Live chat scripts are short, reusable lines for the moments that come up in every website chat: the greeting, the question you need to ask, the hold, the answer, and the goodbye. Good ones sound like a person typing, not a policy being read out. Below are 30 scripts grouped by moment, with the rule for when each one works.
The one to copy first, for any new chat:
Hi [name], I'm [agent name]. I can see you're on the [page name] page.
What can I help you with?
Key Takeaways
- Chat is not email. Keep each message to one or two sentences and send the answer in pieces rather than one long block.
- Reply to the first message within a minute, even if it's only to say you're looking into it.
- Use the page the visitor is on. "I can see you're on the returns page" saves them from explaining.
- Never leave silence. If something takes more than a minute, say so.
- End with a clear goodbye so the visitor knows the chat is over and can come back.
How live chat scripts differ from email templates
Chat happens while the customer is on your site, so it rewards speed and short turns. An email template packs the whole answer into one message; a chat script splits it into small messages and checks in between.
| Live chat | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expected first reply | Within a minute or two | Within hours |
| Message length | One or two sentences | A full answer |
| Tone | Conversational, typed | Complete, structured |
| The customer is | On your page right now | Somewhere else |
For email replies at every stage of a ticket, see our customer support email templates.
Live chat scripts by moment
Greetings
1. Standard greeting
Hi, I'm Alex from [company]. What can I help you with today?
2. Returning customer
Welcome back, Sam! Is this about your order from last week, or something new?
3. Using the page they're on
Hi! I can see you're looking at the [product] page. Any questions I can answer?
4. Busy queue
Hi, thanks for waiting. I'm Alex and I'm with you now. What can I help with?
Proactive messages
A proactive message is one your team sends first, to a visitor who hasn't written yet. Send it when behavior suggests they're stuck, never the moment they land.
5. Long time on pricing
Hi! Comparing plans? I'm happy to help you pick the right one.
6. Checkout hesitation
Hi, anything stopping you at checkout? I can answer questions about delivery or payment.
7. Help center visitor
Looking for something in our help articles? Tell me what you're trying to do and I'll point you to it.
8. Returning visitor with an open order
Hi Sam, your order is on its way. Want the tracking link?
In Conecto, agents see who is on the site and which page they are viewing in live visitors, and can write to a visitor from there.
Asking for information
9. One clear question
To check that for you, could you share your order number? It's in your confirmation email.
10. Verification
Before I look at your account, I'll send a code to your email. Could you paste it here when it arrives?
11. Clarifying the problem
Just to make sure I understand: the discount code is accepted, but the total doesn't change?
Putting the customer on hold
12. Short hold
Let me check that for you. It'll take about two minutes.
13. Longer hold
This needs a closer look, so it may take 5 to 10 minutes. You can stay here, or I can email you the answer. Which do you prefer?
14. Coming back from hold
Thanks for waiting, Sam. Here's what I found:
15. Still working on it
Still on it. Our warehouse system is slow today, so I need another couple of minutes.
Answering
16. Step-by-step answer
Here's how to change your delivery address:
- Open your order from the confirmation email.
- Tap "Change address".
- Save, and you'll get a new confirmation.
17. Linking to help
This article walks through it with screenshots: [link]. Want me to stay while you try it?
18. Checking it worked
Did that work on your side?
When the answer is no
19. A clear no with an alternative
We can't ship to that country yet, I'm sorry. What I can do is [alternative].
20. Feature not available
That isn't possible in [product] today. I've passed your request to our product team, and here's a workaround in the meantime: [workaround].
Upset customers
21. Acknowledge first
I'm sorry, that's frustrating, especially after waiting all week. Let me sort it out now.
22. Taking ownership
You shouldn't have had to chase this. I'll handle it myself and stay with you until it's fixed.
23. When you need to escalate
This needs our billing team, and I want it fixed properly. I'm bringing in [name], who can see our whole chat.
More lines for moving a chat from a bot or one agent to another person are in our chatbot handoff message examples.
Sales questions
24. Recommending a plan
For a team of 6, most customers pick [plan]: it includes [key feature]. Want me to walk through the difference with [other plan]?
25. Price objection
Totally fair. If budget is the concern, [cheaper option] covers [what they need] for [price].
26. Booking a demo
A quick call would answer that best. Here's a link to pick a time that suits you: [link].
Closing the chat
27. Checking for anything else
Is there anything else I can help with today?
28. Goodbye
Great, glad that's sorted. Have a good day, Sam!
29. Chat going quiet
I haven't heard back in a few minutes, so I'll close this chat. If you need anything, just write here again and we'll pick it up.
30. After hours
Our team is offline until 9 AM CET. Leave your email and question, and we'll reply first thing.
Rules that make live chat scripts sound human
- Short messages, more of them. Two quick messages feel faster than one long one.
- Use their name, but not in every line. Once at the start and once at the end is enough.
- Say what you're doing. "Checking the order now" beats a silent pause.
- Match their tone. A visitor who writes "hey quick q" doesn't need "Dear customer".
- Rewrite the first line. Scripts give structure; the opening should respond to what the visitor actually wrote.
Common live chat mistakes
- Greeting with a question the page already answers. If they're on the refund page, don't ask what their question is about.
- Long silences. A minute of nothing feels like five.
- Copy-pasting whole help articles. Link the article and summarize it in one line.
- Closing without a goodbye. The visitor doesn't know whether you're still there.
- Proactive messages on every page. A popup on arrival trains visitors to close the chat.
Frequently asked questions
What is a live chat script?
A live chat script is a prepared line an agent uses in a website chat, such as a greeting, a hold message or a closing message, and adapts to the visitor's question.
How fast should you reply in live chat?
Send a first reply within a minute or two, even if it only says you're looking into it. Chat visitors are still on your site and can leave at any moment.
Should live chat greetings be automatic?
An automatic greeting is fine as a welcome, but the first reply to a real question should come from a person or an AI agent answering from your content, not a generic line.
How long should live chat messages be?
One or two sentences each. Split longer answers into several short messages, or link to a help article.
Can an AI chatbot use these scripts?
Yes, as examples of tone and structure. An AI agent should answer from your own content and hand over to a person with lines like scripts 21 to 23 when it can't help.
Put your scripts to work
Pick one line for each moment above, rewrite it in your brand's voice, and test the full flow with a colleague acting as the customer. To run live chat with an AI agent and your team in the same inbox, start a free Conecto workspace: live chat and the shared inbox are on the free plan.