Apple Business Chat Message Templates

Message templates make it easy for agents to send messages to contacts. Your agents may send the same type of message, like appointment confirmations, many times every day. With message templates, you can ensure that your agents all send messages the same way.You can also set up message templates using iMessage extensions for iOS apps. This allows you to use information and functions from other iOS apps within the chat so customers don't need to leave the chat interface. You can set up app extensions for maps and Apple Pay.

 

The Jungle at Classics has a significant number of customers who use Apple Business Chat. Mowgli Kipling, the contact center administrator, takes advantage of this by creating interactive templates that help make his agents more effective when chatting with customers:

  • Customers often ask about gift options in The Jungle's online store. Agents can use a template to send pictures of gift ideas along with links to the items.
  • Once a customer has decided on a gift item, there may be options available for that item such as different sizes or colors. Agents can send a list of these options for the customer to choose from.
  • Some customers are planning visits to a Jungle location and want to book appointments during their visits, such as tours or spa services. Agents can send available time slots for different bookings to the customer for easy scheduling. They can also send a map so customers know exactly where the Jungle location they're visiting is.
  • When customers have made their selections, the agent can use a template to send the customer a payment request.

Some templates require you to have additional information on-hand before you can create the template For example, to set up templates for app extensions, you need information from the application developer so Digital First Omnichannel can communicate with the app. If you're setting up an app extension for Apple Pay, you also need information so Digital First Omnichannel can communicate with the financial institution that will process the payments.

Template Type

Details
Rich Link

Lets agents send a video or image in a chat bubble, and link to a URL through that bubble. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can send pictures of gift options.

List Picker

Lets agents send a list of options, such as sizes or colors. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can help refine a customer's gift selection.
Time Picker

Lets agents send a list of available time slots. This template integrates with the calendars on the Apple device to help the customer make a good choice. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can help customers book activities at Jungle locations.
App Extension

Lets agents send messages that contain content from other applications. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can send customers information such as maps that will appear in the chat interface.

Apple Pay

Lets agents send a payment request. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can collect payments from customers who want to use Apple Pay.

Create Categories for Message Templates

Categories allow you to organize message templates so that agents can find them easily. When you create a message template, you can assign a category to it. Categories are optional.

The page where you can create categories to organize your Apple Business Channel message templates.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.

  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates >  Categories.
  4. Click Create Category.
  5. Enter a Name for your category and then click Save.
  6. Click Save.

Create a Rich Link Message Template

Rich Link templates let agents send a video or image in a chat bubble, and link to a URL through that bubble. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can send pictures of gift options.

Field

Details
Name Internal name for the template. It appears in the Message Templates list and in MAX.

Category

List of all the category names you've created.
Title Appears under the image in the chat message created using this template, so make it customer-friendly.
URL

Enter the full URL you want to open when the customer taps or clicks the chat message.
Image Lets you upload an image to include in the rich link message.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.

  4. Click Rich Link.

    The page where you can create a rich link template.
  5. Enter a Name for the template.
  6. If you're using them, select a Category from the drop-down.
  7. Enter the Title that the customer sees.
  8. Enter a URL to include with this template.
  9. Click Choose image if you want to upload an image file to go with this template.
  10. Click Save.

Create a List Picker Message Template

List Picker templates let agents send a list of options, such as sizes or colors. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can help refine a customer's gift selection. When an agent sends a list picker to a contact, the contact sees a button in the chat. When the contact presses the button, the list appears in a popup menu.

After you create the template, you can add the options you want contacts to be able to choose from.

Field

Details
Name Internal name for the template that appears in the Message Templates list and in MAX.

Category

List of all the category names you've created for message templates in this channel.
Title Appears in the chat message created with this template, so make it customer-friendly.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.

  4. Click List Picker.

    The page where you can create a list picker message template.
  5. Enter a Name for the template.
  6. If you're using them, select a Category from the drop-down.
  7. Enter a Title and click Save.

Add List Picker Options

  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.
  4. Locate the list picker template and click Choices.
  5. Click Choice.
  6. Enter a Title and Description. Click Choose File to upload an image to display in the list.
    Screenshot showing the List Picker options: Title, Description, and Image upload

  7. Click Save. 

Create a Time Picker Message Template

Time Picker templates let agents send a list of available time slots. This template integrates with the calendars on the Apple device to help the customer make a good choice. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can help customers book activities at Jungle locations. When an agent sends a message using this template, the agent application prompts them to add available time slots before sending the list to the contact.

Field

Details
Name Internal name for the template which appears in the Message Templates list and in MAX.

Category

List of all the category names you've created.
Title Appears in the chat message created using this template, so make it customer-friendly.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.

  4. Click Time Picker.

    The Time Picker page, where you can create a message template that sends a list of time options customers can choose from.
  5. Enter a Name for the template.

  6. If you're using them, select a Category from the drop-down.

  7. Enter the Title that the customer sees.

  8. Click Save.

Create an App Extension Message Template

App Extension templates let agents send messages that contain content from iOS applications. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can send customers information such as maps that will appear in the chat interface. This template only works with applications that have app extensions built for using in iMessage or Apple Business Chat.

Before you can set up an app extension, you must obtain some information about the application from the developer. You must have the app ID and name, the team ID, and the extension bundle ID.

Field

Details
Name Internal name for the template that appears in the Message Templates list and in the agent application.

Category

List of all the category names you've created.
App id Identifies one or more applications produced by a single developer. This information comes from the developer of the app.
App name The name of the application. This information comes from the developer of the app.
Team id The Apple Developer Team ID of the developer of the application. This information comes from the developer of the app.
Extension bundle id The application's unique identifier. This information comes from the developer of the app.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.

  4. Click App Extension.

    The App Extensions page, where you can create a new app extension for Apple Business Chat.
  5. Enter a Name for the template.

  6. If you use them, select a Category from the drop-down list.

  7. Enter the App id, App name, Team id, and Extension bundle id that the application developer provided you.

  8. Click Save.

Create an Apple Pay Message Template

Apple Pay templates let agents send a payment request. Mowgli uses this template type so agents can collect payments from customers who want to use Apple Pay.

In addition to creating an Apple Pay message template, you need to have an active Apple Pay account. You also need to configure Digital First Omnichannel with information about the financial institution you use to process payments.

Field

Details
Name Internal name for the template which appears in the Message Templates list and in MAX.

Category

List of all the category names you've created.
Title (On the Message Template page) Appears in the chat message created using this template, so make it customer-friendly.
Country code The abbreviation for the country where the transactions will take place.
Currency code The abbreviation for the currency used for this payment.
Title (On the Add item page) The title for the payment option that appears in the template.
Amount The amount the customer must pay when the agent sends this template with this item selected. The amount will be charged in the currency selected in the template definition.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.

  4. Click Apple Pay.

  5. The Apple Pay template page, where you can create a message template for pay requests using Apple Pay.
    Enter a Name for the template.
  6. If you use them, select a Category from the drop-down list.
  7. Enter the Title that the customer sees.
  8. Select your Country code and Currency code from the drop-down lists.
  9. Click Save.

Add Payment Options to an Apple Pay Message Template

  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  2. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.
  3. Click Apple Business Chat > Message Templates.
  4. Locate the Apple Pay template and click Items.
  5. Click Apple Pay Message Item to add payment options that will appear with this Apple Pay message template. When agents send a message with this template, they can choose an item to use with the template from the message items you add.
  6. Enter a Title for this item.
  7. Enter an Amount that the customer will be charged for this item.
  8. Click Save.

Configure Digital First Omnichannel to Accept Apple Pay

When you use Apple Pay message templates, you need to configure Digital First Omnichannel to accept Apple Pay. If you don't have an Apple Pay account, you need to create one. To configure Digital First Omnichannel, you'll need your Apple Pay merchant ID and Payment Processing certificate. You'll also need the gateway URL for the financial institution that processes payments for you.

Template Type

Details
Merchant ID The Apple Pay account merchant ID for your organization's Apple Pay account.

Certificate (.PEM format)

 The Payment Processing certificate PEM file created during the process of setting up the Apple Pay account.
Payment gateway url The gateway URL for the payment processing company your organization uses.

  1. Click Settings >Channels > All Channels > Apple Business Chat.

  2. Click the app selector and select ACD.
  3. Go to DFO > Points of Contact Digital.

  4. Open Apple Business Chat and click Apple Pay Account.

    The Apple Pay Account, where you can configure Digital First Omnichannel to accept Apply Pay payments.

  5. Enter your Apple Pay Merchant id and the Payment gateway url.

  6. Under Certificate (.PEM format):, click Choose File and select the Payment Processing certificate PEM file that goes with your Apple Pay merchant account.

  7. Click Save.