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Advanced Capabilities

Beyond sending and receiving individual messages, the 8x8 platform enables you to build sophisticated, multi-step customer journeys and rich interactive experiences. This section covers how to use 8x8's tools to create guided conversations that automate common tasks.

Interactive Journeys with 8x8 Automation Builder​

While WhatsApp offers a feature called "WhatsApp Flows," you can build powerful, custom interactive journeys today using the 8x8 Automation Builder in the 8x8 Connect portal.

Overview & Use Cases​

The Automation Builder is a visual, no-code tool that allows you to design stateful conversations that react to customer input. Instead of just sending a single message, you can create a complete, automated workflow.

Common use cases include:

  • Appointment Booking: Guide a user through selecting a service, finding an available time, and confirming a booking, all within WhatsApp.

  • Onboarding Flows: Welcome a new user, ask for their preferences (e.g., "What topics are you interested in?"), and save their answers.

  • Surveys & Feedback: Create multi-step surveys to capture customer satisfaction after a purchase or support interaction.

  • Automated Triage: Ask a user a series of diagnostic questions ("Are you an existing customer?", "What product is this about?") before routing them to the correct agent or department.

Scenario Example: Appointment Booking Bot​

A powerful example is the "WhatsApp + Google Calendar Chat Bot" workflow. This demonstrates how to connect WhatsApp to an external system (your server) to perform complex tasks.

The flow for this scenario is as follows:

  1. Trigger: A customer sends a keyword like "book appointment" to your WhatsApp number. This starts the workflow in the Automation Builder.

  2. Send Menu: The automation replies with an Interactive Message (a list or buttons) asking the user to select a service.

  3. Wait for Reply: The automation pauses and waits for the user's selection.

  4. Call API (HTTP Request): Once the user replies, the automation uses the HTTP Request step to send the user's choice to your backend server.

  5. Fetch Data: Your server logic checks Google Calendar for available time slots and returns them to the automation as a JSON response.

  6. Send Time Slots: The automation parses the JSON and sends a new interactive list message to the user with the available time slots (e.g., "1. Monday 9 AM", "2. Monday 10 AM").

  7. Wait for Confirmation: The automation waits for the user to select a time slot.

  8. Book Appointment (HTTP Request): When the user replies, the automation sends a final HTTP Request to your server with the chosen time slot. Your server then creates the event in Google Calendar.

  9. Confirm: The automation sends a final text message: "Your appointment is confirmed!"

Configuration & API/Flow Examples​

This entire journey is built in the 8x8 Automation Builder using the following key steps:

  • Trigger: Inbound Chat Apps

  • Action: ChatApps Message (to send menus and text)

  • Action: Wait For Reply (to pause the flow and wait for user input)

  • Action: Branch (to make decisions based on the user's reply)

  • Action: HTTP Request (to communicate with your backend server or any third-party API)

Rich Interactive Experiences​

You can create rich experiences by using advanced message types and combining business-initiated templates with user-initiated interactive messages.

Carousels and Lists​

As detailed in the API and Template guides, you can send rich messages designed for user selection:

  • Carousel Templates: A horizontally-scrolling set of up to 10 cards, each with its own image/video, text, and buttons. Ideal for product discovery or marketing showcases.

  • Interactive List Messages: A pop-up menu of up to 10 items. Ideal for presenting options in a support menu or for appointment selection.

Combining Templates + Interactivity (The 3-Step Flow)​

The most powerful interactive experiences start with a template and transition into an interactive, freeform conversation.

This model is the foundation for almost all automated user journeys:

  1. Step 1: Business Initiates (Template)

    • You cannot send an interactive list or button menu to start a conversation. You must send a pre-approved Template Message.

    • Example: You send a UTILITY template: "Your order has shipped! Would you like to track it or view related products? Reply 'TRACK' or 'PRODUCTS'."

  2. Step 2: User Replies (Service Window Opens)

    • The customer replies with "TRACK".

    • This user reply opens the 24-hour customer service window.

    • Your webhook (see Webhooks Reference) receives the inbound_message_received payload with content.text: "TRACK".

  3. Step 3: Business Responds (Interactive)

    • Your server receives the webhook and can now reply with a freeform interactive message (no template required).

    • Example: You send an Interactive Button Message: "Here is your tracking info: [LINK]. What else can I help with? [Button: 'Main Menu'] [Button: 'Contact Support']".

This combination allows you to proactively engage a user with a template, then seamlessly transition them into an automated, interactive flow once they reply.