Proactive triggers

A passive widget only catches visitors who already decided to ask. Proactive triggers open the conversation for everyone else, which is where most of the additional volume — and most of the additional leads — comes from.

How triggers work

A trigger has a condition and a message. When a visitor matches the condition, the widget opens with that message, as if an agent had started the conversation.

Common conditions:

• Page match — the visitor is on your pricing, checkout or a specific product page.
• Time on page — they have been reading for 30 or 60 seconds.
• Scroll depth — they reached the bottom of a long page.
• Return visit — they have been here before and came back.
• Exit intent — the cursor moves toward the browser chrome on desktop.

Where triggers earn their keep

Not everywhere. The pages worth triggering on are the ones where a specific, answerable question is standing between the visitor and a decision:

Page	Trigger message
Pricing	”Want a hand working out which plan fits your team size?”
Checkout / cart	”Any questions before you order? Delivery is usually 2–3 days.”
A specific product	”Happy to check sizing or stock if that helps.”
Comparison or alternatives page	”Comparing us against something specific? I can be honest about where we lose.”
Docs or setup guide	”Stuck on this step? I can walk you through it.”

Rules that keep it from being irritating

Proactive chat has a bad reputation because it is usually configured badly. Four rules:

1. Wait long enough. Firing at three seconds interrupts someone who has not read anything yet. Thirty seconds is a reasonable floor.
2. Once per visit, not per page. Nothing makes a site feel like a used-car lot faster than a chat box popping open on every navigation.
3. Do not trigger on mobile the same way. The widget takes over a much larger share of a phone screen. Be more conservative, or skip it.
4. Be specific. “Can I help you?” gets ignored. “Want me to check whether that ships to Ireland?” gets answered.

Measuring whether it worked

Look at conversations started per trigger and where they lead, not at trigger impressions. A trigger that opens a hundred conversations and produces no leads is costing you agent time. Turn it off.

More on this: live chat triggers and proactive live chat on the blog.

Next: canned responses.