LibChat Updates
Springshare released a few updates to LibChat and LibAnswers today, which is the tool we use to power our chat widget with integrated self-help features. Since many of you have LibChat accounts connected to chat widgets on your LibGuides, and others use chat at the UX desk perch, I wanted to share these updates with you.
Summary of Changes
- For those who use chat widgets that allow multiple operators, LibChat now has redesigned the status bar to make it clear whether anyone is logged in to your LibChat queue, and whether you are logged in.
- You can now add a profile picture to your LibChat account so that your chats will show your face to the patron. You don’t have to do this, but LibChat will show a sort of generic icon next to all your chats unless you update it to something else. I’d recommend using whatever you have as your LibGuides profile picture. To update your LibChat photo, click on your email on the upper right hand side of the screen when logged into LibAnswers.
- The message display for the patron has been redesigned, so it looks more like typical chat or SMS displays. Messages are toggled to the right and left of the screen to indicate who sent them, rather than the rather confusing list view LibChat used to use.
- At the end of each chat, the system injects a follow-up and feedback form, allowing the user to rate the chat, leave feedback or comments, and request a follow-up message (see the screenshot below:)
There are a few other updates, but they’re either not enabled on our system or for administrators. Read the whole update announcement for details.