Conversation Flow Builder & Step types
Overview
From Webio Bots screen, using our drag-and-drop interface, you can create conversation flows. Each "block" represents a piece of the conversation, such as a message, an action or waiting for an user input. When building a bot your can add conditions, variables, and branching logic to make the chatbot more dynamic and tailored to user inputs.
The Bot's automatic conversation will follow the flow according to the rules and the path you have configured. When you create a new step, you need to choose what type of step it is, configure it, and integrate it with the rest of the flow as needed.
Each bot has configuration card and a first step:
Configuration Card: This is where you set up the chatbot's essential details, like its name, purpose, and initial settings. You can also customize things like the chatbot’s appearance (e.g., colors, fonts) to align with your brand.
First Step: In the visual flow builder, the first step defines the starting point of the conversation. It could be a welcome message, an introductory question, or any interaction you want to take on the conversation first. Once you deploy and save the first step, you can either use the bot immediately in a campaign (e.g., as a single informational step) or continue building its flow.
Since the first step cannot be modified later, it’s advisable to include a "move to queue" or "set status" step before the welcome message. This approach makes it easier to adjust or update the welcome message in the future, without impacting the overall structure of the bot.
Check our Webio Champion Academy to learn more about the Bot Flow Builder.
Step Types
Messages Category
Plain Text Message
The information step is a simple text messages that send the set message and then move on to the next step.. Learn How To Create Simple Outbound One - Step Information Bot Using Our New UI (webio.com).
This type of step is not suitable for conversations that require a response from the customer, because they proceed to the next step without waiting for a response. For situations where a response from the customer is required, it is possible to opt for steps such as Listening, Entity Gathering or Global Intents. Check below if you want to learn more.
Action Category
The Action category, groups actions that the bot can take when the conversation reaches a specific point in the flow or specific conditions are met.
Listening Step
The Listening Step sends the set message, waits for a response, and then proceeds to the configured path.
The Listening Step can be used to collect customer responses and store them in a custom Data field (You can enter the field name in the Value To Gather field) or in Customer ID fields.
If you store the customer response as a Data it will be stored in the system for future use. If you store the response as a Customer ID then that value will display in the conversation screen and in reports and webhooks where the Customer UID/Customer Ref is shown.
Configure a conversational path based on the responses provided by customers, using Listening Step & Logical Branch.
Logical Branch
Logical Branch steps allow the bot to understand the context. These can be used to configure different paths depending on the time of day, day of the week, available agents, or custom values. Find more information here.
To configure a Logical Branch Step:
From the Action category, drag and drop onto the bot's build screen, a Logical Branch, then click ADD LOGIC, this will enable the 'Drag & Drop Logic' category on the left hand side of the screen. Now drag and drop the type of logic you need on the step, then configure it. You can add as many logical conditions as you need. Once you've configured the step, save it.
Payment Step
Once you have enabled your payment gateway integration on your organisation you can quickly configure payment service providers and allow payments to be taken as part of a bot conversation. The card details are managed securely by our PCI level 1 service provider partner and never hits the Webio platform.
Move To Queue
You can configure your queues according to your business processes. Once configured, use this step to move conversations to the desired queues.
Blocklist
Add the contact's phone number to a blocklist for the specified amount of time. Learn more about Your Webio Blocklist.
Set Status
The Set Status step will assign the desired status to the conversation when it reaches this point.
Form
A typeform integration to your organisation brings the power of conversational forms into your bots.
Close Conversation
A bot can close a conversation, this will remove it from the agents default view. Closed conversations can still be returned through the search feature.
Entity Gathering
Understands the context of your conversations and give you the ability to extracts entities such as:
- Dates
- Numbers
- Amount Of Money & Currency
- Names
- Phone numbers
- UK postcodes
Once these entities are extracted you can use them in further conversational steps. Learn more here.
"I can pay €75 this Friday" It will identify the €75 entities and the Friday date of the current week.
For example, €75 could fall within a range of values set as acceptable within a Logical Branch and then pass or not pass that criterion to proceed to the next step.
Global Intents
Using Natural Language Understanding (NLU), you can configure journeys through your bot using Intents and Entities identified from customer responses. Click on the link to learn more about Global Intents.
Logic Category
Logic category contains a set of logical conditions that can only be used in conjunction with the Logical Branch. To be able to select a logic from here, first, you need to drop a Logical Branch from the "Action" category on the bot building screen. Find out more here.
A.I. Category
The A.I. category contains a series of pre-trained credit&collection Intents & Entities. By using A.I. blocks in combination with Global Intents, you'll further improve your customer interaction and bot automation. Learn more about Global Intents & WebioFlow Intents & Entities
Before using A.I. blocks:
- Navigate to Action category.
- Drag and drop on the bot builder screen a Global Intents Step.
- Compose your message.
- Select WebioFlow as the NLP engine.
Navigate to the A.I. category, click INTENT and drag and drop the desired Intent into the step.
Re-engager Condition
Automate your message follow up strategy! Learn more here.
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