Proactive chat campaigns (preview)
Convert will start the right chat at the right moment, such as sizing help or a free-shipping nudge. See what is planned and what to prepare today.
Last updated 2 min readPreview
Proactive chat starts a conversation before the shopper asks, at a moment when help is useful: unsure about a size, about to leave with a full cart, or worried about a late parcel. In Hushdesk this lives in the Convert area, which is in preview.
Convert is in preview. The campaign builder is not built yet. The Convert page shows the campaigns you will be able to set up and checks what you need for them. Nothing on this page sends messages to shoppers today.
Before you start
- Who can do this: owners and admins.
- Plan: all plans can open the preview page.
- What you need: the chat widget on your store, and Shopify connected for cart and order campaigns.
Step by step
- Open the area switcher in the top-left corner.
- Choose Convert (marked Preview).
- Read the planned campaigns and their example messages.
- Check the readiness list: Chat widget on your store and Store connected.
- If the widget shows Not seen on your site yet, press Install the widget.
- If Shopify is not connected, press Connect.
What happens next
When the campaign builder ships, the campaigns below become switches you can turn on, edit and target. Until then, the page stays a preview.
Planned campaigns
| Campaign | When it shows | Example message |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing help | On a product page for 30 s | "Not sure about your size? We’ll help you pick in a minute." |
| Leaving with a cart | Cart has items and the mouse heads for the tab bar | "Questions before you check out? We’re online." |
| Free-shipping nudge | Cart is just under your free-shipping amount | "You’re £6 away from free delivery." |
| Welcome back | A returning visitor with an open ticket | "Hi again! Your exchange is on its way. Anything else?" |
| Delivery worries | Visitor opens the tracking or returns page | "Parcel late? Send us your order number and we’ll check." |
| After purchase | Order confirmation page | "Thanks for your order! Questions about sizing or delivery? Ask here." |
Tips
- Install chat and connect Shopify now. The page checks both, and campaigns that use carts need the store connection.
- Send cart updates with
Helpdesk.cart()from your site if you are not on Shopify. Hushdesk stores them on the visitor's session today. See Control the chat widget with JavaScript. - Until campaigns ship, a simple "Chat with us" link on your sizing guide or tracking page, calling
Helpdesk.open(), gives some of the same benefit.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hushdesk have proactive chat messages?
Not yet. Proactive campaigns are planned in the Convert area, which shows a Preview label in the area switcher. Today the page explains each planned campaign and checks whether your widget and Shopify store are ready for it, but there is no campaign builder to turn them on.
Which proactive chat campaigns are planned?
Six are described on the Convert page. Sizing help after 30 seconds on a product page, a message when someone leaves with a cart, a free-shipping nudge, a welcome back for returning visitors with an open ticket, delivery reassurance on tracking pages, and a note after purchase on the order confirmation page.
What should I set up now to be ready for Convert?
Install the chat widget on your store and connect Shopify. The Convert page checks both. The widget makes campaigns possible at all, and the Shopify connection lets cart and order based campaigns know what is in a shopper's cart and whether they have ordered.
Can I open the chat automatically on a page today?
You can with a little code. Call Helpdesk.open() from your own script, for example after a visitor has spent some time on a page. This opens the chat window but does not post a message from your team, so use it sparingly to avoid annoying shoppers.
Will proactive campaigns cost extra?
The plan is no. Campaigns are planned to be part of your Hushdesk plan, with no charge per click, view or message shown. A shopper who replies starts an ordinary chat that counts toward your plan like any other chat. This guide will be updated when campaigns go live.
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Related articles
- Install live chat on any websiteCopy one line of code from Settings, Chat widget, Install and paste it before the closing body tag. Works on Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and custom sites.
- Connect your Shopify storeInstall the Hushdesk app on your Shopify store from Settings, Apps. Orders, customers and fulfilments sync into tickets; Growth and Scale add more stores.
- Control the chat widget with JavaScriptOpen, close or toggle chat from your own buttons, listen for events, change the language and remove the widget, using the window.Helpdesk API.
- Take a tour of HushdeskA quick map of every area in Hushdesk, from Home and the Inbox to Workflows and Settings, so you always know where to find things.
Still stuck?
Chat with the Hushdesk team. A person answers on every plan.