Live chat widget

Live chat is a small window on your website or app where visitors can type a question and a person replies within the same session. Agents see the conversations in a shared screen, can assign them and keep the history. Tools such as Intercom, Freshchat, Zendesk and Help Scout offer a chat widget, usually alongside a shared inbox so that unanswered chats can continue by email.

Visitors who have a question at the point of decision often leave rather than search or email. Live chat captures that moment for sales and support, and many customers expect a quick answer. It matters most when someone can staff it during opening hours or when a bot can cover the gaps. If nobody can reply promptly, a chat window that goes unanswered can harm the impression you make.

• Can you set opening hours and show an offline message or form.
• Does a missed chat turn into a ticket or email conversation.
• Can you control which pages show the widget and who sees it.
• How does the widget affect page speed on your site.