Get started

In just a few easy steps, you'll be ready to connect with customers and start bringing in sales. All you need to get started is a few minutes to download the app, sign-up, and complete your introduction.

Download the Bambuser Chat App

The Bambuser Chat App is available on both Android and iOS devices.

Please use the following links to go to the correct App Store or Play Store page to download the Bambuser Chat directly. This is so that you download the correct app from the Bambuser family of apps.

Bambuser Chat for iOS
Bambuser Chat for Android

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll need to enter your unique 7-digit invitation code. Your manager will give this code to you.

Set up your profile

Create Account 

Creating an account takes only a few minutes.

Enter your Invite Code
Your invite code should be provided to you by your manager. It is a 7-character code that's unique to your company.

Enter your email address and create a password
Your email address and password are what you'll use to access Bambuser Chat.

Enter your name
Online customers will only ever see your first name.

Choose your languages
Shoppers will be able to see the languages you speak.

Set your location
Your profile will be tied to your store location.

Add your profile photo
Make sure to use a clear, professional headshot with a neutral background. This is important for your shopper to know who they're speaking to and instantly feel comfortable chatting with you!

You can always change this photo later if needed!

Practice Chat

The Practice Chat is a quick and simple way to try out the different features the Bambuser Chat has to offer.

You'll walk through sending product recommendations, setting calendar appointments, and more so that you feel comfortable and ready to start chatting with shoppers!

Waiting to be approved
Once you’ve finished your Practice Chat, your introduction is complete. In some cases, your account will need to be approved by a manager before you can start using Bambuser Chat. While you’re waiting, you can begin to explore the app and learn more about its features.

How do shoppers start a chat?

While browsing your website, customers can start their journey by tapping the Bambuser chat plugin in the bottom right corner of the display. Here's how it looks:

From there, all they have to do is send a message to start a new chat and they will be connected to the nearest available store team member.
Once connected, they can send and receive messages and continue to shop on your website.

Become available

Make yourself available for online chats
The goal of an online chat is to provide the same instant service you offer your customers in-store. You begin on your Home screen, by making yourself available. To begin, tap the GO AVAILABLE button under your profile details to go online or go offline. You'll be able to tell you are available because a green dot will appear against your name and the availability button will turn white.

When you’re available and there is a new incoming chat, we'll alert you on screen or via push notification if you are outside the app. You'll find out more about that in the next section.

Making yourself unavailable
When you are no longer able to serve online customers, tap the button to make yourself unavailable. This ensures that no customer is left waiting or goes unanswered.

Incoming chats

When you receive an incoming chat request, you'll get a notification. Tap on this, and you'll arrive at the Incoming Chat screen.

Here, you will be told if your customer is new or someone you've previously chatted with. If they have provided their name, it will be displayed here. You'll also be able to see how many team members are being served that chat at the same time.

Countdown: When you open the app and receive an incoming chat, you will have 15 seconds to accept it before it moves on to another team member.

Claim chat: To accept a chat, tap the Claim Chat button. If you are the first in your team to accept, you will be redirected directly to the chat view.

Decline chat: If you have become busy and are no longer able to accept chats, you can decline it, and others in your team who are available with receive the request.

What happens after you accept a chat?
You will be automatically redirected into the messaging view, where you can browse their shopping history, view their query and begin your conversation.

More about declining chats…
You have two different options when you decline a chat. If you are temporarily busy and unable to accept the chat, you can decline it and stay available. Alternatively, you can decline the chat and go unavailable, in one click, ensuring no customer is left unanswered.

Accepted by someone else?
Chats are served to multiple team members at the same time to give the customer the best opportunity to connect with the store. Sometimes, a chat will be accepted by another team member before you have the chance to claim it. If that happens, you will be notified. Tap ‘done’ and you’ll be taken back to your home screen.

Missed chats
If a chat is not accepted by any team member, it becomes a ‘missed chat’. This means that during the claim period, in which it was served to your team, no available member accepted.

If you miss 3 chats in a row, you will be automatically made unavailable. This helps to ensure that no future customers are left unanswered. When you're ready again to start claiming chats, then just tap 'Go available'.

Left messages

What are left messages?

From time to time, a customer will start a conversation and no team members will be available to chat. When this happens, they are prompted to leave a message, so they can be notified later when a team member has responded.

If a customer chooses to leave a message, they will be prompted to go into more detail on their request.

How do I know when a customer has left a message?

When you have accepted a chat, there are two ways the Bambuser Chat lets you know that your customer has left a message and may not be immediately available to respond.

1. Left message alert. You will see a screen to let you know and to remind you to provide as much detail as possible.
2. Customer status. In the chat header, you can see if your customer is ‘online’, meaning you can message them live, or when your customer has left a message and asked to be notified.

How should you respond?

When responding to a left message, your goal is to give customers all the information that they need to be able to check out.

Remember, if your customer is not online, they will not be immediately available to respond. This means you will need to reply in detail and try to preempt any questions they might have, so they are more likely to continue with their purchase.

How does the customer get notified of a response?

When you respond to a customer who has left a message, they will receive a notification by SMS or email with a link back to the conversation on the website.

Sometimes, a customer may click through and come back online before you have finished responding.
When this happens, you can continue the conversation directly.

Messaging shoppers

6 key messaging features

The Bambuser Chat provides you with 6 messaging features, designed to help you sell to your customers.

Messages - Type and send messages to your customer

Photos & Video - Access your camera roll, take photos and share videos with customers

Product Recommendations - Access your online catalog and share tappable links that guide your customer to product pages

Invites - Arrange an appointment or share your store location

Saved Replies - Choose from a list of template responses, designed to save you time

Calling - Call your customer and continue your conversation via audio or video

You'll find out more about these features in the sections to follow.

Joining an online chat

See what your customer is browsing

When you arrive in a chat, you will be able to see what items and categories your customer has viewed and what they have purchased - via the Shopper Events carousel. This will automatically open at the start of a chat - and you can access it again later by tapping the shopping bag in the top right corner of the header.

When a blue dot appears under this icon, this means there has been some new customer activity you may want to check out.

Check their name, location, and online status

You'll also be able to see the customer's name or Customer ID via the chat header, as well as find out their approximate address and whether they are currently online or have left a message.

Sending messages

Once you have joined a new online chat, you can start messaging with your customer right away. Make sure you read their query carefully, so you can understand what kind of advice they are looking for.

When you're ready, you can type and send messages via the keyboard composer. To make it quick and easy to greet your customer, The Bambuser Chat also provides you with a menu of pre-set messages above the composer. Tap these to automatically send them to your customer. It's a simple way to make a great first impression.

The quickest and easiest way to make online recommendations to customers is by sending product cards. You can find all of the items that are available on your website here, and recommend these to your customer.

You can navigate through the items by searching for keywords, and using filters or categories. By tapping into a product, you will be able to see more photos and information on the product.

To send a product to your customer, simply tap the ‘+’ icon on the right.

Just like you would when speaking to a customer in-store, make sure that you are taking the time to explain why you are making this recommendation to your customer, and be sure not to overwhelm them with choice.

Sending photos and videos

Customers may want to see a product in a little more detail. Using the Bambuser Chat you can send photos and videos directly from the shop floor.

Make sure your photos are always clear and taken in a well-lit area of the shop.

If you're recording videos, make sure there's not too much background noise.

Video and audio calling

When you want a more instant connection, you can start a call with your customer. Calling your customer is the best way to build a rapport with them.

Simply tap the video icon on the chat header to begin. Make sure you explain to your customer that you are going to call them before beginning and that they may need to allow their browser to access their microphone and/or camera.

Managing the call experience

Both you and your customer can turn off their video or audio at any point in the call by tapping the icons at the bottom of the screen.

When the call ends, you will return back to your chat.

Finishing a chat

There are 3 ways to conclude a chat. To begin, tap on the chevron in the top left corner to access the main menu.

Finish chat

When you’ve finished live shopping with a customer and you are ready to end the chat, just select “Finish chat" from the menu. This will take you back to the Home screen and make you available once more to receive the next incoming chat.

Transfer to someone else

If there's a team member who is better suited to your customer's requirements, you can request a transfer and hand the customer over.

Block the shopper

If a user is misusing Bambuser Chat, you can use this option to flag the issue and block them in the future.

Saved Replies

Saved Replies provides you with go-to answers to customer questions in just a few taps.

There are a number of message templates that range from helping you to support returns, letting a customer know when you need to step away for a moment, and more.

Inviting customers in-store

You can invite your shopper in-store to continue the conversation in person. Just tap on the calendar icon, enter the location and date, if needed, and tap 'Send'.

Transferring a chat

Sending a transfer request

If you are unable to assist with a query and need to pass it on to someone else, you can transfer a chat to another available team member.

Let your customer know that they’ll need to wait a moment whilst you transfer them to someone else, then tap on "Transfer chat" in the chat options menu.

Now you can select the available team members you would like to request a transfer to.

It’s important to send a short note explaining why you are transferring this customer. This will be used by whoever claims the chat to understand why the chat has been transferred and how they can help the customer. The customer will never see this internal note.

What happens next?

The team members you have selected will then receive your transfer request. The request is active for 120 seconds to ensure the shopper is not waiting too long.

If your transfer is successful you can return back to the chats list.

If no one is able to accept the transfer, you can try again or do your best to assist that shopper.

Receiving a transferred chat

From time to time, you will receive a transfer request from another team member while you are available.

This is similar to receiving an incoming chat, but you'll also have extra time to decide and review any internal note your colleague has provided.

Ratings and feedback

At the end of every conversation, shoppers have the opportunity to leave a rating out of 5 stars and select feedback.

You’ll be able to see your overall rating on the home screen of the Bambuser Chat.

Contacts

Stay in touch by text, email & WhatsApp

Build lasting relationships with online shoppers to keep them coming back to your brand - both online and in-store.

Where are Contacts located?

Located on the top right of the screen, the Icon feature will allow you to send the contact invite while chatting with your customer.

Tap the add person icon to add your customer as a contact.

Connecting with your Contacts

Once the contact invite is sent, your customer is able to add their information and opt-in to stay in touch.

The customer can provide either their email address or phone number.

Sharing contact details

When a customer provides their details and opts in, you will get a notification confirming that they have accepted.

Staying in touch

You are now connected! Your customers’ information will be accessible within the “Contacts” tab on the home screen of your app. You can reach out to your customer at any time by selecting their contact and sending a message.

Don’t forget about your In-Store Customers

You can also add contacts In-Store to stay connected with customers you are meeting in person!

Simply click the “+” sign and add the Customer’s name and contact information. It will then sync under the “Added In-Store Tab”.

Setting Reminders

Easily stay on top of outreach by setting reminders to reach out to your customers!

By clicking the bell icon on the top right of the chat, you are able to set a reminder. Which will then populate as a notification on your phone screen.

Taking some time off? Choose “Away Mode”

You can set yourself as “Away” on your days off so that customers know when you’ll be getting back in touch.

Click the clock icon in the top right of your Contacts screen, toggle “Away Mode” ON, and set an autoresponse in case you are contacted.

Remember to toggle “Away Mode” OFF when you are ready to connect again!

Top tips

• Using the Contacts feature, you can further connect with customers offline and continue to build professional relationships.
• We recommend the Contacts invite be sent out at the end of every good-quality chat. A pro tip is adding a saved reply explaining the value of Contacts and letting the Customer know we have this feature available.
• Adding customers to Contacts is a smoooth process. Elevate the conversation by getting to know your customer and their needs. Making lasting connections!

Products catalog

Discover and share with Catalog

When to use the Products Catalog

With Bambuser Chat, you can browse your online products at any time and even digitally serve in-store customers when an item is out of stock or they aren’t yet ready to buy.

First, let's look at how you keep track of your favorite items and any products you've previously shared.

Recently Shared

Your recently shared items are easily accessible from the main Catalog page, ensuring you can keep track of previous recommendations and share them again.

Favorites

You can add products you view in Catalog to your Favorites, making it easy to find them again and quickly share in online chats, with your Contacts or new customers you meet in-store. Just tap on the star on the top right corner of a product page.

Share a product

Choose your sharing method

Once you have added products to your selection, tap Share Selection. Next, you will need to choose whether to share with a new or existing contact or alternatively via a QR code.

Share with a new contact

If you choose to share with a new customer, you'll be asked to capture their details and add any message you would like to accompany your selection. Once you hit send and confirm their mobile number, your customer will receive the product link via SMS.

Share with an existing contact

If you choose to share with an existing contact, first you'll need to select them from your Contacts list and then write a message to send along with your selection. Once you press send, your customer will receive the product link via SMS.

Share QR Code

When you are serving an in-store customer and would like to share a product instantly, you can select 'Share QR Code' and allow your customer to scan the QR code using their mobile - instantly opening the product page on their device!