Contacts

Away Mode

If an expert is currently not working or otherwise unable to respond to messages received from Contacts, they can set up an auto-response to let the Contact know that they’re currently away.

💭 How it’s used.

Experts can manage their Contacts while they’re off work or unable to respond through these auto-responses, meaning that their Contacts are informed that they’re off and don’t drop due to not receiving a timely response.

Shoppers are advised when their assigned expert is currently away, giving them a clear expectation of when they will receive a response.

⚙️ How it works.

Experts set themselves as away in the Contacts area of the Store App.

Contacts

Before a chat ends, experts can invite a shopper to join their Contacts. Experts can also invite people they assist in-store to join their Contacts through the Store App. This allows them to keep in touch after the chat or initial interaction.

In-store Shoppers can also join an expert’s contacts through the app in person.

💭 How it’s used.

Merchants can encourage experts to use contacts to build loyal relationships with shoppers, boosting the likelihood of shoppers becoming repeat customers.

Experts can use contacts to build relationships with individual shoppers, to share recommendations with them, and on a more transactional level, to inform them when an item is back in stock. This may lead to more sales, which are then attributed back to the expert.

Shoppers benefit from having one named contact person to message from a specific store. They can receive recommendations for new products they might love without needing to check back online and search for them. They are also able to message their assigned expert at any time, so they don’t need to start a new chat and potentially speak with a different expert each time.

👀 Functionality at a glance.

Contacts is an optional feature that merchants can encourage their teams to make use of.

In an On-site Chat, experts can send shoppers an invite to join their contacts. The shopper will then need to choose whether to continue messaging via email, SMS, or WhatsApp. Following this, they’ll receive a confirmation message requiring them to opt-in. They can opt-out at any time.

Once they’ve opted in, they’ll receive an email, SMS or WhatsApp message each time their assigned expert sends a message. This may include product cards for any products recommended, which are linked directly to the respective product page.

Shoppers respond directly to the message through SMS, WhatsApp, or by replying to the email. The conversation does not continue in the On-site Chat Messenger View.

Only experts send invites to join their contacts. Shoppers cannot send a request to be invited, and may only be assigned to one expert per team per merchant at a time.

Experts can view all conversations with Contacts in the Contacts section of the Store App.

🔧 Configuration

In the Virtual Shopping Dashboard, merchants can transfer contacts from one expert to another, i.e. in case an expert is leaving.

Email for Contacts

Shoppers who are part of an expert’s contacts receive messages from the expert via email.

💭 How it’s used.

Shoppers receive new messages from the expert through email and respond simply by replying to the email.

⚙️ How it works.

Experts are automatically issued a proxy email address from which their messages are sent. They send messages through Contacts in the Store App, which are automatically sent from this proxy email. They do not see the shoppers’ email addresses.

Reminders

Experts can set reminders for themselves to message any shopper in their Contacts.

💭 How it’s used.

Experts can use reminders to stay on top of conversations with various shoppers in their Contacts. They may set a reminder to send an update on a specific product’s availability or send a recommendation from a new product line, for example.

⚙️ How it works.

Experts set reminders for individual Contacts in the Contacts section of the Store App. They set a date and time for the reminder and will receive a push notification when it’s due.

Products Catalog

Experts can share products with shoppers through chat or Contacts.

💭 How it’s used.

Experts also get to benefit from building relationships beyond the first interaction with customers they meet in-store. As with Contacts for chats, they can share further recommendations or updates on products and availability virtually.

Shoppers visiting a store can keep in touch with one expert and receive tailored recommendations and updates (i.e. on stock levels) where necessary, building a relationship with a brand.

⚙️ How it works.

Experts can also share products with shoppers as a one-off by sharing and scanning a unique and attributable QR code, by text message, or by email. As part of this flow, Experts have the option to invite a shopper to join their Contacts.

Experts can additionally favorite items, which makes it faster to find them through the Product Picker during a chat with a shopper later on.

SMS for Contacts

Shoppers who are part of an expert’s contacts receive messages from the expert via SMS.

💭 How it’s used.

Shoppers receive new messages from the expert through SMS and respond by directly replying to the SMS.

⚙️ How it works.

Experts are automatically issued a proxy mobile number from which their messages are sent. They send messages through Contacts in the Store App, which are automatically sent from this proxy number. They do not see the shoppers’ mobile numbers.

WhatsApp for Contacts

Shoppers who are part of an expert’s contacts receive messages from the expert via WhatsApp.

💭 How it’s used.

Shoppers receive new messages from the expert through WhatsApp, and respond by directly replying on WhatsApp.

⚙️ How it works.

We use one of the merchant’s WhatsApp for Business numbers to send the expert’s messages from. Experts send messages through Contacts in the Store App as usual, and we route this through this WhatsApp number in the background. They do not see the shoppers’ mobile numbers.