Live chat windows

What is a live chat window?

A chat window is the visible aspect which visitors see on your website when the click the chat button. Although everything is contained in a live chat window, there are numerous forms which can be displayed:

• Offline form
• Pre-chat form
• Dialogue form
• Surveys

An offline form is presented to the visitor when no staff are available to handle the chat, this form allows the visitor to enter their contact details (name, phone, email and question). The information that is entered is then stored in the live chat system and automatically emailed to a designated member of staff, so they can establish contact with the visitor when they become available.

A pre-chat form is the first form that is shown to the visitor when a staff member is available to handle a chat, this form is used to firstly ask the visitor for their name (so they can be referred to in the conversion), you can gather other information such as their email address and account number.

The chat dialogue form is the actual chat window that forms the online chat system, where the chat conversation takes place and where you can provide live chat support. During the chat the visitors has the ability to transfer files, request a copy of the chat by email, print the chat and end the conversation.

The survey forms are presented to the visitor when the chat has ended, this gives your company the ability to collect useful information from the visitor, for example how the found your service, how their enquiry was dealt with, even how they found your website.

How do I design a good live chat window

Usability is the main factor here, remember visitors on your website could be using a PC, tablet or phone, this aspects should be considered when designing your window. Click4Assistanc does provide default live chat window template which are built on a responsive design, allow them to stretch and expand depending on the device being used.

If you wish to create a responsive chat window, here are some important aspects to consider:

• Load time – the page doesn’t have large images or complicated layouts, ensuing the forms load as quick as possible for people using a 3G or 4G connection on their phone.
• Large action buttons – again when using a mobile phone the buttons should be big enough so they can be easily clicked upon, and not to close to other buttons to prevent unwanted clicks.
• Large controls – if your using radio buttons to allow the visitor to make a selection, make sure there aren’t to many on the page. Remember on a phone the width of the screen is limited and having multiple controls could look messy and un-useable in a live chat support environment.