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How-to guide

How to design the Chat Window

Chat Window design is configuration plus CSS plus testing. Each layer affects conversion and customer experience.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated May 20, 2026

Chat Window design is configuration plus CSS plus testing. Each layer affects conversion and customer experience.

  1. Configure the Embedded Service deployment

    Setup, Embedded Service Deployments. Configure branding (colours, logo, agent photo), pre-chat form fields, and proactive prompt rules.

  2. Keep the pre-chat form short

    Three or four fields maximum. Each additional field drops conversion. Collect what is needed for routing; ask for the rest after the conversation starts.

  3. Apply brand-aligned CSS

    Use CSS overrides to match the Chat Window to the parent site's branding. Fonts, button styles, and colour accents should feel like a natural extension of the site.

  4. Test on real mobile devices

    Render the window on iPhone and Android. Confirm typing, file upload, and scrolling work correctly. Browser developer tools approximate mobile but miss real-device defects.

  5. Iterate on proactive prompt rules

    Configure proactive prompts on high-intent pages (checkout, pricing) and avoid them on browse pages. Tune based on conversion data over the first month.

Gotchas
  • Heavy pre-chat forms drop conversion. Keep forms to three or four fields; collect the rest after the chat starts.
  • Branding mismatches between the parent site and the Chat Window erode trust. Apply CSS overrides to align.
  • Mobile-broken Chat Windows lock out large customer cohorts. Test on real devices.
  • Aggressive proactive prompts on browse pages feel intrusive. Tune trigger rules to high-intent contexts only.

See the full Chat Window entry

Chat Window includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.