Yes, with the Interactive Voice Response feature, Virtual Agent can interact with users using voice commands. This feature leverages virtual agent topics and NLU for seamless voice-based interactions.

Q: Can agents customize the appearance and behavior of the call to action cards in Virtual Agent? A: The call to action cards in Virtual Agent have intelligent behavior based on the existing configuration. Although customization options may vary, admins can configure the content and behavior of these cards to suit their specific requirements.

Q: Can agents use different sets of promoted topics in Teams and Slack integration? A: Yes, admins can configure different sets of promoted topics to be displayed on Teams and Slack channels. This customization allows agents to have relevant and context-specific promoted topics based on the collaboration channel.

Q: Can agents focus on specific discussions within the Activity Stream in Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can pin a particular discussion within the Activity Stream in Sidebar, ensuring it stays at the top for easy access and visibility. This helps agents stay focused on critical discussions and important updates.

Q: Can agents interact with other agents and non-agents using Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can discuss tickets and seek assistance from other agents, as well as non-agents or subject matter experts using Sidebar. This collaboration feature helps resolve tickets faster and with higher quality.

Q: Can Sidebar discussions be linked to ServiceNow records? A: Yes, Sidebar discussions are linked to ServiceNow records such as incidents, which allows other participants to click on the record and understand the context and details of the discussion. This linkage facilitates better collaboration and information sharing.

Q: Can agents search for information and resources like KB articles within Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can use the search feature within Sidebar to search for relevant information or Knowledge Base (KB) articles. This quick access to resources helps agents find the necessary information to resolve tickets more efficiently.

Q: Can agents personalize their conversations using quick actions in Sidebar? A: In Sidebar, agents can use quick actions to perform common actions like referencing the ticket number or accessing KB articles. Agents can choose from out-of-the-box quick actions or create custom ones to personalize their conversations and improve efficiency.

Q: Can agents remove or manipulate messages in the Activity Stream within Sidebar? A: Yes, agents can remove messages from the Activity Stream within Sidebar whenever needed. They can also pin specific discussions to keep them visible at the top of the Activity Stream for easy access.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of recipients and notifications in Virtual Engine notifications? A: The Tokyo release enhances Virtual Engine notifications to support higher volumes. The default number of recipients per notification has been increased to a hundred thousand, and the number of notifications allowed per day has been upgraded to a hundred thousand. System properties can be customized based on specific customer use cases.

Q: Does Advanced Work Assignment provide APIs to integrate with external systems? A: Yes, Advanced Work Assignment introduces new APIs that allow the exposure of work assignment results to external systems. This enables the integration of Advanced Work Assignment with third-party systems and workflows to further streamline and automate work assignment processes.