Use Two Bot Apps At The Same Time On Facebook Messenger
Here is a test to understand how the Facebook handoff protocol works. This solution is no where near complete, but it does give me the satisfaction of knowing that it is possible.
WARNING: This is me testing, talking out loud, thinking and working through this POSSIBLE solution. I am just FEELING my way through there. If you’re looking for a polished step-by-step tutorial… THIS AIN’T IT –yet :-)
The Messenger Platform’s handover protocol enables two or more Facebook apps to participate in a conversation by passing control of the conversation between them.
Learn more about the Handoff Protocol here.
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
I have clients that already use a platform like ManyChat to manage their Facebook Messenger Bot engagements, but sometimes, there is an administrative automation that I am being asked to build, but I don’t want to have to wrangle with the existing marketing team to implement my solution.
With this method of implementation, I will be able to ramp up and close down my MINI OPERATIONS PROJECT without impacting anything else going on.
Messenger is a powerful platform for customer conversations and this solution will be another tool for fulfillment deliverables and subscriptions. I am using the free version of ManyChat and the $9/mo. version of Segmate.
My research discovered the Handover Protocol feature. I knew a TINY bit about messenger bots going into this, but it has been a LONG time since I even attempted to create one from scratch, so you will see me fumble through this video, however…
The outcome was a success, because I discovered how ManyChat AND Segmate could be used together. Segmate is the Messenger platform that I have chosen to use for several reasons.
1. It is developed by business owners that use Segmate in their own business. I am a member of their community. This means that I have real people to ask questions to that I know speak my language.
2. Segmate is cheaper than ManyChat. I can build as many bots as I want for $9.00 a month for as many Facebook pages as I want; plus I have access to all of the tools. Manychat charges $10 for each fanpage if I want to use premium features.
3. Segmate has agency features which allow me to give my clients a login and lots of other cool things. ManyChat does not have this feature.
Segmate is much younger than ManyChat so there are some not so nice things about it such as how slow it moves sometimes, but so far I trust it and am looking forward to growing bot solutions as they grow.
One unexpected result of this test is the message that directed a user to just type a message if they want to talk to a human. I watched this video and it made me think that I had to actually build a different bot to be able to do that, but here it just happened automatically. Here is that video.
The other setting you want to make sure is turned on on your Facebook page is under “Messaging” in settings.
TURN ON — “Prompt people to send messages”
With this setting on, “people visiting your Page may see more ways to send you a message, such as an open chat window. These will appear if you’re online or if your Page is very responsive to messages.”
If you have your Welcome Message setup in your primary chatbot app, you can leave “Show A Messenger Greeting” turned off in the settings.
CONCLUSION
You can use two bot platforms on one Facebook page. Be sure to indicate which app is the primary and which is the secondary.
Set your Welcome message and persistent menu in the primary app and use the secondary app for whatever your use case is.In this particular use case, I am using the secondary app (Segmate) to add people to a list to be notified about a live events.
I want to “creatively” avoid having to hire a “Bot Expert” to get this done, while at the same time, keeping my solution in a different application from what other teams are using.
I hope this was helpful… Let me know if you have questions or solution suggestions.Learn more about ManyChat here.
Learn more about Segmate here.