(Legacy) Getting Started with Chat

Please note this article talks about our older Chat system, and not the new DDChat.

 

Chat is a really handy feature for those situations where you need a quick real-time response from your clients (or vice versa). This article will take you through the steps to configure chat and how to use it.

For extra customization of who can answer which chat request, you can set up chat queues. Read more about them here.

You'll require the Staff HUD to chat with your clients, this will be built out and sent to you within 24 working hours of purchasing the chat add-on.
E-mail support@deskdirector.com if you haven't received this within the time frame.

 Global Configuration

To give global Chat access to clients, you can set this up under Access Control > Client Security and then click on the Permissions tab at the top of the page. 

If you want to activate Global Configurations then set the slider to ON and then activate Chat for all users.

Custom Configuration

You can set Chat permissions for specific companies or contacts. You can do this in the following locations:
For Companies, Company Configs > CompanyName > Permissions
For Contacts, Access Control > Maintain Contacts > Contact Name > Permissions
 
Company specific settings will override Global Settings. Contact specific settings override all other settings. 
 

Requesting a Chat - Client View

From the ticket details view, a client can send a chat request to your team by hitting the "Join Chat" button. They will enter a queue from which your engineers can pick up the chat request.

If there is a chat history, a tab will appear next to the ticket notes tab that will allow your client to view all chat history related to this ticket.

 

Waiting in the Queue - Client View

After hitting the "Join Chat" button, a chat dialog will appear along with a side navigation pane. It has a few useful functions and pieces of information for your clients:

  1. The amount of time the client has been waiting in the queue
  2. Chat room subscriptions, this drop down allows your clients to see who is in the room
  3. Navigate to ticket, this allows the user to quickly navigate to the ticket the chat room is bound to from anywhere in DeskDirector
  4. To leave a chat room the user must click the cross on the session.
  5. Message box, this is where the user can type. It is disabled until at least one engineer is in the room.

If no one picks up the chat request, the user will be given the opportunity to leave a ticket note

 

Staff HUD Chat Queue

The Staff HUD has a chat queue above the session container from where you can see your clients who are wanting to chat with you.

  1. The amount of time the client has been waiting in the queue
  2. This button answers the chat request, creates a session, and takes you to the ticket the chat was requested on

If you don't pick up a chat request within 30 seconds the chat queue will turn red to notify you that someone has been waiting in the queue and may be close to timing out.

 

Chat Dialog - Staff View

This is what your staff will see

  1. This drop down allows you to see who is currently in the chat room
  2. Leave the chat - after this is clicked you will be able to access buttons 5 and 6
  3. Invite other engineers to chat room
  4. Greeting/Farewell message templates
  5. Copy chat log to clipboard
  6. Enter time entry (copies chat log to clipboard)

 

Staff HUD Notification

When a client requests a chat, your available engineers will be sent a notification detailing how many people are in the chat queue and how long they have been there for. You have the option of launching DeskDirector or dismissing the popup.

 

Client Notification

If you initiate a chat, your client will receive a chat notification from where they can accept or reject the chat request.

 

Videos

How to request a Chat in DD


Requesting a chat for one of your tickets is very easy. This video will walk you through how to request a chat.

 

Answering a chat from the Staff HUD

Using the chat function in the staff HUD is easy and simple. This video will show you all you need to know in order to get your engineers up and running with chat.

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