Managing concurrent chats

Purpose: To ensure consistent, efficient, and customer-friendly support while handling multiple live chats simultaneously.

- Prerequisites

Before handling multiple chats, agents must:

• Practice how to navigate the Shory Website for referencing policies and plans.

• Practice using the Admin Portal for backend actions.

• Use Slack to collaborate with peers or escalate issues in real-time.

- Chat Handling Workflow

Step 1: Initial Setup

• Open all required systems:
  
  

  • Dynamics 365

  • Admin Portal

  • Shory Website

  • Slack
    
    

• Keep canned responses, KB articles, and relevant tabs easily accessible.
  
  

Step 2: Managing Chat Flow

1. Customer Wait Time

Context:
Customer satisfaction decreases the longer they wait. Delayed responses may lead to frustration, drop-offs, or negative feedback.

Rules:

• Always address the customer who has been waiting the longest without a response.
  
  

• If a customer has waited more than 60 seconds without interaction, they should be your immediate priority.
  
  

• Use canned responses or acknowledgment messages if you need more time to handle their query fully (e.g., “Thanks for waiting! I’m looking into this for you now.”)
  
  

2. Case Complexity

Context:
Some cases are straightforward (e.g., general inquiries), while others require more investigation or access to multiple systems (e.g., policy disputes, system errors). Handling simpler cases quickly clears your queue and allows more focus on complex issues.

Rules:

• Prioritize simpler cases first if multiple chats are waiting and have similar wait times.
  
  

• Examples of low-complexity cases:
  
  

  • Questions about available products
    
    

  • Document upload guidance
    
    

  • Login/reset issues
    
    

• Examples of high-complexity cases:
  
  

  • Escalation requests

  • Claims disputes

  • Cases needing coordination with other teams or tools
    
    

• If you're handling a complex case, use short check-in messages to reassure the customer while working in the background.
  
  

3. Interaction Activity (Typing/Responding)

Context:
Real-time responsiveness improves the flow of conversation and avoids awkward silences. Active users are more likely to stay engaged.

Rules:

• Prioritize chats where the customer is currently typing or has recently sent a message.
  
  

• If two chats are ongoing and both customers are typing, respond to the one who’s been waiting slightly longer.
  
  

• If you're waiting for a customer’s reply in one chat, switch to handle an active conversation in another.
  
  

General Handling Tips:

• 3-chat maximum at a time for best quality. If handling more, notify your team lead.
  
  

• Always set internal priorities mentally or through your tool's features (e.g., pinning or flagging chats).
  
  

• Use tags or internal notes for complex cases to pick up where you left off if multitasking.
  
  

Step 3: Communication & Scripts

Maintain communication rhythm to avoid leaving any chat idle. Use the following structure:

🕐 First Follow-Up (After 1 Minute of No Customer Response)

✅ Script:

"Just checking in—are you still with me?"

Why:

• Friendly and low-pressure

• Encourages a response without sounding robotic or abrupt
  
  

🕑 Re-Engagement (At 2 Minutes of Silence)

✅ Script:

"I haven’t heard from you yet, but I’d love to assist! Let me know whenever you’re ready."

Why:

• More inviting than “Are you still there?”

• Keeps the door open for the customer to respond at their own pace

Before closing the chat at 3–4 minutes of silence:

 Check the customer’s chat or ticket history first!
 
  If there’s any open query, past context, or incomplete conversation, please respond before closing — even if the customer is idle.

🕒 Friendly Exit (At 3–4 Minutes of Silence)

✅ Script:

"It looks like you might be busy. No worries! I’ll close this chat for now, but if you need help, just reply here anytime—I'll be happy to assist!"

Why:

• Leaves the customer with a positive experience

• Encourages them to reconnect without feeling abandoned

📌 Best Practices While Multitasking

• Use personalized greetings:
  
  "Hi [Customer Name], welcome to Shory! How can I help you today?"
  
  

• While switching between chats, use placeholder scripts like:
  
  "Thank you for your patience! I’m still working on this and will update you shortly."

• Double-check the customer name and context before replying in each chat.

• Record actions and outcomes immediately in Dynamics 365 before moving to the next chat.
  
  

• Use Slack to:

  • Quickly ask for assistance

  • Flag a delay to your team lead if needed

  • Escalate edge cases

🚫 Common Errors to Avoid

• Responding without verifying the customer’s issue or identity.

• Mixing up details between chats.

• Using robotic or copy-paste replies without context.

• Leaving a customer idle for over 60 seconds without acknowledgment.