HubSpot Ideas

HubspotUser12

Incoming Chat Notifications Not enough

We have big problems to notice when a visitor is chatting with us, the sound is not enough at all, and notifications are not enough.

 

We suggest to use another way to notify, maybe a native software app to manage chats, I don't know, but we are missing many chats due to low volume, hubspot tab closed by error and other things that with other softwares as LiveChat Inc we were not facing.

76 Replies
abiblu
Contributor

I too would like a response from HubSpot on their roadmap for this feature as we too would look for alternative solutions if they do not plan to fix it anytime soon.

PietroGranati
Member

Custom sound not possible?

ArdeParde
Member

Just missed yet another client trying to chat today so I'm moving to another solution for the chat feature at the moment, can't afford to lose any more connections. 

 

For me the ideal notification would come to my phone/tablet as I do have the HubSpot app installed and I've always got the device with me anyway. It would be useful to be able to respond to the message using any of the devices, but even if it was locked to the device you react on it, it'd help. That way the phone could alert even those who prefer to do the rest on the desktop. 

 

For me personally the phone app option is the only one that works as I've got a very mobile office and I seldom sit by my computer but still need to be able to respond to requests. 

 

I'll keep following the development and if Hubspot manages to fix the chat notifications at some point I might come back. Until then I'll just use something else. 

tyatcantilever
Member

Unfortunately we may also need to move to another chat tool. The alert is just not enough to ensure that we see and respond to every chat. We only get 1-2 per day so we can‘t just stare at the window until something comes in.

VoIPTools
Participant

I don't understand why this is such a challenge to address.  We are a software development firm and could fix this ourselves, but I'm told there is no API we can subscribe to in order to get chat notifications.  This is not a difficult problem to solve, there just doesn't seem to be the will or drive to make it a priority.  HubSpot is a great tool, but this one issue is a deal breaker for us, and for many others apparently.

MikeVanguard
Participant

Agreed. That this hasn't been sufficiently addressed seems rather.. insane. This is a critical tool in the digital kit. Already paying handsomely for HS... shouldn't have to spend another $500/mo. for Intercom, etc.

abiblu
Contributor

It's a shame that no one from HubSpot has jumped into this thread to update us on the status of this feature request. It's clearly in demand.

persiapa
Participant

The live chat function feels quite weak as you can easily miss new conversations. Other apps have the ability to play a ringing sound, until some goes into the chat, to ensure it's dealt with quickly.

 

I have the bell, browser and in app notifications turned on and it's easy to miss. It needs to look and sound unique to really differentiate from your other notifications. 

VoIPTools
Participant

Agreed, and I would build it myself (being a developer), but apparently HubSpot does not have an API for this.  I'm working on a replacement Chat feature.  I have no idea why HubSpot has not addressed this issue.

Cassidy552
Participant

Hi Guys,

 

I found a way to fix this a while back using 'Zapier'  So i have hubspot intergrated within Slack. I have created up a 'Zap' That will push an emergency notification to your phone via 'Pushbullet' and will not stop ringing untill answered. I'm happy to send/share my Zap with whoever wants it. (will require Zapier email)

cdewey22
HubSpot Product Team

Thanks! We are in the process of reviewing our current notification set up and options and will update this post with more info in the next couple of months. 

Cassidy552
Participant

Bahahaha, yeah good one Smiley LOL see you in 10 years.

Daveonearth
Participant

Hi Guys I have a big concern around the design of the Livechat you offer. Livechat is the equivalent of a receptionist at the phone.

 

When a call comes into reception, it will ring until someone answers it, it is very hard to miss it as it's ringing until picked up. Your chatbot will send a small alert noise once and a notification once, and that it? It's not good enough to ensure quality customer care.

 

Maybe I am missing something? My only livechat experience is with TAWK.TO and theirs works like a reception phone. All agents that are logged in will get a ringing sound, non stop until someone picks up the chat. It sends the ringing to your phone as well. Maybe I am missing something?

 

I have the bot integrated with slack but that does the same thing? Is there a way to achieve what I am talking about?

cedery
Member

The 2 coolest features of TAWK.TO in my opinion aside from a loud ring notification, which would be great enhancements for HS chat are:

Allow for us to read a preview of the text being typed by the customer before they even hit send. This way we can be prepared with a response even before the client asks the question.

And the other feature is the ability to see which pages of your site the clients are on at all times, this has allowed us to approach clients with relevant messages via the chat even before they ask for something.

ArdeParde
Member

I've been using the free version so far and waiting to see if HubSpot offers what we need, but this is a critical feature and as long as it doesn't work we can't fully commit to HubSpot. This has been now dragging on for months so I think it's time for me to forget HubSpot and try to find something that actually works. Too bad, what I've seen so far looks promising although I do miss some of the paid features, but no point paying for them if the end result is this half-assed. 

VoIPTools
Participant

To all thread participants:

 

It is my opinion that Hubspot is a great product.  The company should be very proud of what they have achieved.  As the owner of a commercial software development company myself, I appreciate that there are always conflicting demands for development, testing, documentation, and support resources.  Further, what we want may not always match Hubspots design goals.  As an almost entirely web hosted solution, I can appreciate a reluctance to add a new client application that needs to be maintained.  On-prem installation of client applications, and the associated support  demands that creates, is likely the reason for the delay.

 

In my view, the purpose of this forum is to present ideas for new features which will enhance the value of Hubspot.  This is not a unique thread.  I have seen this topic raised over and over in various Hubspot forums.  I can say, for me, this is a hugely important feature.  Hopefully with enough participants in this thread we can get the attention of Hubspot management and get some type of response.

 

Naturally, what I really want is the feature.  But it would be helpful to at least get some type of official response from Hubspot.  I would like to know whether this feature is "under consideration", or "on the development schedule", or "is incompatible with current company design goals", or some indication of what Hubspot plans to do about the request. 

 

I tell my support engineers that silence is the fastest way to upset customers.  A simple statement like "this feature is under consideration" or "we have no plans to implement this feature" are acceptable answers.  No response is not really an acceptable approach.

 

abiblu
Contributor

I got this reply from HubSpot support:

 

"Cassie notified me that the chat feature to ask for a name and email address before a live chat session begins is currently still on her teams road-map for later in the year, hence there isn't a beta released just yet. In the meantime, you can use a bot instead to as for the visitors name and contact email first, before routing it to a team member that is available."

 

So looks like later in the year, hopefully.

VoIPTools
Participant

This comment does not address the issue of this thread.  We are talking about insuffient notification.  What I want is constant ringing or something similar which cannot be ignored.

hchristian
HubSpot Employee

Hey team, any update on this? I have a customer who is looking to actually be able to adjust the volume of the incoming chats lower. I wasn't sure if you were planning on creating a way to adjust this on the front end? Thanks 🙂

CEdmunds
Member

This is a critical feature.  We are used to Tawk.to's relentless ringing, which is the best notification.