An overview of online counseling systems (part 1)
Most of the articles in Runet devoted to online consulting are either purely advertising in nature, or they grab only a small fraction of the capabilities of these systems and practically do not give a foothold in choosing the optimal consultant for your needs, whether you are a CIO of a large company, an Internet owner. store or a private entrepreneur who wants to increase sales, through its website. As a result, you have to install each system, try out numerous “clones”, waste time and, as a result, be disappointed in web consulting, as in the tool. This series of articles is conceived as a kind of technology guide, on which all existing online consulting systems for their capabilities and price are built. After reading this review, you will be able to navigate the flow of systems that are currently on the market and, I hope, pick up exactly the product that meets your needs. Like all authors, I do not pretend to objectivity, and yet I tried to share in as much detail as possible the information that I possess myself at the time of this writing. Before reading it is advisable to know at least something about the Internet))), browsers, to have the concept of a server and similar systems.
We will try to somehow systematize the systems of web consulting (hereinafter referred to VC). We just need to do this in order to further understand what to expect from the systems, and what they cannot do at all, and also come to an understanding of how much it costs? Agree that buying a car, it is good to know about it at least a little, and not just the color and number of doors. Those. if you at least know what kind of drive your car has, front, rear or full, it will obviously be useful information.
Installation method
1. VK installed on the server of the customer, and the client part installed on the user's computer. This technology has several advantages. As a rule, in the top versions there is no limit on the number of operators. I will reveal a small secret; a relatively large number of operators is not so critical for all VC systems, but the attendance of the site where the active code is installed, on the contrary, is critical for absolutely all systems. The limit on the number of simultaneously monitored clients is determined only by the capabilities of your server (first of all, systems are processor and memory critical). It would seem, buy and rejoice. However, the systems of this particular group are sold according to the scheme of purchasing a “box” with a product, and since this is a relatively cheap solution, companies do not have enough money for development. It seems like it is not the business of the user to take care of the manufacturer’s wallet, but in actual fact these systems are noticeably lagging behind in terms of functionality. Development companies have to not only rewrite their systems under Windows, Linux and Mac OS, but also “sharpen” their server part. In addition, you must install and configure the database, which is not the easiest task. Thus, the client should - buy a server ($ 1,000 - $ 2,000), buy a program ($ 3,000 - $ 30,000), pay the company for installation or configuration, and be prepared for the fact that new functions will not appear often, but the system will have to be maintained independently. It is also necessary to take into account that everything is changing very quickly on the Internet, there are new versions of browsers and CMS that need to be tested for compatibility. Chat windows are quite a capricious thing, and probably none of the VC users want their site to display correctly for visitors, and the VC system itself, at some point, became inaccessible to customers.
2. VK installed on the customer's server, and access to the client side is carried out from the operator’s computer through the web interface. In essence, this is a variation of the previous group, except that the client machines are independent of the operating system, i.e. no matter what you are working on: Windows, Linux or others ... But then your browser may already matter.
3. VK, where the server part is installed at the service provider, and the client part is installed on the operator’s computer. Here we come to quite a modern architecture VK. Typical representative in RuNet - Live Operator . Let's try to understand the advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the price. Such systems are connected on a subscription fee basis. The main disadvantage lies in the client part. In order to get started, you need to install the client program of the service provider on the computer of all operators. In addition, you lose mobility. Now, if you want to look at what is happening on your site or need to communicate with operators or clients, you will need, in addition to the standard login and password, an installed program. The program must not forget to update that in the conditions of a large number of operators - a disadvantage. The developers of such systems are also forced, either to consciously limit themselves to the Windows system, or to support both Linux and Mac OS, and generally speaking about mobile platforms. As of this writing, there are no such systems in RuNet, as far as I know. In fairness, it should be noted that some providers of this group provide a web-based interface, which is somewhat easier compared to the application for the operating system. Well, what are the advantages? Compared to the next group, the CPU load of the service provider is somewhat reduced (but not the customer!). On the other hand, you are signing a contract with a supplier, and in the case of a scheme with a monthly fee, you certainly should not take care of the servers.
4. VC, where the server part is located at the service provider, and access to the client part is provided from the operator’s computer via the web interface. Well, we got to the most, in my opinion, modern and promising model of software architecture. Fans of computer technology have long been familiar with the concept of when the core of the program is “spinning” on the server of the service provider, and the client works with the program from his computer through a regular browser. The apologist and the main driving force behind this concept is Google. Many people have been using its Gmail software products, the Google Docs office suite, and others for a long time ... It is Google that offers a version of the operating system that is free from overkill and minimal requirements for the user's system resources. All that you need to complete the work in it is Internet access. All programs are installed on the supplier’s servers, and you work with them through a regular browser. The same thing happens with VK systems built according to this scheme. Pluses are obvious: easy installation and configuration. In fact, you only need to register in the system and install the active code on the pages of your site. In addition, your site is accessible to you from any system where there is a browser. From any roadside internet cafe. Examples of systems built on this principle: Netrox SC , Marva , etc ... The main disadvantage of such systems was the inability to notify the operator of the visitor’s arrival / call by pop-up prompts on the desktop. For this, it was necessary to use additional agents, which are installed for this purpose, on the operator’s machine. But progress does not stand still and browsers are improving. The most advanced systems, for example, Netrox SC, are already taking advantage of the possibility of receiving notifications to the desktop without auxiliary “tray-sounders”.
Transport and messaging operator interface
1. Operator interface - ICQ, Jabber, etc. At first glance, the idea seems interesting. “Seeing” a visitor in his own ICQ window, isn't it bad, right? And for developers, this is a great help - you do not need to write your own interface and transport. But, the most serious problem of systems with this implementation is the lack of a specialized interface for working with visitors. All programs * of this group work through a standard interface, the standard web messenger, such as jabber-ICQ, which is simply “not sharpened” for professional work with a list of visitors to your site. That is why I would not recommend large companies to use such systems. In addition, a feature of the technology is that the operator simply does not “see” the visitor until he has answered the operator’s invitation. The paradox is that the system itself sees all visitors and sends them standard invitations, but the operator sees only those who answered! Those. Select a visitor from the list and send him an individual call with personalized text - it will not work. About this “unpleasant feature”, the developers of such systems, of course, do not blow at every corner. Therefore, the implementation of the “active visitor call” function is called a “pseudo-active call”. Another drawback is the difficulty of implementing such a tool as an offline form. In some systems, it is simply not there. Want examples? Please - Krible system. In these systems, there is a difficulty in transferring a call from a visitor to another operator, as well as communication of several consultants with one visitor. All this is necessary for large companies with a large number of operators. What are the advantages? They too are. First of all, it is a habit to communicate through a favorite instant messenger, where you have the entire contact list. The downside is that operators who do not use messengers may not want to install it on their computer at all. Another significant advantage of such systems is the ability to work with site visitors using a mobile device messenger that supports the appropriate protocol.
2. Own interface. Actually ... Based on the above, for full-fledged work, I would choose among systems with a specialized interface and transport. In any case, I would recommend large companies and companies with a large number of operators to look for just such systems, since they exist.
* Again, in fairness, it should be noted that there are systems that use both the web interface and have the ability to use instant messengers, like ICQ. True, these are foreign systems.
')
Active Visitor Call feature
Hereinafter, it is implied that the full implementation of this function should be able to see ALL of your website visitors in real time and be able to call ANYONE of them into a dialogue with the original invitation.
1. Absent. You might be surprised, but many systems do not have this function. Even in basic versions of commercial products, this feature is sometimes missing. Look, for example, at the rates of the company Marva, where in the cheapest (900 p. (Sic!)) Tariff , this function is deliberately curtailed.
2. Present. In general, you understand ... "Do you have an active call at this rate?" This is the first question that you have to ask the seller of online consulting systems.
Price
The pricing policy of companies selling VC depends on the software configuration, i.e. the functions available to the customer, the number of operators in the system and, in the case of subscription fees, the period of service provision.
1. Subscription fee. This option of charging allows the company to develop as dynamically as possible. It is modern. This method is applicable only for systems with an installation method of 3 or 4. The subscription fee varies widely from 300 r. up to 2000 p. for the operator. There are also higher price tags. In any case, you need to understand what is offered for the money and what features you need.
2. One-time purchase of a license. As a rule, these are systems from groups 1 and 2 and they are characterized by all the pros and cons of this group. Companies like Webim practice this way. Although Webim has a version with a monthly fee, which appeared relatively recently and proves once again that the developers have exhausted all the possibilities for the development of the program in this scheme. This method is outdated, although at the first stage it seems like a good deal. But I recommend large companies to think about the future fate of the supplier and product support. A small company may well use the scheme with a monthly subscription fee, and it may be that such a model will be more profitable.
3. Free. As a rule, these are systems from groups with installation method 1 and 2. The exception is the free version of the Netrox SC lite system , which works in method 4. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this is either “homemade”, with errors, insufficient functionality and not supported by the author. Or systems, for example, the powerful foreign project Livezilla , which can be attributed to the following group, where important functions: such as the logo of the developer of the online consulting system, cannot be removed from the visitor’s window. After all, few serious companies will like to advertise someone else's system on their corporate website? Or the absence of such a function as geo-targeting, which allows to determine the location of the site visitor and many others. But it’s possible to remove restrictions only for money.
4. Free with paid extra features. For example, the project Siteheart, where VC is free, but the developers hope that the system will be used to make electronic payments, for money, of course.
We walked through almost all the versions of the VC, presented in RuNet. In any case, if you decide to install a VC, you will almost certainly not regret the money spent. And each head of a sales or service department is simply obliged to try this tool in order to conclude that it is advisable to use a VC within his company. Fortunately, almost all firms provide an opportunity to test their product. Try and make a good choice!
PS In the second part I will tell you more about the capabilities of VK systems.
We will try to somehow systematize the systems of web consulting (hereinafter referred to VC). We just need to do this in order to further understand what to expect from the systems, and what they cannot do at all, and also come to an understanding of how much it costs? Agree that buying a car, it is good to know about it at least a little, and not just the color and number of doors. Those. if you at least know what kind of drive your car has, front, rear or full, it will obviously be useful information.
Installation method
1. VK installed on the server of the customer, and the client part installed on the user's computer. This technology has several advantages. As a rule, in the top versions there is no limit on the number of operators. I will reveal a small secret; a relatively large number of operators is not so critical for all VC systems, but the attendance of the site where the active code is installed, on the contrary, is critical for absolutely all systems. The limit on the number of simultaneously monitored clients is determined only by the capabilities of your server (first of all, systems are processor and memory critical). It would seem, buy and rejoice. However, the systems of this particular group are sold according to the scheme of purchasing a “box” with a product, and since this is a relatively cheap solution, companies do not have enough money for development. It seems like it is not the business of the user to take care of the manufacturer’s wallet, but in actual fact these systems are noticeably lagging behind in terms of functionality. Development companies have to not only rewrite their systems under Windows, Linux and Mac OS, but also “sharpen” their server part. In addition, you must install and configure the database, which is not the easiest task. Thus, the client should - buy a server ($ 1,000 - $ 2,000), buy a program ($ 3,000 - $ 30,000), pay the company for installation or configuration, and be prepared for the fact that new functions will not appear often, but the system will have to be maintained independently. It is also necessary to take into account that everything is changing very quickly on the Internet, there are new versions of browsers and CMS that need to be tested for compatibility. Chat windows are quite a capricious thing, and probably none of the VC users want their site to display correctly for visitors, and the VC system itself, at some point, became inaccessible to customers.
2. VK installed on the customer's server, and access to the client side is carried out from the operator’s computer through the web interface. In essence, this is a variation of the previous group, except that the client machines are independent of the operating system, i.e. no matter what you are working on: Windows, Linux or others ... But then your browser may already matter.
3. VK, where the server part is installed at the service provider, and the client part is installed on the operator’s computer. Here we come to quite a modern architecture VK. Typical representative in RuNet - Live Operator . Let's try to understand the advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the price. Such systems are connected on a subscription fee basis. The main disadvantage lies in the client part. In order to get started, you need to install the client program of the service provider on the computer of all operators. In addition, you lose mobility. Now, if you want to look at what is happening on your site or need to communicate with operators or clients, you will need, in addition to the standard login and password, an installed program. The program must not forget to update that in the conditions of a large number of operators - a disadvantage. The developers of such systems are also forced, either to consciously limit themselves to the Windows system, or to support both Linux and Mac OS, and generally speaking about mobile platforms. As of this writing, there are no such systems in RuNet, as far as I know. In fairness, it should be noted that some providers of this group provide a web-based interface, which is somewhat easier compared to the application for the operating system. Well, what are the advantages? Compared to the next group, the CPU load of the service provider is somewhat reduced (but not the customer!). On the other hand, you are signing a contract with a supplier, and in the case of a scheme with a monthly fee, you certainly should not take care of the servers.
4. VC, where the server part is located at the service provider, and access to the client part is provided from the operator’s computer via the web interface. Well, we got to the most, in my opinion, modern and promising model of software architecture. Fans of computer technology have long been familiar with the concept of when the core of the program is “spinning” on the server of the service provider, and the client works with the program from his computer through a regular browser. The apologist and the main driving force behind this concept is Google. Many people have been using its Gmail software products, the Google Docs office suite, and others for a long time ... It is Google that offers a version of the operating system that is free from overkill and minimal requirements for the user's system resources. All that you need to complete the work in it is Internet access. All programs are installed on the supplier’s servers, and you work with them through a regular browser. The same thing happens with VK systems built according to this scheme. Pluses are obvious: easy installation and configuration. In fact, you only need to register in the system and install the active code on the pages of your site. In addition, your site is accessible to you from any system where there is a browser. From any roadside internet cafe. Examples of systems built on this principle: Netrox SC , Marva , etc ... The main disadvantage of such systems was the inability to notify the operator of the visitor’s arrival / call by pop-up prompts on the desktop. For this, it was necessary to use additional agents, which are installed for this purpose, on the operator’s machine. But progress does not stand still and browsers are improving. The most advanced systems, for example, Netrox SC, are already taking advantage of the possibility of receiving notifications to the desktop without auxiliary “tray-sounders”.
Transport and messaging operator interface
1. Operator interface - ICQ, Jabber, etc. At first glance, the idea seems interesting. “Seeing” a visitor in his own ICQ window, isn't it bad, right? And for developers, this is a great help - you do not need to write your own interface and transport. But, the most serious problem of systems with this implementation is the lack of a specialized interface for working with visitors. All programs * of this group work through a standard interface, the standard web messenger, such as jabber-ICQ, which is simply “not sharpened” for professional work with a list of visitors to your site. That is why I would not recommend large companies to use such systems. In addition, a feature of the technology is that the operator simply does not “see” the visitor until he has answered the operator’s invitation. The paradox is that the system itself sees all visitors and sends them standard invitations, but the operator sees only those who answered! Those. Select a visitor from the list and send him an individual call with personalized text - it will not work. About this “unpleasant feature”, the developers of such systems, of course, do not blow at every corner. Therefore, the implementation of the “active visitor call” function is called a “pseudo-active call”. Another drawback is the difficulty of implementing such a tool as an offline form. In some systems, it is simply not there. Want examples? Please - Krible system. In these systems, there is a difficulty in transferring a call from a visitor to another operator, as well as communication of several consultants with one visitor. All this is necessary for large companies with a large number of operators. What are the advantages? They too are. First of all, it is a habit to communicate through a favorite instant messenger, where you have the entire contact list. The downside is that operators who do not use messengers may not want to install it on their computer at all. Another significant advantage of such systems is the ability to work with site visitors using a mobile device messenger that supports the appropriate protocol.
2. Own interface. Actually ... Based on the above, for full-fledged work, I would choose among systems with a specialized interface and transport. In any case, I would recommend large companies and companies with a large number of operators to look for just such systems, since they exist.
* Again, in fairness, it should be noted that there are systems that use both the web interface and have the ability to use instant messengers, like ICQ. True, these are foreign systems.
')
Active Visitor Call feature
Hereinafter, it is implied that the full implementation of this function should be able to see ALL of your website visitors in real time and be able to call ANYONE of them into a dialogue with the original invitation.
1. Absent. You might be surprised, but many systems do not have this function. Even in basic versions of commercial products, this feature is sometimes missing. Look, for example, at the rates of the company Marva, where in the cheapest (900 p. (Sic!)) Tariff , this function is deliberately curtailed.
2. Present. In general, you understand ... "Do you have an active call at this rate?" This is the first question that you have to ask the seller of online consulting systems.
Price
The pricing policy of companies selling VC depends on the software configuration, i.e. the functions available to the customer, the number of operators in the system and, in the case of subscription fees, the period of service provision.
1. Subscription fee. This option of charging allows the company to develop as dynamically as possible. It is modern. This method is applicable only for systems with an installation method of 3 or 4. The subscription fee varies widely from 300 r. up to 2000 p. for the operator. There are also higher price tags. In any case, you need to understand what is offered for the money and what features you need.
2. One-time purchase of a license. As a rule, these are systems from groups 1 and 2 and they are characterized by all the pros and cons of this group. Companies like Webim practice this way. Although Webim has a version with a monthly fee, which appeared relatively recently and proves once again that the developers have exhausted all the possibilities for the development of the program in this scheme. This method is outdated, although at the first stage it seems like a good deal. But I recommend large companies to think about the future fate of the supplier and product support. A small company may well use the scheme with a monthly subscription fee, and it may be that such a model will be more profitable.
3. Free. As a rule, these are systems from groups with installation method 1 and 2. The exception is the free version of the Netrox SC lite system , which works in method 4. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this is either “homemade”, with errors, insufficient functionality and not supported by the author. Or systems, for example, the powerful foreign project Livezilla , which can be attributed to the following group, where important functions: such as the logo of the developer of the online consulting system, cannot be removed from the visitor’s window. After all, few serious companies will like to advertise someone else's system on their corporate website? Or the absence of such a function as geo-targeting, which allows to determine the location of the site visitor and many others. But it’s possible to remove restrictions only for money.
4. Free with paid extra features. For example, the project Siteheart, where VC is free, but the developers hope that the system will be used to make electronic payments, for money, of course.
We walked through almost all the versions of the VC, presented in RuNet. In any case, if you decide to install a VC, you will almost certainly not regret the money spent. And each head of a sales or service department is simply obliged to try this tool in order to conclude that it is advisable to use a VC within his company. Fortunately, almost all firms provide an opportunity to test their product. Try and make a good choice!
PS In the second part I will tell you more about the capabilities of VK systems.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/122589/
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