How do staff answer website visitors?

Your team answers website visitors in Live messages. Pick a chat on the left, type your answer and send it. The visitor sees it in the chat box on your website right away.

Where to find it

Admin › My workspace › Live messages. It shows for the store owner, for people with the Live chat — answer website visitors or Live chat settings feature, and for the person chosen to answer chats in the Live chat settings. A number next to the link shows the unread visitor messages.

Step by step

Open Live messages. The Open list shows chats in progress, newest first.
Click a chat. You see the visitor's name, mobile number (tap to call) and the page they were on.
Type your answer and press Enter to send. Shift+Enter starts a new line.
To send a photo, video, file or voice message, use the buttons next to the message box.
When the matter is done, press Close chat. It moves to Closed; open it there and press Open again if needed.

How it works

Every visitor gives a valid mobile number (01XXXXXXXXX) before the first message, so you can always call back.
While the panel is open, it checks for new messages every 20 seconds. A new message makes a short beep and a pop-up.
An orange needs you mark means the AI assistant handed the chat over, or a photo or file came in that a person must look at.
You see when the visitor is typing, and Seen under your message once they have read it.
The visitor sees your name at the top of the chat box, with "Online now" while you have the admin panel open.
If a closed chat gets a new message from the visitor, it opens again by itself.

Good to know

Once a person answers, the AI stays quiet in that chat. If nobody had the chat yet, it becomes yours.
Staff without Live chat settings see only the chats given to them. The owner and people with Live chat settings see every chat, and the list shows who each chat is with.
Files can be up to 10 MB each. Photos, sound and video open in the page; other files download.

Common problems

Live messages is missing from my sidebar. Ask the owner to give you Live chat — answer website visitors in Users & logins, or to choose you as the person who answers.
A yellow note says Live chat is switched off. Visitors do not see the chat button. The owner switches it on in Online store › Marketing channels › Live chat.

Still need help? Ask in our Facebook group — the team and other shop owners answer there.

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