Start a chat proactively
You can help improve customer satisfaction by anticipating areas where customers need help, and then engaging them through chat when they've been browsing your website for some time.
Consider the following scenarios for proactively starting a chat.
Note
The code samples listed in the following scenarios use the setContextProvider API that can be used for unauthenticated chat only. For authenticated chat, you must use the JSON Web Token (JWT). More information: Send authentication tokens
Scenario 1: Customer wait time
Amy has accidentally damaged a Surface Book and is on the product knowledge base trying to seek answers for about 20 seconds. A proactive chat request is triggered based on the product page that Amy was browsing and the time spent on the page.
Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have.
Amy can accept the chat offer and start the conversation to sort out the issue.
Sample code
<!-- Code to show proactive chat invite after visitor has spend given time on the webpage -->
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
var timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds = 20000;//time to wait before Offering proactive chat to webpage visitor
// Setting context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Time On Page':{'value': timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds ,'isDisplayable':true},
'Page URL':{'value': window.location.href,'isDisplayable':true},
};
});
//Display proactive chat invite after 'timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds' milliseconds
setTimeout(function(){
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have."}, false)
},timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds);
});
</script>
Scenario 2: Customer visits a webpage multiple times
Thomas is browsing through the Microsoft Surface community webpage and is looking for information on Microsoft Surface device. Thomas has visited a webpage multiple times but is not able to find the answers.
Realizing this scenario, the organization offers a chat request to the customer with the following message.
Hi! Do you have a question on Surface device ? I am here to help.
Sample code
<!-- Code to show proactive chat invite(after given time) after visitor visits the webpage given number of time -->
<!-- Operations on cookies like creating cookies, deleting cookies etc.. -->
<script>
var expdate = new Date ();
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000*365)); // 1 yr from now
/* ####################### start set cookie ####################### */
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
var thisCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
document.cookie = thisCookie;
}
/* ####################### start get cookie value ####################### */
function getCookieVal (offset) {
var endstr = document.cookie.indexOf (";", offset);
if (endstr == -1)
endstr = document.cookie.length;
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, endstr));
/* ####################### end get cookie value ####################### */
}
/* ####################### start get cookie (name) ####################### */
function GetCookie (name) {
var arg = name + "=";
var alen = arg.length;
var clen = document.cookie.length;
var i = 0;
while (i < clen) {
var j = i + alen;
if (document.cookie.substring(i, j) == arg)
return getCookieVal (j);
i = document.cookie.indexOf(" ", i) + 1;
if (i == 0) break;
}
return null;
}
/* ####################### End get cookie (name) ####################### */
/* ####################### Start delete cookie ####################### */
function DeleteCookie (name,path,domain) {
if (GetCookie(name)) {
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
}
}
/* ####################### End of delete cookie ####################### */
/* ####################### Count number of visits to current webpage ####################### */
function VisitCounter(){
var visits = GetCookie("timesPageVisited");
if (!visits) { visits = 1;
document.write("Select a Conversation Space");
}
else {
visits = parseInt(visits) + 1;document.write("Select a Conversation Space.");}
setCookie("timesPageVisited", visits,expdate);
}
/* ####################### End of count number of visits to current webpage ####################### */
</script>
<!-- Count number of visits to current webpage -->
<script>
VisitCounter();
</script>
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
// setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'No. of visits':{'value':'2','isDisplayable':true},
'Forums':{'value':'Surface Devices','isDisplayable':true},
};
});
setTimeout(function(){
var timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds = 5000;//Time to wait before offering proactive chat to webpage visitor
var visits = GetCookie("timesPageVisited");
//Check if webpage has been visited 2 or more times by the user.
if (visits > 2) {
//Display proactive chat invite
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Do you have a question on Surface device? I am here to help."}, false);
DeleteCookie("timesPageVisited");//Delete the cookie to reset the counter
}
},timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds);
});
</script>
Scenario 3: Customer checks status of open support case
Jacob is browsing through the support page for Microsoft Surface devices to find more information regarding the open support case. Jacob has been on the page for 10 seconds, and is then offered a proactive chat with the following message.
Hi! How are you doing today? The status of the case:<caseid> is in progress. Would you like to get more details?
Sample code
<!--Code to show proactive chat invite after visitor has spend given time on the webpage, with relevant details about user.-->
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
var timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds = 10000;//Time to wait before offering proactive chat to webpage visitor
var caseId = '< your case id relevant to the user.>';//Set case id relevant to the user.
// setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Case Id':{'value':caseId,'isDisplayable':true}
};
});
//Show proactive chat invite after 'timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds' milliseconds
setTimeout(function(){
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! How are you doing today? The status of the case: " + caseId + " is in progress. Would you like to get more details?"}, false)
},timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChatInMilliseconds);
});
</script>
Scenario 4: Customer tries to leave a webpage after spending some time on it
Amy has been browsing a webpage for 15 seconds and is not satisfied with the available information. When Amy is about to switch tabs on the web browser, a proactive chat request with the following message is sent to Amy.
Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have.
Sample code
//Code to show proactive chat invite when visitor tries to leave page after spending given time (15 seconds in this case) on the webpage. This invite is offered once and only for the first time. All subsequent tries to leave page are ignored and proactive chat is not offered in them.
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
//Track if proactive chat has been already offered to the visitor
var hasProactiveChatBeenOffered = false;
//Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
var timeToWaitBeforeEnablingOfferingProactiveChatInMillisecondsOnLeaving = 15000; //Time to wait before Offering proactive chat to webpage visitor
//Enable showing proactive chat invite on leaving page after browsing page for 'timeToWaitBeforeEnablingOfferingProactiveChatInMillisecondsOnLeaving' milliseconds
setTimeout(function(){
//Show proactive chat invite on leaving page
window.document.body.onmouseleave = function(){
//Offer proactive chat if it has not been offered earlier during this visit
if( hasProactiveChatBeenOffered == false )
{
// Set this to true as proactive chat has been almost offered.
hasProactiveChatBeenOffered = true;
//Setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Page URL':{'value': window.location.href,'isDisplayable':true},
};
});
//Offer proactive chat
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have."}, false);
}
};
},timeToWaitBeforeEnablingOfferingProactiveChatInMillisecondsOnLeaving);
});
</script>
Scenario 5: Customer browsed another webpage and then spends time on the current webpage
Amy has browsed the FAQ's document of the product and is currently on the Knowledge Base page for more than 15 seconds. Amy is proactively offered a chat session with the following message.
Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have.
Sample code
//Code to show proactive chat invite when visitor spends given time on current page, after coming from given last visited page
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
var lastVisitedPage = "www.contoso.com/FAQ";// last visited page. A visitor coming form this page will be shown proactive chat invite after given time on current page
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
var timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChat = 15000;//Time to wait before Offering proactive chat to webpage visitor
//Check if referrer page( read: https://www.w3schools.com/jsref/prop_doc_referrer.asp ) is same as last Visited page
if( window.document.referrer == lastVisitedPage) )
{
//Show proactive chat invite after browsing page for 'timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChat' milliseconds
setTimeout(function(){
//Setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Page URL':{'value': window.location.href,'isDisplayable':true},
'Last Page URL':{'value': window.document.referrer,'isDisplayable':true}
};
});
//Offer proactive chat
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have."}, false);
},timeToWaitBeforeOfferingProactiveChat);
}
});
</script>
Scenario 6: Customer signs in from a specific geographic region
Klarissa logs in to your website from Ruritania where your company is running a special discount on products. You can set up a trigger for customers coming from a particular location that proactively starts a chat session. Klarissa is prompted to chat with the following message.
Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have.
Sample code
This sample code shows how you can use Bing's Geolocation APIs to know the geographic region of the customer and offer chat request based on that. More information about Bing's location APIs: Bing Maps Locations API.
//Code to show proactive chat invite if visitor is visiting the page in a particular country or region
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
var countryNameWhereProactiveChatInviteShouldBeOffered = 'Ruritania';//Country name where proactive chat invite should be offered, if user is visiting webpage from this country
// Get Country name using Bing Geolocation API and proactively offer chat if visitor's country matches with given country name
function GetCountryUsingBingGeoLocationAPIAndOfferProactiveChatIfVisitorCountryMatchesWithGivenCountry( latitude, longitude, bingMapApiKey, countryToMatch) {
var xhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhttp.onreadystatechange = function() {
if (this.readyState == 4)
if(this.status == 200) {
console.log(this.responseText);
var currentCountryName = JSON.parse(this.responseText).resourceSets[0].resources[0].address.countryRegion;
//Check if visitor's country matches with given Country name
if( currentCountryName == countryToMatch){
alert(currentCountryName);
// setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Country':{'value': currentCountryName ,'isDisplayable':true},
'Page URL':{'value': window.location.href,'isDisplayable':true},
};
});
//Show proactive chat invite
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have."}, false);
}
}
else{
console.log("Bing Geolocation API call has failed and returned error: " + this.statusText);
}
};
xhttp.open("GET", 'https://dev.virtualearth.net/REST/v1/Locations/'+ latitude +','+ longitude +'?key='+ bingMapApiKey, true);
xhttp.setRequestHeader("Content-type", "application/json");
xhttp.send();
}
//fetching latitude and longitude is success
function successGetlatLong(position) {
var latitude = position.coords.latitude;
var longitude = position.coords.longitude;
console.log('Your latitude is :'+latitude+' and longitude is '+longitude);
//convert current loaction to a country/ region via Bing Geolocation APIs
var bingMapApiKey = 'Enter your Bing Map API key';// Get Bing Map API key here : https://video2.skills-academy.com/bingmaps/getting-started/bing-maps-dev-center-help/getting-a-bing-maps-key
GetCountryUsingBingGeoLocationAPIAndOfferProactiveChatIfVisitorCountryMatchesWithGivenCountry( latitude, longitude, bingMapApiKey, countryNameWhereProactiveChatInviteShouldBeOffered);// get Country name using Bing Geolocation API and offer proctiveChat if visitor's country matches with Country name where proactive chat invite should be offered
}
//fetching latitude and longitude has failed
function errorGetlatLong() {
console.log('It seems browser was not allowed to access location. Please allow browser to access location.');
}
//fetch latitude and longitude via browser
if (navigator.geolocation) {
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(successGetlatLong, errorGetlatLong);
} else {
console.log('It seems like Geolocation, which is required for this page, is not enabled in your browser. Please use a browser which supports it.');
}
});
</script>
Scenario 7: Proactively offer chat to customers within a certain time period
Suppose your organization is running a festive season sale between certain dates, and you want to proactively offer chat requests to customers to see if they have any questions.
Sample code
The following sample code shows how you can proactively offer chat invites to customers when they visit your website in a time period.
//Code to show proactive chat invite if visitor visits webpage between given time period
<script id="Proactivechattrigger">
// Wait for Chat widget to load completely
window.addEventListener("load", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){//lcw:ready
var startTimeOfTimePeriod = new Date('01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT');//start time of time period in which proactive chat will be shown to webpage visitor
var endTimeOfTimePeriod = new Date('01 Jan 2100 00:00:00 GMT');//end time of time period in which proactive chat will be shown to webpage visitor
var currentDateTime = new Date();//current date and time
//Make sure that endTimeOfTimePeriod is always greater and equal to startTimeOfTimePeriod
if( endTimeOfTimePeriod < startTimeOfTimePeriod)
{
console.log("The time period given for proactive chat has start time: " + startTimeOfTimePeriod.toGMTString() + " more that the end time: " + endTimeOfTimePeriod.toGMTString() + " of time period. So, proactive chat will not be offered.");
return;
}
//Check if current date time is between given time period
if( startTimeOfTimePeriod < currentDateTime && endTimeOfTimePeriod > currentDateTime){
// setting Context variables
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.setContextProvider(function contextProvider(){
return {
'Proactive Chat':{'value':'True','isDisplayable':true},
'Page URL':{'value': window.location.href,'isDisplayable':true},
};
});
//Show proactive chat invite
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat({message: "Hi! Just checking in to see if I can help answer any questions you may have."}, false);
}
});
</script>
Scenario 8: Proactively offer chat with pre-survey to customers
Suppose your organization wants consent authorization to start a chat with a customer or wants to ask about the topics related to the customer's enquiry before routing the session to the appropriate agent.
Sample code
The following sample code shows how you can proactively offer chat with a pre-survey question to your customers.
window.addEventListener("lcw:ready", function handleLivechatReadyEvent(){
Microsoft.Omnichannel.LiveChatWidget.SDK.startProactiveChat(
"Hi! How are you doing today? Do you wish to start a chat?",
true);
});
Related information
startProactiveChat API
Manage custom context
Start a chat
Display custom context
Live chat JavaScript API reference