How Live Chat Transformed Accommodation Services at the University of Liverpool
In today’s digital-first world, students expect fast, convenient, and accessible support at every stage of their university journey. From researching courses to securing accommodation, timely communication plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions and experiences. For universities, meeting these expectations while managing increasing demand and limited resources presents an ongoing challenge.
A Click4Assistance Case Study
The University of Liverpool, one of the UK’s most respected research-led institutions, recognised early on that traditional communication channels alone were no longer sufficient. By partnering with Click4Assistance and implementing live chat for universities within its Accommodation Services, the university has successfully transformed how it supports students, delivering real-time assistance, improving efficiency, and enhancing the overall student experience.
Read more as we explore how the University of Liverpool adopted live chat, the challenges it set out to address, and the long-term impact this digital communication channel has had over more than a decade of use.
About the University of Liverpool
Founded in 1881, the University of Liverpool is a prestigious, research-led institution and a proud member of the Russell Group, which represents 24 of the UK’s leading universities committed to excellence in research, teaching, and innovation.
The university has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and pioneering research. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes across three core academic areas:
- Health and Life Sciences
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Science and Engineering
Beyond academics, the University of Liverpool places a strong emphasis on creating a supportive, inclusive, and high-quality student experience. This commitment extends to comprehensive student services designed to help students settle in, thrive, and succeed throughout their time at university.
A key part of this support is accommodation. The university manages over 4,500 rooms across student villages and on-campus residences and supports thousands of students each year as they transition into university life. For many students, securing accommodation is one of the most important and stressful steps in their journey, making effective communication essential.
The Role of Accommodation Services
The University of Liverpool’s Accommodation Services team plays a vital role in supporting students before and during their time at university. The team manages enquiries related to:
- Room availability and applications
- Contracts and costs
- Facilities and services
- Arrival information and move-in logistics
During peak periods such as Clearing, new student arrivals, and the start of term, enquiry volumes rise sharply. Prospective and current students often need quick answers to make informed decisions, and delays or missed communications can negatively impact their experience.
The Challenge
Prior to implementing live chat, the Accommodation Services team relied primarily on email and telephone to manage student enquiries. While these channels were effective to a degree, they became increasingly difficult to manage as student numbers grew and expectations evolved.
The university identified several key challenges:
High enquiry volumes during peak periods
During peak points in the academic calendar such as Clearing, application deadlines, and the lead-up to student arrivals, the volume of accommodation-related enquiries increased significantly. Thousands of students were seeking timely information about room availability, application processes, contract details, pricing, and move-in logistics.
These periods created intense pressure on the Accommodation Services team, as many enquiries were time-sensitive and required prompt responses to support students in making important decisions. When managed solely through email and telephone, this surge in demand often led to backlogs, slower response times, and bottlenecks. Students sometimes had to wait longer than expected for answers, increasing anxiety during an already stressful transition period.
Pressure on limited staff resources
While enquiry volumes rose sharply at certain times of year, staffing levels remained relatively fixed. This meant the Accommodation Services team had to manage hundreds of emails and phone calls alongside their wider operational responsibilities.
Phone support limited staff to handling one enquiry at a time, while email queues continued to grow during busy periods. As a result, advisors often had to prioritise responses, which could affect consistency and turnaround times. The pressure of balancing speed with accuracy also increased, making it more challenging to maintain the high standard of service the university strives to deliver.
The university recognised that relying solely on traditional communication channels was not sustainable in the long term, particularly as student numbers and expectations continued to grow.
Lack of real-time communication
As digital experiences in other sectors evolved, students increasingly expected instant, on-demand support when interacting with university services. Email, while useful for complex or non-urgent queries, lacked immediacy. Telephone support, although real-time, required students to be available during office hours and often involved waiting in queues.
For many students these limitations made it harder to access timely support. The absence of a real-time, online communication option meant the university was not always able to meet students’ needs when they needed help most.
This gap highlighted the need for a communication channel that was both immediate and convenient, aligning more closely with how students already interacted online.
Missed opportunities for engagement
Without a live, interactive communication channel, some prospective students found it difficult to get quick reassurance or clarification during key decision-making moments. Questions about accommodation availability, deadlines, or eligibility often needed immediate answers, particularly during Clearing.
In some cases, delays in response risked students looking elsewhere or feeling uncertain about their options. The university identified that introducing a real-time support channel could not only resolve queries faster but also strengthen engagement and build confidence at critical points in the student journey.
By improving accessibility to support, the university saw an opportunity to enhance the overall experience for both prospective and current students, ensuring they felt supported from the very first interaction.
The need for a scalable, digital-first solution
To address these challenges effectively, the University of Liverpool recognised the need for a modern, scalable, digital-first communication solution. Any new tool needed to cope with fluctuating demand, particularly during peak periods, without placing additional strain on staff resources.
The university also required a system that could integrate seamlessly with its existing digital infrastructure, be easy for staff to adopt, and provide meaningful insights into enquiry patterns and student needs. Security, data protection, and branding were also key considerations, ensuring the solution aligned with institutional standards and student expectations.
This strategic shift towards digital-first support laid the foundation for exploring live chat as a core component of the university’s long-term student communication strategy.
To address these challenges, the University of Liverpool began exploring more modern, student-friendly communication channels and as a result, approached Click4Assistance.
The Solution: Introducing Click4Assistance Live Chat Software
In 2013, the University of Liverpool’s Accommodation Services team implemented Click4Assistance live chat for universities to complement traditional enquiry channels and meet rising student expectations.
Click4Assistance was selected for its strong reputation within the UK higher education sector, as well as its flexibility, ease of use, and emphasis on secure, reliable communication aligned with UK data protection standards in place at the time. The platform provided a fully branded live chat system that could be easily embedded into the university’s accommodation webpages. This ensured support was available at the point where students were already searching for information.
Key Features of the Solution
Real-time communication
Live chat for universities enabled students to receive instant answers to their questions, significantly reducing response times and easing pressure on phone lines and inboxes.
Seamless website integration
The Click4Assistance chat button was embedded directly into key accommodation pages, ensuring support was highly visible and easy to access at the point of need.
Customisable, user-friendly interface
The chat interface was fully branded to align with the university’s digital identity. Its intuitive design made it easy for students to use and required minimal training for staff.
Scalability during peak demand
Staff could manage multiple chat conversations simultaneously, allowing the team to handle higher enquiry volumes without compromising service quality.
Insightful reporting and analytics
The platform provided detailed data on chat volumes, peak usage times, and common queries, helping the Accommodation Services team plan resources more effectively and continuously improve service delivery.
By embedding live chat into daily processes, the University of Liverpool introduced a scalable, easy-to-manage support channel that has now been a core part of its digital service provision for over 12 years.
The Impact
Since implementing Click4Assistance live chat for universities, the University of Liverpool’s Accommodation Services team has significantly improved how it supports students and manages enquiries.
Faster response times
Students now receive answers in real time, reducing frustration and eliminating long waits associated with email or phone-based support.
Increased capacity without additional headcount
By handling multiple chats simultaneously, staff can support more students at once, improving efficiency and making better use of existing resources.
Improved student satisfaction
Web chat software for customer support offers a convenient, accessible way for students to get help when they need it. This has contributed to a more positive and user-friendly experience during what can be a stressful period.
More efficient service delivery
Common or repetitive questions can be answered quickly, freeing up staff time to focus on more complex or sensitive enquiries that require additional attention.
Data-driven improvements
Insights from chat transcripts and usage reports have enabled the team to identify trends, refine FAQs, and plan staffing more effectively during peak periods.
Building on Success: Introducing Automation with CONI
Building on the long-term success of live chat for customer support, the University of Liverpool has taken the next step in its digital support strategy by introducing a conversational chatbot.
CONI, a conversational interface, provides an additional layer of support by handling routine accommodation queries 24/7. It offers instant answers to common questions about applications, deadlines, and facilities, even outside office hours.
This move towards automation ensures students receive consistent, immediate support whenever they need it, while allowing staff to focus on more complex tasks. Together, live chat and chatbot technology form a blended support model that balances efficiency, accessibility, and human interaction.
The University of Liverpool’s partnership with Click4Assistance demonstrates how the right digital tools can transform student services.
More than a decade on, Click4Assistance live chat for universities and CONI chatbot continue to play a vital role in supporting thousands of students through an important aspect of university life: finding a place to call home.
Want to try CONI for yourself? Visit our Coni chatbot for universities demonstrator here.
As student expectations continue to evolve, the University of Liverpool’s customer engagement example shows that investing in real-time, student-centric communication is essential.
If your institution is facing similar challenges, Click4Assistance can help. Discover how live chat and chatbot solutions can support your teams during peak periods, streamline enquiries, and enhance the student journey.
Speak to Click4Assistance today to see how live chat could work for your university or request the Case study PDF here.
