Configure Follow-On Conversations with Customers

Follow-On Conversations enables you to take note of customer behavior you are particularly interested in and follow up on that behavior, at a later date, if appropriate.

For example, a customer may begin filling out a sign-up form but not complete it. Using Follow-On Conversations, MXO can trigger an email send to that customer reminding them to complete the sign-up process after 60 minutes.

Follow-On Conversations is great for one-to-one re-targeting within short time frames, even down to one minute follow ups. Use cases include:

  • Journey Abandonment, where a customer starts completing a form, sign-up process or purchase but fails to complete.
  • Lead Generation, where you can identify customers as hot leads for follow up or they can request request follow up, themselves.
  • Completions, where customers have completed, for example, a purchase and you want to follow up with a CSAT.

Follow the steps below to get started with Follow-On Conversations.

Step 1: Create a Follow-On Conversations Data Adapter

  1. In MXO, choose Collect.
  2. Select External Data, click Create.
  3. Choose Follow On Conversations as the type of Data Adapter you want to add.
  4. Enter a name for the Data Adapter you are adding. Using a descriptive name makes it easier for you and your team members to know when to use the Data Adapter.
  5. Enter a brief description of the Data Adapter you are adding and when it should be used.
  6. Enter the maximum time, in minutes, MXO should wait before checking if follow up with the customer is appropriate. The maximum allowed delay is 8640 minutes (6 days).FOC - DA 1
    Note: The time delay you set for the Data Adapter is the maximum time period MXO should wait before following up on the earlier conversation with the customer.You can set shorter delays for individual conversations in the Data Structures you set up to use the Follow On Conversations Data Adapter.
  7. Click Test configuration. This tests and verifies that the new configuration details are valid.FOC - DA 2
  8. Click Apply.
  9. Click Save.

Step 2: Create a Follow-On Conversations Data Structure

  1. In MXO choose Configure.
  2. Select Data Structures and then click Create.
  3. Select Push and click Let's get started.
  4. Provide the following details for your Structure:
    FieldDescription
    NameA unique name for this structure.
    DescriptionOptional. A description for this structure.
  5. Select Create Follow-On Conversation as the purpose for which you want to use this structure from the This structure will be used to: drop-down.FOC - PS 1
  6. Provide values for the following required attributes.
    FieldDescription
    Delayed Minutesthe maximum time, in minutes, MXO should wait before checking if follow up with the customer is appropriate for this particular conversation.
    UriThe Interaction Point MXO should trigger when the time delay completes.Provides this value as a Touchpoint/Interaction Path.For example, https://banking-home/*
  7. Add any data attributes you want to make available to the external system. These are the attributes MXO will evaluate when the follow up time delay completes.
    Note: Only individual Data attributes are supported for use with Follow-On Conversations. MXO ignores any other attribute types.
  8. Click Save.FOC - PS 2

Step 3: Create your Follow-On Conversations Interaction Points

Follow-On Conversations requires two separate Interaction Points.

  • Interaction Point 1 listens for the customer behavior you want to follow up on and starts the time delay for follow up when that behavior occurs.
  • Interaction Point 2 determines whether or not you should follow up with a customer when the time delay completes. For example, if you start the time delay when the customer starts filling out a form, you want MXO to check if the customer is still filling out the form, has completed the form, or has abandoned it completely, when the time delay completes.

Step 3a: Create Interaction Point 1

When creating Interaction Point 1, you will also need to create an associated Activity Capture Point and Offline Optimization Point.

Create the Activity Capture Point to listen for the activity on which you want MXO to follow up.

Create the Offline Optimization Point with the following configuration:

  • Push Action associated with:
    • the Follow-On Conversations Push Structure and
    • an Eligibility Rule that returns "True" when the customer activity configured for the Activity Capture Point occurs.

Step 3b: Create Interaction Point 2

When creating Interaction Point 2, you will also need to create an associated Offline Optimization Point, configured as follows:

  • Push Action associated with:
    • a Push Structure containing the data necessary for the downstream system (CRM, Email) to take follow up action and
    • an Eligibility Rule that checks to ensure follow-up action is appropriate. For example, you may want to check the current saturation status of a customer.