Create an IT help desk in Amazon Connect - Amazon Connect
Step 1: Create an Amazon Lex botStep 2: Add permissions to Amazon Lex botStep 3: Set up routingStep 4: Create a contact flowStep 5: Assign the contact flow to the phone numberStep 6: Test a custom voice and chat experience

Create an IT help desk in Amazon Connect

This tutorial shows you how to create an IT Help Desk. It shows how to create an Amazon Lex bot that finds out why the customer is calling. You next create a flow to use the customer's input to route them to the right queue.

Prerequisite

This tutorial is part of a series. If you performed Tutorial 1, you're ready to go. If not, here's what you need:

  • An AWS account

  • A configured Amazon Connect instance

  • An Amazon Connect administrative account

  • A claimed phone number

Step 1: Create an Amazon Lex bot

Bots provide an efficient way to offload repetitive tasks from your agents. This tutorial shows how to use the bot to find out why customers are calling the IT Help Desk. Later, we use the customer's response to route them to the right queue.

In previous tutorials, you used the Amazon Connect console. In this tutorial to set up a bot, you use the Amazon Lex console.

This step has five parts to it.

Part 1: Create an Amazon Lex bot

This step assumes it's the first time you've opened the Amazon Lex console. If you've created a Amazon Lex bot before, your steps differ slightly from the ones in this section.

  1. Choose the following link to open the Amazon Lex console, or enter the URL in your web browser: https://console.aws.amazon.com/lex/.

  2. If this is the first time you've created Amazon Lex bot, choose Get Started. Otherwise, you're already in the Amazon Lex dashboard.

    The Amazon Lex console, the bots page, the create bot button.

  3. Choose Create a blank bot.

    The configure bot settings page, the create a blank bot option.

  4. Enter the following information:

    • Bot name — For this tutorial, name the bot HelpDesk.

      The the bot configuration section, the bot name box, the description box.

    • IAM permissions: Choose Create a role with basic Amazon Lex permissions.

      The IAM permissions section, the option to Create a role with basic Amazon Lex permissions.

    • COPPA— Choose whether the bot is subject to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

    • Idle session timeout— Choose how long the bot should wait to get input from a caller before ending the session.

  5. Choose Next.

  6. On the Add language to bot page, choose the language and voice for your bot to use when speaking to callers. The default voice for Amazon Connect is Joanna.

    The Add language to bot page, the select language dropdown menu set to English.

  7. Choose Done.

Go to Part 2: Add intents to your Amazon Lex bot.

Part 2: Add intents to your Amazon Lex bot

An intent is the action the user wants to perform. In this part, add two intents to the bot. Each intent represents a reason that users call the Help Desk: password reset and network issues.

  1. In the Amazon Lex console, in the Intent details section, enter PasswordReset as the name of your intent.

    The Amazon Lex console, the Intent page, the Intent details section, the intent name.

  2. Scroll to the Sample utterances section.

    The sample utterances section, the box to add utterances, the add utterance button.

  3. Type I forgot my password, and then choose Add utterance. Then add reset my password and choose Add utterance again.

  4. Choose Save intent.

  5. On the left navigation menu, choose All intents list.

  6. On the left navigation menu, choose Back to intents list.

    The Amazon Lex navigation menu, the back to intents list link.

  7. Choose Add intent, Add empty intent, and assign the name NetworkIssue. Scroll down the page and add the following sample utterances:

    • I can't access the internet

    • my email is down

When you're done, go to Part 3: Build and test the Amazon Lex bot.

Part 3: Build and test the Amazon Lex bot

Build and test your bot to make sure that it works as intended before you publish it.

  1. In the Amazon Lex console, choose Build. The build may take a minute or two.

    The Amazon Lex console, the Build button.

  2. When it's finished building, choose Test.

  3. Test the PasswordReset intent. In the Test Draft version pane, type I forgot my password, and press Enter.

    The test draft version page, the box to enter an intent such as I forgot my password.

  4. The verification looks like what's shown in the following image.

    The verification message from Amazon Lex, Intent PasswordReset is fullfilled.

  5. To confirm that the NetworkIssue intent is working, type my email is down. The verification looks like what's shown in the following image.

    The verification message from Amazon Lex, Intent NetworkIssue is fullfilled.

Go to Step 2: Add permissions to Amazon Lex bot.

Step 2: Add permissions to Amazon Lex bot

To use a bot in your flow, add it to your Amazon Connect instance.

  1. Open the Amazon Connect console (https://console.aws.amazon.com/connect/).

  2. Choose the name of the instance that you created.

    The Amazon Connect virtual contact center instances page, the instance alias.

  3. Do not log in on the name page (this method of logging in is for emergency access only). Rather, choose Flows.

    The Amazon Connect left-side navigation pane, the flows option.

  4. Under Amazon Lex, use the drop-down arrow to choose HelpDesk. Under Alias, choose TestBotAlias, and then choose + Add Lex Bot, and then choose Add Amazon Lex Bot.

    The flows page, the Amazon Lex section.

  5. When you're done, choose Amazon Connect to navigate back to instances page.

    The instance name in a breadcrumb at the top of the Contact flows page.

  6. Choose the access URL of your instance.

    The Amazon Connect console, the Account overview page, the Access information section, the Access URL.

    The Access URL takes you back to the Amazon Connect dashboard.

Step 3: Set up routing

In this step, you start at the Amazon Connect console for your instance. This step shows how to set up your queues, create a routing profile, and then assign your user account to the profile.

  1. On the navigation menu, go to Routing, Queues.

    The Amazon Connect navigation menu, the Routing icon, the Queues option.

  2. Choose Add queue.

    The Queues page, the Add queue button.

  3. Complete the Add queue page, as shown in the following image, to add a queue named PasswordReset. When done, choose Save.

    The Add queue page, Queue details section and Hours of operation section.

    The following image shows the Settings section of the Add queue page. Add your default caller ID name and outbound caller ID number.

    The Add queue page, settings section.

    For the purposes of this tutorial, leave the following empty: Outbound whisper flow, Quick connect, and Maximum contact in queue.

  4. Add a queue named NetworkIssue. Complete the Add queue page like you did for the PasswordReset queue.

    When done, you'll have three queues.

    The Queues page, the Basic queue, the Network Issue queue, and the Password Reset queue.

  5. On the navigation menu, go to Users, Routing Profiles.

    The Amazon Connect navigation menu, the Users icon, the Routing profiles option.

  6. Choose Add routing profile.

    The Routing profiles page, the Add routing profile button.

  7. Assign a name to the new profile (for example, Test routing profile). Enter a description, select Voice, Chat, and set Maximum chats to 1.

    The Routing profile details section, and settings section.

  8. In the Queues section, use the drop-down arrow to search for the queues you just created. Choose NetworkIssue, select Voice and Chat. Choose Add Queue.

    The Queues section, the Add queue button.

  9. Add the PasswordReset queue. Select Voice and Chat, and then choose Save.

  10. Under Default outbound queue, use the drop-down arrow to choose BasicQueue.

    The Default outbound queue section.

  11. When done, scroll to the top of the page, and choose Save to save the profile.

  12. On the navigation menu, go to Users, User management.

    The Amazon Connect navigation menu, Users icon, User management option.

  13. On the User management page, select your login name.

  14. On the Edit page, in the Settings section, in the Routing profile dropdown menu, choose the routing profile you created, for example, Test routing profile. Choose Save.

    The settings section, routing profile dropdown menu.

Routing is all set up and ready to go.

Step 4: Create a flow

Although Amazon Connect comes with a set of built-in flows, you can create your own flows to determine how a customer experiences your contact center. The flows contain the prompts that customers hear or see, and they transfer them to the right queue or agent, among other things.

In this step, create a flow that's specific to the IT Help Desk experience that you're creating.

  1. On the Amazon Connect navigation menu, go to Routing, Flows.

    The navigation menu, Routing icon, flows option.

  2. Choose Create flow.

    On flows and flow modules page the create flow button.

  3. The flow designer opens. Enter a name for the flow, such as Test flow.

    The flow designer, the option to edit the name of the flow.

  4. Use the search box to search for the following block, and drag them onto the grid: Set logging behavior, Set voice, and Play prompt.

    The flow designer, set logging behavior block, set voice block, play prompt block.

  5. Use your mouse to drag an arrow from the Entry block to the Set logging behavior block.

    The flow designer, set logging behavior block.

  6. Connect the remaining blocks, as shown in the following image.

    The flow designer, set logging behavior block, set voice block, play prompt block all connected.

  7. Choose the Play prompt title to open its properties page.

    The flow designer, play prompt block.

  8. Configure the Play prompt block, as shown in the following image, and then choose Save. Choose Text-to-speech or chat text, choose Set manually, enter Welcome to the IT Help desk.

    The play prompt block, properties page, text-to-speech or chat text, set manually, Welcome to the IT help desk.

  9. Add a Get customer input block and connect to the Play prompt block.

    The play prompt success branch connected to the Get customer input block.

  10. Choose the title of the Get customer input block to open the properties page.

    The Get customer input block.

  11. Configure the Get customer input block, as shown in the following images. Choose Text-to-speech or chat text, Set manually, and enter How can I help in the text box. Set the Interpret as dropdown box to Text.

    The Properties page of the Get customer input block.

    The following image shows the Amazon Lex tab. Choose the name of your Amazon Lex bot from the dropdown list. For Alias enter $LATEST.

    The Amazon Lex tab, the name and alias of the bot.

  12. While still in the Get customer input block, choose Add an intent.

    The Intents section, the Add an intent option.

  13. Enter the names of the intents that you created in the Amazon Lex bot, such as PasswordReset and NetworkIssue. They are case sensitive!

    The Intents section, the PasswordReset intent and NetworkIssue intent.

  14. Choose Save.

  15. Add a Play prompt block and connect it to the PasswordReset branch.

  16. Choose the Play prompt title to open its properties page. Configure the Play prompt block with the message We're putting you in a queue to help you with password reset. Choose Save.

  17. Add a second Play prompt block and connect it to the NetworkIssue branch.

  18. Choose the Play prompt title to open its properties page. Configure the Play prompt block with the message We're putting you in a queue to help you with your network issues. Choose Save.

  19. Add a Disconnect / hang up block to the grid. Connect the Default and Error branches to it.

  20. Add a Set working queue block to the grid. Connect the Play prompt block for PasswordReset.

    Flowchart showing IT help desk process with customer input, password reset, and working queue steps.

  21. Choose the Set working queue title to open its properties page. Configure the Set working queue block by using the drop-down arrow to choose the PasswordReset queue. Choose Save

    Set working queue dialog with options to select queue manually or dynamically.

  22. Add a Set working queue block for NetworkIssue, and configure it with the NetworkIssue queue.

    Flowchart showing Play prompt and Set working queue blocks with Success and Error paths for PasswordReset and NetworkIssue queues.

  23. Drag two Transfer to queue blocks (from the Terminate/Transfer group) onto the grid.

  24. Connect each of the Set working queue blocks to a Transfer to queue block.

  25. Drag another Disconnect/hang up block onto the grid. Connect all of the remaining Error and At capacity branches to it.

  26. The completed flow looks similar to the following image.

    Flowchart showing call center process with voice prompts, customer input, and queue transfers.

  27. Choose Save, and then choose Publish.

    The Publish and Save buttons on the flow designer.
    Tip

    Any blocks that aren't connected or configured correctly generate an error. If this happens, double-check that all branches are connected.

  28. When the flow publishes, it displays the message that it saved successfully.

    The message Flow saved successfully.

    If the flow doesn't save, double-check that all the branches are connected to blocks. That's the most common reason flows don't publish.

Step 5: Assign the contact flow to the phone number

  1. On the navigation menu, go to Channels, Phone Numbers.

  2. On the Manage Phone numbers page, choose your phone number.

    The manage phone numbers page, your phone number.

  3. Use the drop-down box to choose the flow you just created, and then choose Save.

    The edit phone numbers page, the flow dropdown box, the flow you created.

Everything is all set up! Now you're ready to test your IT Help Desk. Continue on to Step 6: Test a custom voice and chat experience.

Step 6: Test a custom voice and chat experience

You're ready to try out the Amazon Lex bot, routing, and flow. The first step is to tell Amazon Connect which flow you want to test.

  1. On the navigation menu, go to the Dashboard and choose Test chat.

  2. Choose Test Settings.

    The test chat page, test settings option.

  3. Use the drop-down box to choose the flow you created, for example, Test flow. Choose Apply.

    The system settings section, the flow dropdown menu, your flow.

Test a custom chat experience

  1. If needed, choose the chat bubble to start a chat.

    The test chat page, the chat bubble.

  2. Amazon Connect automatically detects a contact and runs the flow that you created. It displays messages from the flow.

    The test communications widget, messages from the bot.

  3. Enter that you need help resetting a password. Then accept the incoming chat. The following image shows you what the chat and agent interfaces look like when you're trying them.

    The test communications widget, message from customer, I need help resetting my password, the CCP that the agent sees.

  4. In the customer pane on the right, choose End chat to close the chat window.

  5. In the test CCP, choose Close contact to end the After Contact Work (ACW).

Test a custom voice experience

  1. If the test chat window is still open, choose End chat to close it. Then you can try the voice experience.

  2. Call your phone number.

  3. When prompted, say I'm having trouble accessing the internet. You should hear the message that you're being transferred to the NetworkIssue queue.

    Tip

    After you're transferred, you'll hear this message:

    Thank you for calling. Your call is very important to us and will be answered in the order it was received.

    This message is generated by a default flow named Default customer queue.

  4. Switch to the test CCP and accept the incoming call.

  5. After you accept the call, but before you're connected to the customer, you'll hear an inbound whisper stating what queue the contact is in, for example, NetworkIssue. This helps you know what the customer is calling about.

    The inbound whisper is generated by a default flow named Default agent whisper.

  6. When done, end the call.

  7. In the CCP, choose Clear contact to end After Contact Work (ACW).

Congratulations! You built and tested an omnichannel IT Help Desk that leverages Amazon Lex and offers customers both chat and voice.

Tip

If you don't want to keep the phone number that you claimed for testing, you can release it back to inventory. For instructions, see Release a phone number from Amazon Connect back to inventory.