If you run a B2B website and want to actually talk to real prospects—not just stare at anonymous analytics—live chat is a must. But most chat tools are either clunky, overkill, or try to push you into their sales pitch automation maze. This guide walks you through setting up and customizing Servicebell—a live chat tool that keeps things simple—so you can start real conversations with your site visitors and keep control over the experience.
This is for marketers, founders, and anyone tired of “AI chatbots” that never seem to work. Let’s cut through the noise and get something useful set up.
1. Sign Up and Get Access
Before you do anything, you need a Servicebell account. Don’t overthink it—just head to their site and sign up. The free trials are usually enough to get started. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Sign up with your work email. Avoid personal Gmail addresses if you want a smoother B2B setup.
- Verify your email. Don’t skip this step—Servicebell will bug you until you do.
- Set your company name and website. This helps keep things organized later, especially if you manage multiple sites.
Pro tip: Use a shared email or alias if more than one person will manage chat. Saves headaches down the road.
2. Install the Chat Widget on Your Website
This is where most people get stuck, but it’s really just copy-paste.
Option 1: Install via JavaScript Snippet
- Find your unique widget code. In the Servicebell dashboard, look for something like “Install Widget” or “Setup Instructions.”
- Copy the JavaScript snippet. It’ll look like a chunk of code you add to your site’s HTML.
- Paste it before the
</body>tag on every page where you want chat to appear. For most B2B sites, that means your main template.
Where to add it: - WordPress: Use a header/footer plugin or your theme’s settings. - Webflow/Squarespace/Wix: Use the “Custom Code” section. - Static site? Just edit the HTML.
Option 2: Use an Integration or Plugin
Some platforms offer direct integrations: - WordPress plugin: Check if Servicebell has one, or use the generic code method. - Tag Managers (Google Tag Manager, etc): Paste the snippet as a new tag.
Honest take: The manual snippet is the most reliable. Integrations and plugins can break or lag behind updates.
Don’t stress: If you see the widget pop up on your site (even in a test environment), you’re 90% done.
3. Basic Configuration: Set Your Team Up
You want the right people responding—not just whoever’s online.
- Add teammates. In your dashboard, invite anyone who’ll handle chats. Set their roles (admin, agent, etc).
- Set working hours. If you run a B2B shop, you probably don’t want to get pinged at midnight. Set office hours so chat is “live” only when you want.
- Configure notifications. Make sure you get notified (email, desktop, or mobile) when someone starts a chat. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Pro tip: Test notifications with a dummy chat. Missed chats are worse than no chat.
4. Customize the Widget’s Look and Feel
Nobody likes a generic widget that screams “default settings.” Servicebell lets you tweak some basics:
- Brand colors: Match your widget button and chat window to your site’s color palette.
- Logo/avatar: Upload your logo or a friendly agent photo.
- Greeting message: Change the default “How can we help?” to something that sounds like you (“Need quick answers? We’re here.”)
- Agent names/photos: If you want to appear more personal, use real names—not just “Support Team.”
What Actually Matters
- Keep it simple. Don’t add ten auto-prompts or pop-ups. B2B buyers are busy—they just want to talk when they want.
- Skip the “Chatbot” for now. Unless you have time to really train and maintain it, bots rarely help in B2B. Focus on real conversations.
5. Configure Routing and Availability
If more than one person handles chat, set up routing:
- Round-robin or specific assignment: Make sure chats go to the right person (sales, support, etc).
- Set away messages: If nobody’s online, have a clear, friendly away message (“We’re offline, but leave your info and we’ll get back to you.”)
Don’t let prospects sit in a black hole. If you’re not going to answer quickly, it’s better to be upfront about response times.
6. Set Up Lead Capture (But Don’t Annoy People)
You want to get contact info, but you don’t want to chase away real leads.
- Pre-chat forms: You can ask for email/name before a chat, but in B2B, this often reduces the number of chats.
- Honest advice: If you’re just starting out, skip mandatory forms. Build trust, then add them if spam is a real problem.
- Custom fields: If your team needs extra info (like company name), add those—but keep it short.
Pro tip: The fewer fields, the more chats you’ll get. Don’t make every visitor jump through hoops.
7. Connect Other Tools (Optional)
Integrations can be handy, but don’t waste time wiring up tools unless you’ll use them.
- CRM: Connect to HubSpot, Salesforce, or whatever you use to sync leads.
- Slack/Email: Route chats or notifications to your team’s main channels.
- Calendars: Some B2B teams like to book meetings directly from chat.
- Analytics: If you want tracking, hook up Google Analytics or similar.
What to ignore: Fancy “AI intent” integrations, unless you have a clear use case. Most B2B sites are better off with a simple chat flow.
8. Test Everything (Pretend to Be a Visitor)
Don’t trust that it “just works.” Run through the whole flow as if you’re a new visitor:
- Open your site in an incognito window.
- Start a chat—see if messages come through and notifications fire.
- Try out the away message and offline forms.
- Make sure your branding looks right.
- If you integrated with other tools, check the data actually flows where you want.
If something’s off: Tweak settings, refresh, and retest. Don’t go live until the basics work.
9. Launch—But Don’t Forget to Keep an Eye on It
Go live, but remember:
- Monitor early chats. Your first week will reveal issues you never thought of (weird questions, spam, missed notifications).
- Tweak as needed. Change your greeting, adjust hours, and add/removes fields as you learn.
- Train your team. Make sure everyone knows how to use the dashboard and respond quickly.
Pro tip: Don’t set-it-and-forget-it. Check chat performance regularly, but don’t obsess over every metric. Quality conversations matter more than chat volume.
10. Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- Notifications not working: Triple-check browser and app permissions.
- Widget not showing up: Clear your cache, and make sure the snippet is on all pages.
- Too many fields in pre-chat forms: Leads drop off fast—keep it minimal.
- Slow response time: If you can’t answer live, set clear expectations.
- Chatbot confusion: If your bot keeps handing off to humans, skip it for now.
Keep It Simple (and Iterate)
Setting up Servicebell live chat doesn’t have to be another “digital transformation project.” Get the basics working, make sure real people can talk to you, and worry about fancy automations later. Most B2B buyers just want a straight answer—not a maze of forms or chatbots.
Start simple. See what your visitors actually need. Tweak as you go. That’s how you end up with a chat tool that actually helps your business (and doesn’t just annoy everyone).