Live Chat Flow: Greeting, Holding, Handover and Closing

Before you start your chat shift

• Chat tool, ticketing system, order system and knowledge base open
• Team updates read (known issues, stock, outages)
• Concurrency set to your level (2 when new, 3 to 4 after QA sign-off)
• Chat macros checked for the client's current wording

The flow

1. Greet within 30 seconds

You: Hi (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME), thanks for reaching out about (TOPIC FROM THEIR FIRST MESSAGE). Let me pull up your order.

Why it works: name plus topic shows a real person is reading, right away.

If their first message is just "Hi"

You: Hi (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME), thanks for reaching out. How can I help today?

2. Verify if needed

You: So I can look at your account, could you confirm (VERIFICATION DETAILS)?

Only for account changes or private details, per the client's rules.

3. Tell it back

You: Just to check I've got it: your order arrived without the charger, and you need it before Friday. Is that right?

4. Hold properly

You: Thanks. Give me about 2 minutes to check stock with our warehouse. I'm right here.

If it takes longer:

You: Still checking, thanks for waiting. About 2 more minutes.

Why it works: a time estimate turns waiting into trust.

5. Resolve in short messages

You: Good news, I've sent a replacement charger by express. You: It's due Thursday, and here's the tracking: (TRACKING LINK) You: No need to return anything.

One idea per message.

6. Close with the outcome

You: So, a new charger arrives Thursday, tracking is in your email too. Anything else I can help with while I'm here? Them: No, that's all, thanks! You: You're welcome, (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME). Have a great day.

Handover to Tier 2 or another team

You: This needs our billing team, who can approve it. I'm passing them everything we've discussed, so you won't need to repeat anything. They'll (join this chat in a moment / email you by (TIME AND ZONE)).

Write the internal note before handing over. Never say "please hold for a colleague" with no context.

The customer goes quiet

After 3 minutes: You: Are you still there, (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME)? I'm here when you're ready. After 5 more minutes: You: I haven't heard back, so I'll close this chat for now. Everything's saved, and you can reply to your email copy anytime.

The chat drops or the customer leaves before the fix is confirmed

Finish the action, then send the result by email from the ticket so the customer has it in writing.

Objections and tricky replies

Customer types	You reply
"Are you a bot?"	Answer honestly, following the client's disclosure rules: "I'm (YOUR NAME), a member of the support team." (If an AI assistant answered earlier, never claim it was you, and never let an AI claim to be human.)
"Hello?? Anyone there??"	"Sorry for the wait, (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME). I'm here. (UPDATE)." Then reduce your concurrency.
Long angry paragraph	Read it all. Tell it back in one line. Use STEER in short messages.

After the chat

Internal note:

Chat. Issue: (SUMMARY). Done: (ACTION). Promised: (WHAT, WHEN). Next: (NONE OR WHO).

Tags: contact reason, outcome. Status: Solved, or Open or On-hold with an owner.

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