Skill Level: Appropriate for all
UNL Chat is a free chat service (also known as live chat) that is available for use on all UNL websites. UNL Chat is delivered with the UNLedu Web Framework so that developers do not need to add any code to their sites in order to turn it on.
UNL Chat has two states, either online or offline and defaults to offline when an operator is not monitoring the site for live chats. In the offline state, UNLchat acts as a email form for visitors to submit questions or comments. These emails are routed to the site members as defined by the registry in UNL Web Audit. Members who have the role of operator in UNL Web Audit can go to the UNL Chat dashboard and set their status as available. When at least one operator is available for a site, the UNL Chat tab on the site will switch to the online mode, and visitors can have live conversations with the site's operators. Any UNL faculty member, staff member or student can operate a site. For more information, including how to configure your site, visit the UNL Chat FAQ.
Reasons to use UNL Chat
There are several reasons why you should use UNL Chat. According to the 2012 Nol-Levits E-Expectations Report, 69% of prospective students would use it to chat with faculty or students. It is a great way to engage with visitors in order to answer questions and help visitors find what they are looking for. Using UNLchat is easy, simply log in to the dashboard and set yourself as available. You will receive desktop notifications whenever someone has a question, so you can go about your normal work while being available to help website visitors.
Contributed By: IIM