This documentation outlines the functionality and usage of the Wait Node in a conversational AI platform, crucial for building asynchronous conversational flows.

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1. Purpose of the Wait Node

The Wait Node is a fundamental component designed to introduce a pause in a conversational AI flow. This pause allows the system to evaluate specific conditions before processing the next customer response or sending a subsequent reply. It is essential for managing asynchronous interactions and ensuring the AI responds appropriately to various scenarios.

The Wait Node can be configured to wait for two primary types of conditions:

  • An Event: The system can pause until a specific event occurs, such as “conversation customer message received.”
  • A Delay: The system can pause for a predetermined duration (e.g., 10 minutes, one day).

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2. Practical Use Cases

The versatility of the Wait Node makes it suitable for both real-time interactions (chat, voice) and asynchronous communication channels like email.

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2.1. Email Example

Consider a scenario where a customer initiates a subscription cancellation via email:

  1. The customer sends an email to cancel their subscription.
  2. The AI responds, potentially offering a discount to retain the customer or confirming the cancellation.
  3. A Wait Node is then activated, configured to wait for two days.
  4. If no further response is received from the customer within these two days, the system automatically proceeds with the subscription cancellation.

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2.2. Real-time Conversation (Chat/Phone) Example

In real-time conversational contexts, the Wait Node provides mechanisms for handling customer unresponsiveness and post-conversation actions:

  • Customer Unresponsiveness: If a customer becomes unresponsive during a chat or phone conversation, the Wait Node can be employed to:
    • Automatically end the conversation after a specified delay.
    • Send a summary of the chat to the customer.
    • Trigger other predefined actions after a certain period of inactivity.
  • Post-Conversation Follow-up: After a call concludes, a Wait Node can be set to trigger a follow-up message after a day. This message could prompt the customer to rate the conversation or provide a conversation summary.

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3. Configuration and Flexibility

The Wait Node offers robust configuration options to create sophisticated conversational flows:

  • Multiple Conditions: Developers can add multiple conditions to a single Wait Node. These conditions are evaluated using an “OR” logic. For instance, a Wait Node can be set to “wait for either a new message from the customer OR two days” before proceeding.
  • Robust Scenarios: This flexibility enables the creation of highly robust and production-ready conversational AI responses that can effectively handle a wide array of user interactions and edge cases.

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4. Important Considerations

While powerful, the Wait Node is not universally required in all conversational AI agents:

  • Implicit Wait in Real-time Agents: For real-time agents (chat and voice), a pre-designed, implicit wait for a new message is inherently built into the “Customer Intent” node. This means the system automatically pauses and waits for a new message from the customer without the need for an explicit Wait Node.
  • When the Wait Node is Necessary: In real-time conversations, the Wait Node is only necessary in specific situations:
    • When a defined delay is required before an action is taken.
    • When an action needs to be triggered by an event other than a new message from the customer (e.g., a timer expiring, an external system update).

The Wait Node excels in handling “edge case” scenarios where the system needs to pause and wait for specific conditions beyond just a new customer message to trigger the next action in the conversational flow.