Chats with visitors

This page explains what visitors can do in the chat widget, and how a chat moves to email. The settings named here are in Settings → Chat widget (Cliedesk Admins and Owners). To set the widget up, see Set up the chat widget.

Ask for the visitor’s email

Ask for the visitor’s email has four options:

• Only when no one answered for 2 minutes (the default).
• Before the chat, optional.
• Before the chat, required: the chat cannot start without a valid email.
• Never.

A new email address is saved on the visitor’s contact. If the address already belongs to another contact, Cliedesk does not merge them. The address stays a claim until the visitor confirms it with a code (see Email, chat and forms).

Files and voice notes

Visitors select Attach a file to send up to 5 files with a message, or files alone. Each file can be up to 20 MB (setting widget.file_max_mb). Cliedesk refuses a sixth file, a larger file, a type you do not allow, and a file whose content does not match its type. Files are stored privately and open through links that work for 15 minutes.

In browsers with a microphone, visitors can select Voice note to record a message. The recording stops when they select Stop or at the limit (setting widget.voice_note_seconds, 120 seconds; 0 turns it off). It is sent with the next message. Agents play it back in the conversation. Transcripts of voice notes are available with Cliedesk Pro.

Place in line

Turn on Show waiting visitors their place in line and how long it may take. While a chat waits for its first answer, the visitor sees You are number N in line. About M min. The place counts open chats in the same queue that still wait for a first reply. The time uses the queue’s average first-reply time over its last 50 answered chats.

When the wait is longer than Offer an email answer when the wait is longer than (minutes) (15 by default), the visitor can choose Keep waiting or Email me instead.

When the chat continues by email

A chat stays one conversation when it moves to email. The emails link to the conversation in the portal, where the customer answers. The timeline shows the channel of each message. With Cliedesk Pro and a connected mailbox, the customer can also just answer the email.

• Email replies the visitor has not seen after (minutes): replies the visitor has not seen in the widget after this time (3 by default) go out as one email. Nothing is sent when they saw all replies. 0 turns this off.
• Continue unanswered chats by email after (minutes): when no agent replied, the chat moves to email if the visitor gave an address, and is routed again. 0 turns this off.
• End chat: in the conversation, an agent can end a chat. It then continues by email. The customer needs an email address for this.

Moving a chat to WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS or phone is available with Cliedesk Pro.

Chat transcripts

In the widget, a visitor can select Email me this chat. Cliedesk emails the whole chat to their address, at most once an hour. No new conversation is created.

You can also send a transcript after each chat by itself: in Settings → Conversations → Conversations → Chats, merging and snoozing, turn on Email chat customers a transcript when their chat is resolved and set the minutes after the chat. Cliedesk sends one email, unless the chat was reopened. See Settings reference.

Requests in the widget

Messages in the widget lists the same conversations the customer sees in the portal, with the same status labels and the request number. When a portal page is set, signed-in customers see Open in portal on each item. See The customer portal.