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What are some tips for working with patrons who return to say thanks after the chat was closed?

1137 views   |   0 Vote this question as useful.   0 Vote this question as not useful.   |   Last updated on Mar 15, 2022    Ending Session

 

On your shift, you may sometimes receive a new incoming chat that says something like "Thanks for your help!" or "Bye, have a nice day!"

What's happening?

What's happening here is the patron was previously chatting on AskAway, and this earlier chat was closed on the service provider's end (likely because the conversation ended and the patron said they had all they needed, or the service provider hadn't heard from the patron in a while).

How can I handle these chats smoothly?

When these calls come in, it's best practice to pick them up and send some sort of message to the patron, even if they are just saying thanks or goodbye.

If the patron goes offline, send a short message to let them know they can come back if they have more questions. Even if they're offline, they'll still receive the message if they return:

  • "If you need further assistance, please start a new chat and someone will be happy to help."

If the patron is still online, you could send them a short message to confirm they have all they need:

  • "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

If they say "no," then you could send the first message above, letting them know they can start a new chat later if needed. If they say "yes," then you can continue the chat.

The message you send to the patron is up to you and will depend on the context (e.g. what exactly did the patron say? were you chatting with this patron earlier or was someone else?). In general, try to send some sort of message to the patron, either asking if they need further help or letting them know they can come back later if needed.