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101 Ready-to-Use Live Chat Scripts for Both Sales and Customer Service

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Introduction

There are no two ways about it: good customer service is hard work. It’s a constant challenge to strike a balance between helpfulness and efficiency when you have so many customers to assist.

But improving chat service doesn’t have to be difficult. Like how creating a great soup starts with a homemade stock, you need a quality base to deliver the kind of customer service that has people coming back for more.

Luckily for you, we’ve created 101 ready-to-use scripts for the 8 most common live chat scenarios. Training your live chat team to use the scripts will help you provide more consistent and more professional service more easily than you can imagine.

Greetings

How you say hello makes a world of difference. Starting on the right foot with a customer sets the stage for a positive chat, while a curt or unenthused greeting can put a client on edge. We all know the power of a great first impression, so use the scripts below to treat each new chat greeting like a real-life introduction.

General Greeting

Hello! Welcome to *businesses name*, and thank you for visiting our site. How can we help you today?

Hello, and thank you for using *businesses name*’s live chat service.
Is there something in particular we can help you with?

Good morning/afternoon/evening, and thank you for contacting our chat line.
How are you doing today? May I ask why you contacted our chat service today?

Good afternoon! How may we assist you today?

Greeting for repeat visitors

Hello again *name*! Welcome back to our site. What can we do for you today?

Welcome back *name*! It’s great to see you again.
Did you want to pick up where you left off?

Hello, and welcome back to *business name*’s site.
Were you having more problems with *previous issue*?

Explanation that chat may be monitored or recorded

I wanted to mention that this chat may be reviewed for quality assurance.

We want to let you know that this chat may be reviewed and used for training purposes.

I wanted to let you know that this chat will be reviewed for quality
assurance purposes and for further follow-up if needed.

Apologizing/Unable to Meet Request

It can be hard to say no. After all, your job is to help a customer and to be as positive as you can be, right? Unfortunately, there are times when a customer’s request simply not addressable.

If trying to figure out the right words to deny a customer’s request has you scratching your head, here’s a little known secret: don’t use the word “no.” It may sound tricky, but we’ve provided you with quality alternatives to soften the blow.

Apologizing for an issue

I understand how you feel, I’m very sorry.
We’re going to take care of this for you right now.

I’m deeply sorry about *Issue*. Let me speak with my
supervisor to see how we can correct this for you.

I’m sorry that *product or service* is not what you expected.
I want to talk with my supervisor to see what we can do.

Unable to meet request

I apologize, but at this time we’re unable to meet that request.

I’m very sorry, but fulfilling that request isn’t possible at this time.
Let me check and see what else I can do for you.

I’m really sorry but what you’re asking is beyond the scope
of what we can do. Here’s what I CAN do:

Offering to provide a solution

May I suggest *solution* as an alternative?

To best meet your needs, I would recommend the following…

I feel that the best way to solve your issue would be *solution*

Offering an escalation path

I understand how you feel—would you like to speak with a
supervisor who would be able to better meet your needs?

I would need to get approval from my manager for that request…
may I transfer you?

Would you like me to refer you to my supervisor?

I may need to check with my manager to accommodate that request.

We’re sorry, but an issue like that can only be handled in person
at one of our locations. The nearest store to you is *location*

Transfer

Things can get messy when you don’t have the information a customer needs on hand. Getting a customer to the right representative is crucial, but so is getting them there without any hiccups. Use the following transitions to smoothly transfer a customer to the appropriate team member.

Suggesting transfer

I’m sorry for the confusion, but this department doesn’t have information on that topic. Would it be alright if I transferred you to the correct department?

I apologize for the miscommunication, but this department isn’t equipped to handle that kind of inquiry. Would it be alright if I transferred you to the correct department?

Based on the information you’ve provided, I believe *agent name* will be able to best meet your needs. Is it okay with you if I transfer you to *agent name*?

Unfortunately, I’m afraid I don’t have the ability to accommodate your request. However, *agent name* specializes in this type of situation and would be happy to speak with you. Is it okay with you if I transfer you to *agent name*?

Transferring

Please hold on for one moment while I connect you with the right person.

I’m transferring you right now; we’ll be with you in just a moment!

I apologize, but *agent name* is the one who will be able to best handle your issue. Please hold for a moment while I contact him/her.

Customer requesting to speak with another agent

Yes, *agent name* is available if you would prefer to speak with them.

Of course, I can transfer you to *agent name* if you would prefer.

I’m sorry, but *agent name* is currently unavailable. Would you like to leave him/her a message?

Putting Customer on Hold

Nobody likes being on hold, period. But as a customer support agent, you know that there are times when this is unavoidable, and making someone wait is crucial to delivering a quality solution.

Handle your customer respectfully and reassure them that they won’t be abandoned, and you’ll earn their respect.

In the middle of chatting

Is it okay for me to put you on hold for just a moment?

It may take us a moment to review that information — may we put you on hold?

If you’re comfortable holding for just a moment, we’ll review
your information and have an answer for you shortly.

In the queue

We apologize, but all of our agents are currently assisting other customers.
Please hold for the next available agent.

We’re sorry, but all of our agents are chatting with other customers at the moment.If you can hold for a couple minutes, we’ll respond as soon as we’re able.

There are currently *estimate* customers ahead of you in line. Please hold for the next available agent.

We expect that an agent will be available to help you shortly, there are currently *estimate* customers in line.

An agent should be free to assist you very shortly. (your place in the queue: *estimate*)

Thanks for waiting

Thank you very much for holding, and sorry about that wait!

Thanks for holding! We do apologize about that wait, but we’re ready to assist you.

We thank you for holding and apologize for the wait.

Asking for Additional Information

The key to asking for personal information is to establish trust. Handle your information requests professionally with the following scripts, and customers will know they’re in good hands.

Asking for general information

If it’s okay with you, we’ll need to collect a little bit of additional information before we proceed.

To meet your needs, we’ll need to verify some of your information.

May I ask for more information before we continue?

Asking for credit card/billing information

To process your order, I’ll need your full 16-digit credit card number,
expiration date, and security code.

May I have your current billing address?

To place your order, I’ll need a credit card.

Note: Your live chat system must be PCI DSS compliant in order to share credit card information. If it isn’t, you should not accept credit card details via chat.

Asking for verification of address/location

Before we proceed, may I ask you to verify your current home/billing address?

What is the listed zip code of your current account?

For security purposes I need to verify your identity before we continue. What is the phone number attached to your account?

Asking for account number/date of birth/last four of SSN

May I have the account number listed on your bill?

If you give me your account number, I can look up your information.

If you would verify your date of birth for me, we can begin looking at your account information.

I’ll need either your date of birth or the last four digits of your social security number to proceed.

Requesting Screen Sharing

Sometimes requesting a screen share is the best way to assist a customer. Unfortunately, it’s similar to stepping inside someone’s living room—a customer’s web browser is a private space that may not be ready for visitors. But like a plumber or electrician, you need access to a client’s personal space in order to fix his problem. Be patient with customers, and use the following scripts to earn their trust.

We may need to use screen sharing to diagnose your issue.
Is it okay for us to remotely access your browser?

We’re having a little trouble diagnosing your issue based on the information provided — would you be willing to let me see your screen to figure out what’s going on?

I need some additional information to solve this issue. It would be a great help if you could share your screen with me. Is that okay?

Proactive Sales Chat

Reaching out to a customer proactively is a waste if you don’t have the right words. Like a sales associate in a department store, you want to strike a balance between helpfulness and respect. Whether you’re offering general assistance or pointing them in the direction of specific sales, you want to bring the most value to the forefront of your service. Try the following lines when helping visitors down the road to becoming loyal customers down the road.

Reviewing options

I understand, so many options can be confusing. May I provide assistance in helping you decide?

We know that making a choice here can be difficult. We can review your options again if you’d like!

If you’d like to wait, we can save your information and give you some time to think about it.

Excellent choice! We’re confident that you’ll be satisfied.

Very good choice. We’re confident that you’ll be happy with that option.

Recognizing when a customer needs help

It looks like you’re visiting quite a few pages! Can we help you find anything?

It’s been a while since you’ve contacted us!
Feel free to let us know if you need any help.

It’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your shopping cart — are you ready to check-out, or can we help you find something else?

Unresponsive customer

Hello! It looks like you’ve been inactive for a while. Can we help you find something?

Hey there! It seems like you’ve been inactive for a few minutes.
Did you need help navigating our site?

It appears that you’ve been inactive for a few minutes.
Please feel free to use our live chat service if you have any questions.

Communicating sales and promotions

Hello! Before you begin shopping, we wanted to let you know that *promotion* is currently going on through the end of the month.

Hello! Right now we’re offering a discount on *promotion* if you’re interested in taking advantage of that deal.

Before you check-out, you should know that we’re currently offering *promotion*. Would you like to take advantage of this limited-time offer?

Hey, we just wanted to let you know that *promotion* is on sale right now, if you felt like saving a few dollars today.

We do apologize, but the time limit on that promotion has expired. The deals we’re currently offering include *promotion*.

We’re sorry, but that deal is no longer available. If you’d like, I can list the other specials we currently have available.

Recommending items frequently purchased together

It looks like you’re purchasing *product*! Could we interest you in *product* as well? They complement each other nicely.

Since you’re purchasing *product*, we’d recommend *product* as well. Customers in the past have found that purchasing these items together made their lives easier.

Purchasing/Shipping Options

Are you done shopping? The current total of the items in your cart is *total*.

As of right now, your current balance is *total*.

Good news! Since your order is over *amount*, you qualify for free shipping.

Good news! Your order is over *amount*, meaning that you qualify for our special *discount* off of your order.

If you’d like to hear about all of your shipping options, we can list them for you.

We offer several options for shipping including USPS, FedEx, and others.

Based on our estimate, you should receive your order on *estimate*

While we can’t offer an exact date, we expect your order will arrive on *estimate*

Our shipped items usually take *estimate* to be received.

Goodbye

Similar to how you say hello, saying goodbye is incredibly important. Fantastic service can be completely upended if a customer walks away with a negative last impression. You want your customer to log off not only satisfied with their service, but with a positive impression of your business and service. Wind down the conversation with these scripts ideas.

Thanking customers

Thank you for using our live chat service, and we hope to hear from you again! Goodbye!

Thanks for using our 24-hour help service, and please feel free to contact us again if you need any further assistance. Goodbye!

Thank you for using our live chat service. I am now closing this chat. If you have any more issues, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Have a great day!

Thank you for visiting! We hope to see you again!

Thanks for stopping by, we hope to hear from you again!

We appreciate your business and hope to hear from you soon!

Visitors are unresponsive

It’s been a while since your last response. Would you like to continue chatting?

Hello *name*, are you still there?

Hello, it seems that you’re no longer responding. I will have to close the chat for now. If you still need my help, you can request a chat again. Thanks for stopping by.

Providing alternative contact options for future inquiries

If you have any further issues and would like to contact us directly,
you can reach us at *email address*

If any more problems arise and you can’t access our chat line, please feel free to email us at *email address* or call our customer service line at *phone number*.

If you’d prefer, you can reach our customer service through *Facebook/Twitter/Social media* or via SMS text message at *phone number*.