Top benefits of live chat vs. other online communication

When Olark was founded, way back in 2009, most businesses offered one of two basic online communication options: email and web forms. There have been a lot of changes since then! Today, businesses communicate with customers not just via live chat, but also via online messaging, social media, and more.

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What Would Barbara Do: What is the best way to reassure a vistor that you haven't forgotten about them?

Question: Sometimes when I'm chatting I get a visitor repeatedly checking to see that they haven't lost me. It makes me crazy! What's the best way and frequency to reassure them that I'm still working on their question?

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What Would Barbara Do: Does phrasing matter?

I like to end my chats with “Thanks for stopping by!” — but some of my colleagues use “It was a pleasure talking with you!” Is one better than the other? Or does it not matter?

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9 Low effort ways to kickstart your new working year

Getting back to work in the New Year can be a challenge for even the most diligent of over-achievers.

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Olarkers unleashed: The benefits of remote working

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

Olark has always been a remote-friendly company, but earlier this year we decided to say goodbye to our headquarters in San Francisco and fully embrace the remote life. Our team loves working remotely for reasons as unique as Olarkers are! We thought we’d share a few of these reasons with you in our own words to start a discussion about the benefits of remote work.

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What Would Barbara Do: Humans make mistakes too

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

Q: I sometimes make typos or mistakes in chat - what’s the best way to recover?

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Lighting of the Redwood: A remote celebration

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

….Think Morgan Freeman’s voice as you’re reading this….

Long ago in a land called Palo Alto, four founders embarked on a journey to change online chatting. They lived and worked together in a house with a garden. In the garden grew a  faithful redwood tree, Dory.

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What Would Barbara Do: How can I answer the question 'How are you?' in a friendly way without taking the chat off topic?

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

I like to answer the question "how are you?" with "I'm excellent, thanks! Any Olark questions I can answer?"

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Networking Like A Human

...or, how to make professional friends and have fun doing it

 

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

Does the very word “Networking” make you cringe? Does it lead to a strong desire to go home, make snacks, and curl up with 12 seasons of your favorite show?

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Introducing, “What Would Barbara Do?”

This story is part of our Making Business Human series. For more on the series and our mission, check out this post!

Barbara is our longest-serving support agent, with over 30,000 chats to her name. Yes, 30,000!! Given that she only worked part time for most of those chats, that is one serious record.

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