Set Up WhatsApp with Contact Center
Objective
Set up WhatsApp within 8x8 Contact Center.
Applies To
- 8x8 Contact Center
- X Series X7 and X8 Licenses
Procedure
Facebook Business Account
Before setting up WhatsApp with 8x8 Contact Center, you will need a verfied Facebook for Business account. Account verification steps are available on Facebook's Help Center.
Note: The process for setting up and validating a Facebook or WhatsApp account is outside of the control of 8x8, and therefore we have no responsibility for if the account is accepted or not, and also have no influence over the terms and conditions which are mandated by WhatsApp.
Phone Number
You will need a phone number registered with WhatsApp. The phone number does not have to come from a specific provider, however, it can not have been previously used for any other WhatsApp Business account. It must be able to receive a one-time passcode by either voice or SMS. This number will be visible to your customers that are contacting you via WhatsApp so they can contact you.
As stated, if you wish, you can use any number that you want. However, to use an 8x8 number, the set-up process for this is here, this number would be an 8x8 telephony-based number.
WhatsApp Using an 8x8 Number
If you would prefer to use one of your 8x8-provided numbers, you will need to ensure you have claimed numbers in Admin Console, assign the number to 8x8 Contact Center and set up a script within your 8x8 Contact Center to enable you to receive a one-time passcode from WhatsApp for the number allocation.
In the example below, the script is configured using an external number, so that when the one-time passcode is sent through to the 8x8 number via a phone call, it is forwarded to the external number.
If you want 8x8 Support to complete the one-time passcode for you, use 441143879674 as the forwarding number.
Once this has been done, attach the 8x8 number to the script.
Your number is now ready to be used within the WhatsApp provisioning flow.
Getting Access to WhatsApp in Configuration Manager for Contact Center
To get access to WhatsApp, speak to your 8x8 Account Mananger.
Contact Center Setup
- From the menu in Configuration Manager for Contact Center, select Channels.
- Select the Social tab.
- Select +WhatsApp.
- Complete all required fields. The script on this service is the script that your WhatsApp number will use to route calls to your contact center agents.
- As a temporary measure to this part of the process, at the same time as filling out, send the following information to cpaas-support@8x8.com.
- Facebook Manager Business ID
- Exact name of your WhatsApp account
- Address to be displayed on the profile
- Email to be displayed on the profile
- Website to be displayed on the profile
- URL of your profile picture
- Business Category: Other, Automotive, Beauty, Clothing, Education, Entertainment, Event, Finance, Food, Public Service, Hotel, Health, Non-profit, Professional Services, Shopping, Travel, Restaurant
- Description
- About
