The CRM chat availability widget displays your team's chat availability and allows users to launch a chat session when staff are available to respond.

How the widget works

The chat availability widget is linked to the chat service available through Oracle Service Cloud (CRM).

When the chat availability widget is added to a page, it displays a button that shows users when they can use the chat. It also displays approximate wait times when the chat is busy, and when the chat is unavailable.

The widget updates the button status based on:

  • the opening hours set on the CRM portal (e.g 'uqcurrent')
  • the availability of staff in your chat queue
  • the estimated wait time for users in your chat queue.

The button will display differently depending on the situation:

Situation

Button display

Example (not linked to chat)

It's outside of your team's available hours

Greyed out button and no link to launch chat

Chat – unavailable

It's inside your team's available hours, but staff are not signed on to chat

Greyed out button and no link to launch chat

Chat – unavailable

Staff are signed on and are available to chat

 

Blue button with active link to launch chat

Chat – online now

Staff are signed on, but busy. Estimated wait time is under 5 minutes

Blue button with active link to launch chat

Chat – 5 min wait

Staff are signed on, but can't take any more chats. Estimated wait time exceeds 5 minutes

Greyed out button and no link to launch chat

Chat – unavailable

Staff had to sign off chat and leave the building

Greyed out button and no link to launch chat

Chat – unavailable

There is an error fetching availability information – the widget can't tell if chat is available or not.

Blue button with active link to launch chat. If chat is not available, the user will get a message when chat launches.

Chat

Requesting the widget

The chat availability widget can only be used if you offer a chat service on your page. If you don't have a chat service but you would like to add one, submit a request to the CRM team to discuss your options.

This widget can only be requested by site coordinators.

To add the widget to a page, you'll first need to contact the CRM team to request the following chat configuration parameters:

  • URL of your chat login page
  • URL of the page with the chat widget
  • category or product ID
  • CRM portal.

Once you have these parameters, you'll need to submit an IT request with this information.

If you would also like to add a heading, availability hours and contact information to the widget, the request should also include:

  • your preferred heading for the chat widget
  • the days and time the chat will be available (e.g. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
  • a URL for other contact options.

Example with heading, availability and contact information:

Contact student support

Chat – online now  

Chat 9am to 5pm, Mon – Fri.

Other contacts

Adding the widget to a page

ITS will create a chat availability widget snippet and send you the snippet ID. This can be inserted anywhere on your site.

If you need more information about how to insert a snippet, see the snippet guide.

Updating the chat availability widget

After the snippet is set up on your site, you shouldn't change the configuration parameters for the snippet unless directed by the CRM team.

Your site coordinator or site builder can update and maintain opening hours and links.