A customer asking about an order should reach the team that can inspect it. Your channel setup needs to connect that conversation to both an agent and the relevant order record.
Where does the conversation go first?
Apple forwards the customer's message to the provider connected to your business account.
The provider processes the conversation and directs it to automation or an agent queue. Apple's message-flow description assigns those tasks to the provider.
Your provider may supply its own agent console or connect a helpdesk you already use. Confirm which arrangement you are buying before designing assignment rules.
How do I route a conversation to a particular team?
Set intent and group values on the link customers use to start a conversation. Map them to your provider's routing rules.
Apple's entry-point parameters carry the information needed for that mapping:
| Parameter | Use |
|---|---|
biz-intent-id | Identify the use case, such as order_support. |
biz-group-id | Identify the destination team, such as post_sales. |
body | Prefill the customer's first message. |
For example, an order-support link can carry order_support as its intent and post_sales as its group. Configure the provider to place that group in the post-sales queue.
The link supplies the values. Your provider still needs rules that recognize them and choose the destination.
Plan a fallback for conversations without a recognized intent. Apple's Experience Review checks for a triage menu when the entry point or first message leaves intent unclear.
Can I keep my existing helpdesk?
Yes, when your provider supports the required connection and your helpdesk account meets its requirements.
Zendesk connects the channel through Sunshine Conversations. Incoming requests can become tickets in Agent Workspace, where agents respond alongside other tickets.
Zendesk also specifies subscription, bot and professional-services requirements. Confirm those before assuming an existing Zendesk account is ready to use the channel.
Salesforce documents Apple Messages support in Service Cloud. Ask the provider to demonstrate the connection in the product and subscription you intend to use.
Test what appears beside the thread. An order identifier alone is insufficient if the agent cannot retrieve the order or determine who is asking about it.
How should automation hand off to a person?
Transfer the conversation through the provider. Retain the context the customer has already supplied.
Your business must provide access to a live agent during business hours. Automation therefore needs an escalation path into a staffed queue.
The automated agent must identify itself. Tell the customer when a transfer begins. Have the person introduce themselves when taking over. These disclosures tell customers whether automation or a person is responding.
Check that the agent receives the prior conversation. The agent must not ask customers to repeat information they have already supplied.
What should I test before launch?
Test a conversation from each entry point through assignment, resolution and any handoff.
- Open an order-support link and confirm that its intent reaches the expected queue.
- Start without a recognized intent and check the triage or fallback route.
- Transfer from automation to a person and confirm that the history remains available.
- Send outside staffed hours and check that the response states when help will be available.
- Confirm that reporting retains the entry-point values you need to compare sources.
Give different entry points distinct intent values when you need separate reporting. The entry-point guide shows how to place those values on a Messages link.
In short
Choose a provider that connects your inbox.
A provider can route the conversation to automation, an agent queue or a connected helpdesk.
Set intent and group values on entry points.
Intent identifies the use case. Group identifies the team the provider should route the conversation to.
Test the whole handoff.
The agent needs the conversation history and relevant customer context when taking over from automation.
Cover arrivals outside staffed hours.
An automated response should tell the customer when a person will be available.