Timing
Don't trigger immediately
Don't trigger immediately
Give users time to orient themselves before offering help.Recommended delays:
- Simple pages: 30-45 seconds
- Complex forms: 45-90 seconds
- Technical setup: 90-180 seconds
Detect genuine friction, not exploration
Detect genuine friction, not exploration
Distinguish between:
- User reading carefully (good)
- User stuck and frustrated (needs help)
Use exit intent carefully
Use exit intent carefully
Exit intent (mouse leaving window) is powerful but can feel aggressive.
Reserve for high-value pages like checkout.
Frequency
Limit triggers per session
Limit triggers per session
- Max 2-3 triggers per session
- Never more than 1 at a time
- Wait 5+ minutes between triggers
Respect dismissals
Respect dismissals
If a user dismisses a trigger:
- Don’t show the same trigger again that session
- Consider a 24-hour cooldown for that event
- Track dismissal patterns to improve targeting
Avoid trigger fatigue
Avoid trigger fatigue
Users who see too many triggers become blind to them.
Quality over quantity - fewer, better-timed triggers perform better.
Messaging
Be specific, not generic
Be specific, not generic
❌ “Need help?”
✅ “Having trouble with payment? I can help!”❌ “Click here for support”
✅ “Stuck on this step? I can walk you through it.”
Match your brand voice
Match your brand voice
If your brand is:
- Professional: “Need assistance with checkout?”
- Friendly: “Hey! Can I help with that?”
- Technical: “Encountering an issue? Let’s debug together.”
Create urgency without pressure
Create urgency without pressure
✅ “Your cart is saved for 30 minutes”
❌ “Buy now or lose your cart!”✅ “Questions before you go?”
❌ “Don’t leave! We need you!”
Context
Pass relevant data
Pass relevant data
The more context your agent has, the better it can help:
Include user info when available
Include user info when available
Capture the user's journey
Capture the user's journey
Include:
- Current page/step
- Previous pages visited
- Actions already taken
- Time spent
Trigger Types
Match type to context
Match type to context
| Situation | Best Type |
|---|---|
| General availability | Button |
| Proactive outreach | Toast |
| Urgent/important | Banner |
| Contextual help | Inline |
Toast for engagement
Toast for engagement
Toasts feel personal and conversational.
Use them when you want higher engagement.
Stacked messages create a chat-like experience.
Button for persistence
Button for persistence
Training Your Agent
Include relevant knowledge
Include relevant knowledge
Your agent should know:
- Product features and pricing
- Common issues and solutions
- Policies (shipping, returns, refunds)
- Technical documentation
Write good prompt templates
Write good prompt templates
Templates should:
- Describe the situation clearly
- Include all relevant context
- Provide instructions on how to help
- Set the right tone
Test with real scenarios
Test with real scenarios
Before deploying, test:
- Common user questions
- Edge cases
- Error scenarios
- Various context combinations
Analytics & Optimization
Track key metrics
Track key metrics
| Metric | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Trigger Rate | How often conditions are met |
| View Rate | How often users see triggers |
| Engagement Rate | How often users click |
| Resolution Rate | How often chat helps |
| Conversion Lift | Impact on desired outcomes |
A/B test everything
A/B test everything
Test variations of:
- Trigger timing
- Message copy
- Trigger type (toast vs button)
- Position
- Colors
Iterate based on data
Iterate based on data
- High view, low click: Message isn’t compelling
- High click, low resolution: Agent needs better training
- Low view: Trigger timing/conditions need adjustment
Common Mistakes
- Triggering on page load - Let users settle first
- Too many triggers - Causes fatigue and annoyance
- Generic messages - “Need help?” is forgettable
- Blocking the page - Never prevent users from continuing
- No dismiss option - Always let users close triggers
- Same trigger repeatedly - Respect when users say no
- Ignoring mobile - Test on all devices
- No analytics - You can’t improve what you don’t measure
Checklist
Before launching triggers, verify:- Timing feels natural, not aggressive
- Messages are specific and helpful
- Agent is trained on relevant content
- Dismissals are respected
- Works on mobile devices
- Analytics tracking is in place
- Rate limits won’t be exceeded
- Legal/privacy requirements are met