# Customer journey: AI agent, self-service and live help

*Agentforce Service Consultant Study Guide · Agentforce Service Solution Design · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-service-consultant/agentforce-service-solution-design/customer-journey-ai-agent-self-service-and-live-help*

How to design the customer's path through self-service, an Agentforce Service agent and live reps: entry-point routing, persistent and verified conversations, off-hours paths, language and AI disclosure, outbound limits, consumption, and deflection targets that don't backfire.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Service Consultant
- Exam section: Agentforce Service Solution Design
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-service-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, analyze customer requirements to determine an appropriate solution design considering capabilities, limitations, and design trade-offs for the customer experience.

## What the exam expects

- Lay out the customer path across self-service, an AI agent and live reps, with a visible way to a human.
- Route at the entry point (VIP or segment) and set wait expectations.
- Keep conversations continuous across sessions and devices, and verify identity before showing account data.
- Design off-hours, language and AI-disclosure behavior.
- Explain inbound-only agents, conversation-window consumption, and why a deflection-only target hurts the experience.

Key terms:
- **Enhanced Chat (formerly Messaging for In-App and Web):** asynchronous, persistent web and in-app messaging.
- **Token-based user verification:** your login system passes a signed token so the conversation belongs to a verified user.
- **Conversation window:** the billing unit for Agentforce Service agent messaging.
- **Omni-Channel flow:** Flow Builder routing logic that runs when a conversation arrives.
- **Deflection:** a request resolved without a rep.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Chat rename | Messaging for In-App and Web became Enhanced Chat starting June 2025 | [Replace Legacy Chat](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_replacing_chat_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Legacy Chat | Retired February 14, 2026; it was session-based | [Replace Legacy Chat](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_replacing_chat_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Cross-device continuity | Token-based user verification ties history to a verified user | [Token-Based User Verification](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.user_verification_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Verification channels | Enhanced In-App Chat and Enhanced Web Chat only | [Token-Based User Verification](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.user_verification_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Business hours on deployment | Web chat button hides; in-app shows a banner | [Set Business Hours](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_business_hours.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Estimated wait time | Needs at least 1 accepted request for the queue or skills in the last 10 minutes | [Estimated Wait Time](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_estimated_wait_time.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Web chat window | Guest: ends on End Conversation; authenticated: 24 hours after start | [Considerations for Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Data masking | Disabled for Agentforce Service agents | [Considerations for Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| AI disclosure | Recommended via an auto-response when no welcome message is set | [Bypass the Welcome Message](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_asa_welcome_message.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does Enhanced Chat suit customers who start on the phone and finish hours later?
- When does an Enhanced Web Chat conversation window end for an authenticated customer?
- Which tool sends VIPs to a priority queue and everyone else to the AI agent from one entry point?
- Why pair deflection with resolution and sentiment metrics?

## Sources

- [Replace Legacy Chat with Enhanced Chat](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_replacing_chat_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Understanding Token-Based User Verification](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.user_verification_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Example Implementation of a Secure Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_secure_actions_example.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Deliver Intelligent Omni-Channel Service (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/service-cloud-platform-quick-look/deliver-omnichannel-service)
- [What's Messaging?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_introduction.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Set Business Hours in Enhanced Chat](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_business_hours.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create a Case When a Messaging Session Starts Outside of Your Business Hours](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_create_case_outside_business_hours.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Show Customers an Estimated Wait Time in the Chat Conversation Window](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_estimated_wait_time.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Bypass the Welcome Message When Handing Off Ongoing Conversations to an Agentforce Service Agent](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.agent_asa_welcome_message.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Use Additional Languages in Enhanced Chat Conversations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_languages.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Provide Self-Service in a Help Center](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.support_help_center.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Provide Self-Service in an Experience Cloud Site](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.support_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [How Does Skills-Based Routing Work?](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.omnichannel_how_skills_based_routing_works.htm&type=5)
- [Transfer Conversations from an Agent with an Omni-Channel Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ai.service_agent_escalation.htm&type=5)
- [Explore Agentforce for Service: Key Benefits & Setup (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/agentforce-service-agent-quick-look/get-started-with-agentforce-service-agent)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 15 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Service Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams