Live chat lets visitors ask a question while they are still on your page. It works well when someone is ready to answer. Set it up badly and it becomes one more unanswered inbox. These steps help you set it up so it works.
Match chat to your team’s hours
Show the chat as available only when someone is there to reply. Outside those hours, switch to an offline form that collects an email address and says when the visitor can expect a reply.
Ask for as little as possible up front
A long pre-chat form stops people from starting a conversation. A name and an email address are usually enough. Ask for anything else during the chat.
Prepare answers to common questions
Look at the questions your team already gets by email and phone. Write short saved replies for the most frequent ones, then edit each reply to fit the person you are talking to.
Route conversations to the right person
If you have more than one team, let visitors choose a topic such as sales, billing, or support, and route the chat to the right people.
Close the loop
- Send a transcript to the visitor’s email when the chat ends.
- If a question needs more time, say so, and follow up by email.
- Review chat transcripts every week. Repeated questions often point to a page on your site that needs clearer information.
Respect privacy
Tell visitors how you store chat transcripts and link to your privacy policy. Do not ask for payment details or passwords in chat.