Chat Integrations
Last updated: February 10, 2023
Lots of clients will ask to integrate some sort of chat service on their FareHarbor websites. This document will help an LSS determine when they need to ask the client for an alternative method, how to guide clients who are asking about available chat integrations, and how to integrate the features requested (if they don’t need to be submitted as a Custom Request).
Chat Integration Overview:
There are lots of chat features available, ranging from “Live Support” with an agent on the other side of the chat to automated bots that have customers fill out a form to be reached out to later.
Many of these normally operate through plug-ins on WordPress sites. Although it’s FareHarbor policy to never integrate plug-ins for a client request, we try to give clients the features they’re looking for by alternative methods. For the most part, chat integrations can be installed by Javascript instead.
FareHarbor Policy & Using Scripts
If a client is interested in putting a chat feature on their site, and have asked you for the available options or recommendations, know the following:
- It is ultimately the responsibility of the client to research or procure a chat service, though we do recommend partner with 3 companies.
- Like with other third-party applications (email marketing services, social media, ad campaigns), FareHarbor has no control over or responsibility for maintaining functionality added by scripts to FareHarbor sites. This means we aren’t able to make updates beyond add, replacing or removing the scripts
- Web chats can have a negative effect on web sales, so always provide the client with a link to our best practices help page when they request an integration.
Partner Integrations:
FareHarbor partners with the following companies:
Yonder – Global Artificial Intelligence Chat Bot
Olark – North American Live Chat
Smartsupp – European Live Chat
FreshChat – Autoresponding Chatbot
Other Common Integrations:
These are companies we’ve also seen used on our sites:
https://www.livechatinc.com/
https://talkus.io/
https://whatshelp.io/
https://www.zendesk.com/chat/
https://www.drift.com/
https://www.tawk.to/
https://www.helpscout.com/
https://purechat.com/
Custom Requests
So long as they don’t need to be placed in the <head>, most scripts can be added without having to post it for the Developers to integrate. If there are instructions accompanying the script, read them first before filling out the Custom Request form to make sure it’s not something you can implement yourself.
If a script can be placed in the <body>:
The script can most likely be placed in a Rich Text block in the footer. Check Preset Content for a Global Footer; if there is no Global Footer, be sure to place the script in Preset Content for all the pages it needs to appear on.
Be sure to put the Rich Text block somewhere it won’t interrupt the footer’s other contents (for example, at the bottom). To make sure the Rich Text block doesn’t alter the script, paste it into the Text tab and make sure not to switch to Visual before updating.
If you’ve placed the script in a Rich Text block, can confirm it hasn’t been altered, and it still doesn’t act as expected, use the Live Sites Custom Request workflow in #fhs_custom_requests to have the developers take a look. You will be tagged in the channel to confirm the form submission, and the developers will update you on completion through the same Slack channel.
If a script must be placed in the <head>:
Someone with MAGICIAN access will have to implement this for you. Please fill out the Live Sites Custom Request workflow in #fhs_custom_requests with the information available and they will let you know when the script has been implemented, if clarification is needed, or any other concerns. You will be tagged in #fhs_custom_requests to confirm the form submission, and the developers will update you on completion through the same Slack channel.