Accurate Typing Indicator & Read Receipts

Introduction

We've enhanced the WhatsApp bot experience to ensure that the "typing…" indicator and read receipts are displayed only when a reply is genuinely imminent. This update prevents customers from seeing misleading typing dots or blue ticks for messages that will not receive an immediate response. It significantly improves the reliability and clarity of your WhatsApp conversations.

Feature Highlights

• Contextual Typing Indicator: The "typing…" indicator now appears only when a bot is actively preparing a response, aligning with user expectations.
• Accurate Read Receipts: Messages are marked as read only when a reply is actually being generated, eliminating false impressions of engagement.
• Automatic Operation: This feature works seamlessly in the background without requiring any configuration or manual intervention from your side.

How to Use

1. This feature is automatically enabled for all WhatsApp bot conversations.
2. No configuration is required. The system intelligently manages the display of typing indicators and read receipts.
3. For agents built with the visual Flow Builder: if a flow's Start step has no subsequent connections, or if a customer's message doesn't match any defined step, WhatsApp will no longer show "typing…" or mark the message as read.
4. The same logic applies when no agent is assigned to a number or when the organization has exhausted its message credits.

Benefits

• Reduced Confusion: Customers are no longer misled into thinking a reply is coming when it isn't, reducing "did they even see my message?" confusion.
• Enhanced Trust: Keeps the WhatsApp chat experience trustworthy by ensuring indicators accurately reflect bot activity.
• Improved Customer Experience: Provides a more transparent and reliable interaction, fostering better customer satisfaction.

Example Workflow

A customer sends a message to your WhatsApp bot. Previously, if the message didn't match any flow or if the organization was out of credits, the customer might still see the "typing…" indicator or a blue tick, leading them to expect a reply that wouldn't come. Now, with this update, if no reply is being generated (e.g., due to an unmatched flow step or credit limitations), the customer will not see any misleading indicators. They will simply see their message delivered, and the bot will not show as typing or having read the message, providing a more honest and less frustrating experience.

Result

Users can now provide a more transparent and reliable WhatsApp experience, ensuring that customers only see typing indicators and read receipts when a reply is genuinely being prepared. This eliminates confusion and builds greater trust in your bot interactions.

See Also

• Whatsapp Agent Flow Builder
• Whatsapp Inbox
• Organization Credits/Billing