Atera’s chat and messaging system is designed to increase user satisfaction and helpdesk efficiency. Use the chat feature for the fastest and most effective way to reach your users and offer them help, enabling them with quick access to the tech support they urgently need.

Atera’s chat and messaging system is designed to increase customer satisfaction and helpdesk efficiency. Use the chat feature for the fastest and most effective way to reach your customers and offer them help, enabling them with quick access to the tech support they urgently need.

A chat can be initiated between a technician and a contact (and vice versa) with unlimited chat sessions per technician. After two minutes of conversation, a ticket is automatically created named New Ticket Opened from Chat, and at the end of the chat session you will be able to edit the name of the ticket to effectively manage your support processes.

Getting started

Enable the chat feature

1. From the sidebar, go to Admin > My account > Account settings, and click Chat with agent.

3. Check the Enable Chat communication with installed agent checkbox, then click Save.

Activate and Deactivate chat

When the Chat feature is activated from the dashboard by going to Agent > Manage > More Tools > Chat > Activate Chat, your end users will have the ability to initiate a chat session with technicians directly from the Helpdesk agent.

When the Chat is deactivated, your end users won't be able to initiate a chat session from the Helpdesk agent. However, it's important to note that technicians can still initiate a chat session with their end users at any time, regardless of whether the chat is activated or deactivated. This is possible as long as the chat feature has been enabled in Admin > My account > Account settings, and by clicking "Chat with agent."

Start a chat from the Devices page

The chat feature enables technicians to initiate a chat with a user.

The chat feature enables technicians to initiate a chat with a customer.

1. From Devices, click Manage on the device that you want to start the chat session, then go to More Tools > HelpDesk Agent > Activate.

A windows dialog appears on the technician side that says "Connecting..." until the user accepts the connection. Once the user has approved the chat, a message appears, displaying the name of the technician.

A windows dialog appears on the technician side that says “Connecting…” until the customer accepts the connection. Once the customer has approved the chat, a message appears, displaying the name of the technician. 

Note:

• The technician can initiate a chat even if the Chat is not activated on the agent, in this case, only technicians can initiate a chat session.
• If the customer did not approve or did not react to the request for a chat, a message is sent to the technician. The technician will need to close the chat dialog and can request a chat again.
• If the user did not approve or did not react to the request for a chat, a message is sent to the technician. The technician will need to close the chat dialog and can request a chat again.
• If neither the technician nor the customer accepts the chat request within 2 minutes, the chat session will time out.
• If neither the technician nor the user accepts the chat request within 2 minutes, the chat session will time out.
• If there is inactivity during the chat session for over 5 minutes, the session will time out.

Start a chat through an existing ticket

A chat can be opened through an existing ticket. If a technician already has a chat history with a customer in a ticket, Atera will display and refer directly to the existing chat.

A chat can be opened through an existing ticket. If a technician already has a chat history with a user in a ticket, Atera will display and refer directly to the existing chat.

1. From Tickets, select a ticket.

2. Click Actions, and select Start Chat from the dropdown menu.

Note:

• The technician can initiate a chat even if the helpdesk is not activated.

If there is no device assigned to the ticket, the Assign agent window appears. 

3. Select an agent and continue to chat.

Note: Chat is available on Windows devices only.

Once a Windows device is assigned, the chat window will appear in the lower right corner of the screen, and you can start the chat when the contact responds to your request.

Start a chat with a technician

The chat feature enables customers to initiate a chat with a technician.

The chat feature enables users to initiate a chat with a technician.

Note:

• The Helpdesk Agent must be activated. For Agent activation instructions, Click here.
• At least one technician must have their Chat Availability set to Available. Chat Availability status can be changed from the profile dropdown menu at the top, right corner of the screen.

• If this is the contact’s first time initiating a chat, and if the contact has not been assigned to a device/agent, there is a one-time, short identity confirmation process for purposes of identity confirmation. This can be avoided by assigning the contact to a device/agent in advance (to do so, go to Customers > Contacts tab > click on the contact > Select Agent > Select the agent from the list and click Apply).
• If this is the users first time initiating a chat, and if the user has not been assigned to a device/agent, there is a one-time, short identity confirmation process for purposes of identity confirmation. This can be avoided by assigning the contact to a device/agent in advance (to do so, go to Sites > Users tab > click on the contact > Select Agent > Select the agent from the list and click Apply).

Initiate the one-time identity confirmation process (instructions for your users)

Initiate the one-time identity confirmation process (instructions for your customers)

1. Right-click on the Helpdesk Agent, and select Start chat. 

The Personal Info Settings screen appears.

2. Fill in your full name and email address, then click Send Token.

An email with the Confirmation Token will be delivered.

3. Add the token and save the changes.

You can now chat with a technician.

Note:

• Chat notifications appear in the Atera app on the upper, right-hand corner of the screen. The technician decides whether to accept or decline a customer’s chat request. All technicians that have the status set to Available will get the notification, once a technician accepts the chat session, the notification will disappear for the other available technicians.
• Chat notifications appear in the Atera app on the upper, right-hand corner of the screen. The technician decides whether to accept or decline a user’s chat request. All technicians that have the status set to Available will get the notification, once a technician accepts the chat session, the notification will disappear for the other available technicians.
• If the technician declines, a Chat Busy message is displayed to the customer. The customer can either open the Helpdesk agent again and click on Start Chat to try again or click on Create New Ticket to leave a message.
• If the technician declines, a Chat Busy message is displayed to the user. The user can either open the Helpdesk agent again and click on Start Chat to try again or click on Create New Ticket to leave a message.

Sending files and videos

You can send files and videos over Chat.

Click on the + button.

Supported File Types: PDF, MP3, MP4, Word docs, Excel, MSI

Note: File size is limited to 20 MB per file.