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Can I reapply the department after a timed-out chat visitor reconnects?

Eric Ypsilantis
  • Edited

Question

When a chat session is timed out, and the visitor requests a new chat, the new chat request does not retain the department assigned from the previous session. Is there a way to reapply the department assigned from the previous chat?

Answer

Disclaimer:This article is provided for instructional purposes only. Zendesk does not support or guarantee the code. Post any issues you have in the comments section or try searching for a solution online.

It is expected behavior for a new chat session to not reapply the department automatically after avisitor timeout. As a workaround, usethe在聊天:有限公司nnectedAPI callback to identify the reconnection event and update the user settings withupdateSettingsAPI to set the department for the new chat session.

The API is applied when the reconnect event occurs after a visitor time out but before the new message is sent by the visitor. This ensures the department gets assigned to the new session.

Note:This workflow is not possible when you use triggers to set the department. There is no way to re-fire a chat trigger when the visitor reconnects.

Below is an example API script that uses these methods to reapply theShopping Cartdepartment whenever a visitor first connects or reconnects from a timed-out session.



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    5 Comments

    • CJ Johnson

      How would you make this work if there's 5 departments that the customer may have selected from, prior to the reconnect?

      0
    • Eric Ypsilantis

      Hi CJ, the script in this article is specifically for setting (and setting again if needed) a single specified department.

      Unfortunately there isn't an API to get the prior session's department, which would be required to know which of these 5 departments to use again upon reconnection.

      -1
    • moment long

      Zendesk messaging I see doesn't have as many callbacks for us to use as the classic version does.
      How do I know when the exp is about to expire and re-call the loginUser APi?
      Using a timer to keep track and then calling loginUser is a bad solution

      0
    • Jason Schaeffer
      Zendesk Customer Care
      Hello,

      Thank you for the callout, I will be sharing this feedback with out product team. Messaging is still relatively new and there will be improvements and updates made along the way.

      Thanks!
      -1
    • Jon

      +1 we need department field to assign on re-connect. There is a reason for the department field applying to the initial chat so it makes sense for the reconnected chat to still have the department field assigned. It's a negative user and business experience not to have this functionality.

      0

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