Pre-chat survey for visitors
Ask visitors for contact details and an initial question before chat, using reusable forms with configurable expiry.
What it is
A pre-chat survey asks visitors for details before ordinary chat starts. You can collect contact information, an initial question and custom answers. Reusable surveys can have different wording, department choices and expiry rules.
Who uses it and why
People with the Settings role decide which details to ask for and when to ask again. Visitors provide those details before continuing. Operators use the submitted information to understand the request and identify the visitor.
Where to find it
With the Settings role, open Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey to manage definitions. Select a survey in Settings › Chat › Themes, under General › Settings.
How it works
When live assistants are available and a new chat needs intake, INSIDE displays the configured survey. An active chat normally bypasses it, although a visitor event can request another survey. Privacy consent can be required first, and a chat link can disable the survey for that entry path.
Visitors fill in the enabled fields and select the start-chat button. Required answers, invalid email addresses, invalid phone numbers, a required department or an unaccepted disclaimer can prevent submission. The form blocks repeated submission while it processes the request. After acceptance, chat continues or a configured pre-chat task starts.
Previously saved values can prefill fields. Expiry controls how long completion remains valid:
- Never keeps completion valid for the recognised visitor without a session-end or chat-end reset.
- Session End asks again after the visitor's session expires.
- Chat End asks again after chat ends, when the visitor returns to the pane or navigates and starts again.
Configure it
Create or edit a survey and enter Prechat Survey Name. Under Default Fields, enable the details you need and select Required beside each answer you must collect. Add translated labels, Pre-Chat Header Text and Start Chat Button Label.
Use Custom Fields for additional questions and Disclaimer/Department for a disclaimer and department choices. Select Pre-Chat Survey Expiry. Where calling is enabled, configure Start A Call and Call Type. CRM creation options appear only for the relevant enabled integration.
Save the survey and select it in the relevant theme, or use Set as Default in the survey list. Setting a default clears the previous default. Unset as Default can leave the website without a default survey.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Chat Survey | Settings › Chat › Themes › General › Settings | website | Not set: use the website's default survey if one exists | Settings role | Choose a reusable survey for the theme; the website's default survey can apply when no specific survey is selected. |
| Pre-Chat Survey Expiry | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Never | Settings role | Keep completion valid indefinitely for the recognised visitor, until Session End, or until Chat End. |
| Ask for Full Name | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Include the visitor's full name in the form. |
| Ask for Email | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Include an email address field. |
| Ask for Phone | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Include a phone field with country-aware number validation. |
| Ask for Company | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Include a company field. |
| Ask a Question | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Ask for the visitor's initial question before ordinary chat. |
| Required | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off for each standard field | Settings role | Require an answer for the associated enabled name, email, phone, company or question field. |
| Show Field Labels | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Show labels above the fields rather than as inline placeholders. |
| Show Disclaimer | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Display the configured Chat Disclaimer on the intake form. |
| Visitor must agree to disclaimer | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Block submission until the visitor accepts the displayed disclaimer. |
| Start A Call | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Start the audio or video call sequence through the pre-chat form. |
| Call Type | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Default Video Settings | Settings role | Use Default Video Settings or select 2-Way Video Call, 1-Way Video Call or Audio Call. |
| Do not allow Chat during Call | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Off | Settings role | Prevent ordinary chat during a call started through this survey. |
| Pre-Chat Header Text | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Not set: no custom introduction | Settings role | Supply the visitor-facing introduction in each configured language. |
| Start Chat Button Label | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Start Chat in English; translated for other languages | Settings role | Supply the text on the form's start-chat button. |
| Chat Disclaimer | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | Not set: no disclaimer text | Settings role | Supply the disclaimer displayed when Show Disclaimer is enabled. |
| Agree Text | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | website | I Agree | Settings role | Supply the label for the disclaimer acceptance control. |
Fields
| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prechat Survey Name | Settings › Chat › Pre-Chat Survey | Yes | Name the reusable definition, using 1 to 50 characters after surrounding spaces are removed. |
Permissions
| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Create and edit reusable pre-chat surveys, their defaults and theme selection. |
Limits and good to know
- Survey names must contain 1 to 50 characters after trimming surrounding spaces.
- If Ask a Question is enabled, saving requires its question text in the website's default language.
- Clearing Show Department also clears its forced-selection and dropdown options when saved.
- Clearing Start A Call clears Do not allow Chat during Call when saved.
- Never does not mean the same person will be recognised on another browser or device.
- Communication opt-ins are separate from permission to begin chat.
Depends on and works with
+7 more · this feature uses
- Visitor chat status and waitingRelated
Availability and an existing conversation affect whether the pre-chat survey appears.
- Department selection before chatEnhances
A survey can include department selection.
- Custom fields in visitor formsEnhances
Custom fields add structured questions and validation.
- Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-insConfigured by
Privacy consent can precede intake; disclaimer acceptance and communication opt-ins have separate purposes.
- Chat links for visitorsConfigured by
A chat link can disable pre-chat intake for its entry path.
- Joining calls and approving Co-BrowseEnhances
A survey can start an enabled audio or video call.
- Visitor chat languages and text directionEnhances
Survey labels, text and custom choices support language variants.
+11 more · used by
- Chat links for visitorsConfigured by
Configured pre-chat forms or tasks can gate chat entry.
- Joining calls and approving Co-BrowseConfigured by
Pre-chat can request audio or video permission and control text-chat availability during the call.
- Legacy chat pane settingsEnhances
Older panes support pre-chat with version-specific behaviour.
- Previous chat history for visitorsConfigured by
A visible pre-chat form with conversation-end or session-end expiry can defer earlier-history loading.
- Proactive chat invitationsEnhances
Clicking an invitation can open pre-chat intake.
- Virtual Assistant task setupEnhances
A pre-chat survey can collect details before a task starts.
- Virtual Assistant task steps and branchesEnhances
Pre-chat intake can use a task before a conversation begins.
- Browser video and audio callsConfigured by
Pre-chat survey settings can start an audio or video call and restrict text chat during it.
- Contact matchingEnhances
Pre-chat forms can supply identifying information.
- Salesforce leads and Zendesk contact creationConfigured by
Pre-chat intake controls automatic CRM capture.
- Customer survey and NPS reportsEnhances
Pre-chat intake supplies the Pre-Chat Survey report.
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- Starting, ending and expiring chatsRelated
Chat End survey expiry asks for intake again after the conversation ends.
- Contact matchingEnhances
Submitted contact details can help identify or match a contact.
- Salesforce leads and Zendesk contact creationEnhances
Enabled CRM creation options can create a lead from intake details.
- Visitor event rules and actionsConfigured by
Visitor events can select a different pre-chat survey or task.
- Visitor identityEnhances
Browser recognition lets returning visitors reuse valid survey completion and saved details.
- Visits and returning visitorsRelated
Session End survey expiry follows the visitor session rather than each page load.
- Visitor chat paneRequires
The pre-chat survey is displayed within the visitor chat pane.
- Visitor chat themes and brandingConfigured by
The theme selects and presents the pre-chat survey.
- Visitor chat status and waitingRelated
Availability and an existing conversation affect whether the pre-chat survey appears.
- Department selection before chatEnhances
A survey can include department selection.
- Custom fields in visitor formsEnhances
Custom fields add structured questions and validation.
- Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-insConfigured by
Privacy consent can precede intake; disclaimer acceptance and communication opt-ins have separate purposes.
- Chat links for visitorsConfigured by
A chat link can disable pre-chat intake for its entry path.
- Joining calls and approving Co-BrowseEnhances
A survey can start an enabled audio or video call.
- Visitor chat languages and text directionEnhances
Survey labels, text and custom choices support language variants.
Used by
- Chat linksEnhances
A link can invoke the configured pre-chat survey or task.
- Visitor chat themes and brandingEnhances
A pre-chat survey adds an intake form to the themed visitor experience.
- Chat accessibility and keyboard navigationConfigured by
Pre-chat survey settings control persistent field labels and the wording used to name form controls.
- Visitor messages and sending feedbackConfigured by
Required pre-chat intake can precede ordinary messaging.
- Department selection before chatConfigured by
Pre-chat survey settings control department selection in the current pane.
- Custom fields in visitor formsConfigured by
Pre-chat surveys define their custom questions and requiredness.
- Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-insConfigured by
Pre-chat supplies the distinct email and text opt-in controls.
- Chat tasks and topics for visitorsEnhances
A following task can reuse details collected by the pre-chat survey.
- Chat links for visitorsConfigured by
Configured pre-chat forms or tasks can gate chat entry.
- Joining calls and approving Co-BrowseConfigured by
Pre-chat can request audio or video permission and control text-chat availability during the call.
- Legacy chat pane settingsEnhances
Older panes support pre-chat with version-specific behaviour.
- Previous chat history for visitorsConfigured by
A visible pre-chat form with conversation-end or session-end expiry can defer earlier-history loading.
- Proactive chat invitationsEnhances
Clicking an invitation can open pre-chat intake.
- Virtual Assistant task setupEnhances
A pre-chat survey can collect details before a task starts.
- Virtual Assistant task steps and branchesEnhances
Pre-chat intake can use a task before a conversation begins.
- Browser video and audio callsConfigured by
Pre-chat survey settings can start an audio or video call and restrict text chat during it.
- Contact matchingEnhances
Pre-chat forms can supply identifying information.
- Salesforce leads and Zendesk contact creationConfigured by
Pre-chat intake controls automatic CRM capture.
- Customer survey and NPS reportsEnhances
Pre-chat intake supplies the Pre-Chat Survey report.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why is the survey not appearing?
Check the selected theme, survey expiry, existing chat and assistant availability. A chat link or visitor event can change the intake path.
Why is a visitor asked again?
Check whether expiry is Session End or Chat End. The visitor may also have a new browser identity, or an event may request another survey.
Why will the form not submit?
Check the highlighted required fields, email and phone format, department choice and disclaimer acceptance.
Can I show different forms to different visitors?
Yes. Themes and visitor events can select different reusable surveys. Maintain the language variants for each one.