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I was discussing with my colleague whether it would be better to make the Intercom bubble always visible or have it pop up on-click only?

 

My arguments for having it always visible:

  • People expect to have a live chat functionality and it is the default location
  • Having it there would increase the number of conversations

 

His arguments against having it there:

  • Takes up screen space(some elements or content might be hidden behind the button)
  • Users can easily find the support button elsewhere

 

What are your thoughts on this?

My two cents: Having the intercom bubble isn't only about incoming support - it also notifies the customer of the outbound information and responses you send.

For the incoming - It always sits there as a reminder that help is only a click away.

 


IMHO: Always show the bubble, if the designers know there is a bubble in the bottom right corner they can consider that while designing, so that shouldn't be a problem. Having a live chat functionality is a lot about convenience. If the user has to click through a menu, etc., to find the chat, you're doing yourself a disservice.


It would be a no-brainer if hiding the bubble would not show outbound information and responses, but it does. At least with our setup where it's hidden in Intercom settings


Thanks for the input. I think one other thing I have heard is that companies who want to encourage self-service help hide their button to avoid getting "easy" conversations and reducing support workload


@user758​ If the goal is to reduce the workload of the support team, you could also check out the Resolution Bot feature. I would always favor making the self-help options easier to use/find and provide better results instead of making it harder for customers to contact support.


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