If you run a support team or handle website chats, you know first impressions count. Automated greetings in chat tools can break the ice with visitors and nudge them to interact. But if you’re using canned, robotic messages—or worse, no greeting at all—you’re missing easy wins.
This guide is for anyone using LiveChat who wants to set up smart, useful automated greetings that actually get people talking. No hype, no fluff—just practical steps, honest advice, and ways to avoid common traps.
Why Automated Greetings Matter (and Their Limits)
Let’s be real: Most people ignore generic “Hello! How can I help you?” pop-ups. But when greetings are thoughtful—timed right, relevant, and not too pushy—they can start real conversations.
What automated greetings can do: - Catch visitors before they bail - Point people to answers or offers - Make your team look responsive (even when you’re not glued to your screen)
What they can’t do: - Replace a real human’s attention - Fix a confusing website or bad service - Guarantee people will write back (no matter how clever your greeting)
The trick is to set up greetings that are timely, not intrusive, and feel like there’s a human behind them.
Step 1: Get to Know How LiveChat Handles Greetings
LiveChat calls these “greetings” (sometimes “automated greetings”), and you control when and where they show up. You can trigger them based on things like: - Time spent on a page - Number of visits - Visitor location - Specific URLs
You can also personalize greetings with the visitor’s location, referrer, or even what they’ve added to their shopping cart (if your site tracks that).
Pro tip: Don’t set and forget. Check which greetings actually get replies, and tweak the rest.
Step 2: Plan Your Greeting Scenarios (Don’t Overdo It)
Before you start building, sketch out a few specific use cases. Resist the urge to greet everyone, everywhere, all the time. That’s just noise.
Common greeting triggers that work: - Returning visitor: “Welcome back! Need help finding anything new today?” - Long time on pricing page: “Have any questions about our plans or free trial?” - Abandoning checkout: “Stuck during checkout? I’m here if you need a hand.”
What to skip: - Greeting everyone on the homepage—most people aren’t ready to chat yet. - Pop-ups on every page load. It’s annoying. - Overly salesy messages (“Buy now!”). Nobody likes that in a chat box.
Start with 1-3 targeted greetings. You can always add more if they’re working.
Step 3: Create Your First Automated Greeting in LiveChat
Let’s get hands-on. Here’s how to set up a basic, useful greeting.
1. Log in to LiveChat
Use your admin account. If you don’t have admin rights, you’ll need someone who does.
2. Go to the ‘Automated Greetings’ Section
- In the LiveChat dashboard sidebar, click “Settings.”
- Under “Engagement,” find “Greetings.” This is where you manage all automated messages.
3. Click ‘Add Greeting’
You’ll see options for different types of greetings. For most people, “Custom Greeting” is your friend.
4. Set Your Trigger
This is the “when.” Pick a trigger based on your earlier plan. Some popular options: - Time on page: E.g., 30 seconds on the checkout page. - Visited specific URL: E.g., /pricing or /cart. - Returning visitor: Someone who’s been to your site before.
5. Write Your Message
Keep it short. Aim for helpful, not salesy.
Good example:
“Hi! Noticed you’re checking out our pricing. Any questions I can answer?”
Bad example:
“Welcome to our website! Our team is standing by 24/7 to serve your needs at the highest level.” (Nobody talks like this.)
6. Choose Who Gets It
You can target greetings by: - Location (country/region) - Device (mobile/desktop) - New vs. returning visitors
Unless you have a reason, start broad—then narrow down as you see what works.
7. Set Frequency
Most people don’t want to see the same greeting every visit. Set a limit so it’s not annoying (LiveChat lets you do this).
8. Save and Test
Preview the greeting on your site. Make sure it: - Pops up where and when you expect - Looks good on both desktop and mobile - Isn’t blocking other important stuff
Step 4: Review and Tweak Based on Real Results
Automated greetings aren’t “set and forget.” After a week or two, check your reports in LiveChat.
Look for: - Which greetings get replies? - Are people actually starting chats, or just closing the pop-up? - Is there a spike in chat volume that your team can handle?
If a greeting isn’t working, don’t be afraid to: - Change the timing (maybe it’s too soon or too late) - Rewrite the message to sound more human - Turn it off entirely (better no greeting than an annoying one)
Pro tip: Ask your team what they’re hearing in chats. Are people confused? Annoyed? Surprised? Use that feedback.
Step 5: Avoid Common Pitfalls
Some things sound good on paper but flop in reality.
- Too many greetings: This just trains visitors to close chat windows.
- Generic messages: “Hi! How can I help you?” rarely gets replies. Be specific and contextual.
- Ignoring mobile users: Test your greetings on phones. Pop-ups on tiny screens can be a pain.
- Not syncing with business hours: If your team isn’t online 24/7, make sure greetings don’t offer instant help when nobody’s there.
- Letting bots run wild: Automated doesn’t mean inhuman. If people reply, make sure a real person can jump in quickly.
Step 6: Level Up (But Only If the Basics Work)
If your first greetings get solid results, you can get a bit fancier.
- Personalization: Pull in visitor data (name, location, or past purchases).
- A/B testing: Try two versions of a greeting to see which works better.
- Integration with other tools: Trigger greetings based on CRM data or past support tickets.
But honestly—most sites never need more than a handful of well-timed, well-written greetings. Don’t overcomplicate things just to feel “advanced.”
Keep It Simple, Keep It Human
Automated greetings are useful, but they’re not magic. The best ones feel like a real person wants to help—not a bot trying to check a box. Start small, test what actually gets people talking, and don’t be afraid to ditch what doesn’t work.
Set up your greetings, keep an eye on real conversations, and tweak as you go. That’s how you actually improve engagement—no buzzwords required.