Missing a live chat request hurts both customer satisfaction and conversion rates. Social Intents gives you multiple notification channels so your team knows the moment a visitor starts a conversation. Browser desktop notifications, email alerts, mobile push notifications, and platform-specific notifications through Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Chat can all be configured to fit your workflow. Below is every notification option, how to set each one up, and tips for making sure no chat goes unanswered.
Notification Channels Overview
Social Intents supports five notification channels. You can use one or combine several to create a multi-layered alert system that reaches your agents wherever they are.
| Channel | Ideal para | Setup Required | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser Desktop Notifications | Agents actively working at their computer with the chat console open | None - built in | Gratis |
| Email Notifications | Backup alerts and agents who check email frequently | Enable per agent | Gratis |
| Pushover Mobile Notifications | Agents on the go who need mobile push alerts on iPhone or Android | Pushover account + user key | $5 one-time (Pushover app) |
| Platform Notifications (Teams, Slack, Google Chat) | Teams already using a collaboration platform | Platform integration setup | Free with integration |
| Sound Alerts | Audio notification when a new chat arrives in the console | None - built in | Gratis |
Browser Desktop Notifications
Browser desktop notifications are the primary real-time alert channel for agents using the Social Intents web dashboard. When a new chat request arrives, a native operating system notification appears on your screen - even if the chat console tab is minimized or in the background.
Cómo funciona
Social Intents uses the Atmosphere real-time framework to maintain a persistent connection between the chat console and the server. When a visitor initiates a chat, the system broadcasts a notification to all connected agent consoles through the /chat/notification/{accountId} channel. This triggers a browser desktop notification on every agent's machine.
Enabling Browser Notifications
Troubleshooting Browser Notifications
If you are not receiving browser notifications, work through the checks below. Start with the browser-specific steps, then check system-level settings.
Google Chrome
- Check the site permission - Click the lock (or tune) icon in the address bar next to the URL. Find Notifications in the dropdown. If it says "Block," change it to Allow. Reload the page.
- Reset via Chrome settings - Go to
chrome://settings/content/notifications. Under "Not allowed to send notifications," find the Social Intents domain. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select Remove. Reload the chat console - Chrome will prompt you again and you can click Allow. - Check global notification toggle - At the top of
chrome://settings/content/notifications, make sure "Sites can ask to send notifications" is enabled. If it is set to "Don't allow sites to send notifications," Chrome blocks all notification prompts site-wide. - Check Chrome is not muted - If you use Chrome profiles, each profile has its own notification permissions. Confirm you are checking settings in the correct profile.
Microsoft Edge
- Check the site permission - Click the lock icon in the address bar. Find Notifications and change it to Allow if it shows "Block." Reload the page.
- Reset via Edge settings - Go to
edge://settings/content/notifications. Under "Block," find the Social Intents domain, click the three-dot menu, and select Remove. Reload the chat console to get the permission prompt again. - Check "Quiet notification requests" - Edge has a "Quiet notification requests" toggle at
edge://settings/content/notifications. When enabled, Edge suppresses the notification prompt and shows a small bell icon in the address bar instead of a popup. If you missed the prompt, disable this setting temporarily, reload the chat console, and re-allow notifications.
Safari (macOS)
- Check website notification settings - Open Safari, go to Safari (menu bar) > Settings > Websites > Notifications. Find the Social Intents domain in the list and set it to Allow.
- Remove and re-add - In the same settings panel, select the Social Intents domain and click Remove. Close Settings, reload the chat console, and Safari will show the notification permission prompt again. Click Allow.
- Check macOS notification settings for Safari - Go to System Settings > Notifications > Safari. Make sure "Allow Notifications" is turned on. Set the alert style to Alerts or Banners (not "None").
System-Level Checks (All Browsers)
- macOS Focus / Do Not Disturb - Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar and check if a Focus mode is active. Focus modes silently suppress all notifications. Either disable the Focus mode or add your browser as an allowed app under System Settings > Focus > your active focus > Allowed Apps.
- Windows Focus Assist / Do Not Disturb - On Windows 10, go to Settings > System > Focus Assist. On Windows 11, check Settings > System > Notifications > Do not disturb. Either disable it or add your browser to the priority list.
- Windows notification settings - Go to Settings > System > Notifications and confirm your browser (Chrome, Edge) is listed and set to "On."
- Hard refresh the console - Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) to force reload the chat console and re-establish the real-time connection. A stale WebSocket connection can silently stop delivering notifications.
- Close duplicate tabs - If you have the chat console open in more than one tab, notifications may only fire in one of them. Close duplicates and keep a single console tab open.
Email Notifications
Email notifications send an email to the agent's registered email address every time a new live chat request arrives. This serves as a reliable backup channel, especially for agents who may not have the chat console open at all times.
Enabling Email Notifications
Once enabled, you will receive an email each time a visitor initiates a chat. The email includes basic information about the chat request, allowing you to quickly open the chat console and respond.
Pushover Mobile Push Notifications
For agents who need to receive chat alerts on their mobile device, Social Intents integrates with Pushover, a third-party push notification service. Pushover delivers real-time push notifications to iPhone, iPad, Android devices, and desktop computers.
What Is Pushover?
Pushover is a notification service that allows applications to send push notifications to your devices. It has a one-time cost of $5 per platform (iOS or Android) after a 30-day free trial. There are no recurring fees. Pushover is lightweight, reliable, and designed specifically for this type of application alert.
Setting Up Pushover Notifications
Pushover Notification Behavior
When Pushover is configured:
- You receive a push notification on your phone/tablet for every new incoming chat
- The Stay Available feature is automatically enabled, keeping you listed as online even when not logged into the web dashboard
- You can respond to chats by opening the Social Intents web dashboard on your mobile browser
- Notifications are instant - powered by the Atmosphere real-time framework on the backend and Pushover's push infrastructure on the mobile side
Platform-Specific Notifications
If your team uses Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat, Webex, or Zoom, incoming chat requests are delivered directly into your platform as messages. This means your team never needs to leave their collaboration tool to receive notifications or respond to chats.
Microsoft Teams
When Social Intents is integrated with Microsoft Teams, all incoming chat requests appear as messages in your configured Teams channel. Agents can respond directly from Teams without opening the Social Intents web dashboard. Desktop and mobile Teams notifications alert your team automatically based on their Teams notification settings. See the Microsoft Teams integration guide for setup instructions.
Slack
With the Slack integration, incoming chats appear as messages in your designated Slack channel. Agents can respond to visitors directly from the Slack interface. Slack's built-in desktop and mobile notifications ensure your team is alerted immediately. This is particularly effective because most teams already have Slack open throughout the day. See the Slack integration guide for setup details.
Google Chat, Webex, and Zoom
Similar to Teams and Slack, integrations with Google Chat, Webex, and Zoom deliver chat notifications through the respective platforms. Each integration delivers incoming chat requests as messages in a designated space or channel, leveraging the platform's native notification system. See the respective integration guides for setup instructions:
Notification Best Practices
Layer Your Notifications
Do not rely on a single notification channel. The most effective teams use browser notifications as their primary alert (immediate, visual), email notifications as a backup (for when the console is not open), and push or platform notifications for mobile coverage. Layering these channels means no chat slips through the cracks.
Set Response Time Expectations
Configure your chat widget's greeting message to set clear expectations. If your average response time is under 30 seconds, say so. Visitors are more patient when they know someone will respond shortly. Fast notifications enable fast response times, which directly impact visitor satisfaction and conversion rates.
Use Platform Integrations for Team Visibility
When you route notifications through Microsoft Teams or Slack, all team members can see incoming chats in the channel. This creates natural accountability - everyone can see whether chats are being answered promptly. It also allows team members to collaborate on complex questions by discussing in the channel before responding to the visitor.
Configure Quiet Hours on Your Devices
If you use Pushover for mobile notifications, configure quiet hours in the Pushover app settings to avoid being woken by chat notifications outside your working hours. Alternatively, use the online schedule to automatically take the widget offline during off-hours, which prevents notifications entirely.
Monitor Notification Delivery
Periodically test your notification setup by initiating a test chat. Have a team member visit your website and start a conversation. Verify that all configured notification channels fire correctly. Browser permission changes, email client updates, and app updates can sometimes disrupt notification delivery without warning.
Notification Comparison by Use Case
| Scenario | Recommended Notifications |
|---|---|
| Solo operator, always at desk | Browser notifications + email backup |
| Solo operator, frequently away from desk | Pushover mobile + email + Stay Available |
| Small team using Slack | Slack channel notifications + browser notifications |
| Enterprise team on Microsoft Teams | Teams channel notifications + email notifications |
| After-hours coverage with AI | Online schedule to go offline + AI chatbot handles conversations |
| Distributed team across time zones | Platform notifications + email + scheduled widget hours |
Preguntas frecuentes
Do I need to pay for notifications?
Browser, email, and platform-based notifications are all free. The only cost is Pushover, which is a one-time $5 purchase per platform (iOS or Android) from the Pushover app. There are no recurring notification fees from Social Intents.
Can I receive notifications on both my phone and computer?
Yes. You can have browser notifications on your computer, Pushover on your phone, and platform notifications in Teams or Slack - all at the same time. Each channel works independently.
Why am I not receiving browser notifications?
The most common causes are: browser notification permissions are set to "Block," system-level Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is enabled, or the chat console tab was closed. Check your browser permissions, system notification settings, and ensure the chat console tab is open.
Can I disable notifications for specific widgets?
Email and Pushover notifications are per-agent settings and apply to all chats. Platform-specific notifications (Teams, Slack) are per-widget based on the integration configuration. You can control which widgets route to which channels through the integration setup.
What happens if I use Pushover with Stay Available enabled?
Your agent status remains "Online" even when you are not logged into the web dashboard. When a visitor starts a chat, you receive a Pushover push notification on your phone. You can then open the Social Intents dashboard in your mobile browser to respond. This is ideal for after-hours or on-the-go support.
Do notification emails contain the visitor's message?
Notification emails alert you that a new chat has been initiated. They include basic information about the chat request. To view the full conversation and respond, open the chat console in your browser.
Can Admins configure notifications for other agents?
Yes. Admins and Owners can open any agent's profile and enable or disable email and Pushover notifications. This is useful when onboarding new agents - Admins can configure the notification settings before the agent logs in for the first time.
Is there a way to receive SMS text message notifications?
Social Intents does not send native SMS notifications directly. However, you can get SMS alerts through Pushover, which supports forwarding push notifications as text messages. Also, most email providers offer email-to-SMS forwarding, which can convert email notifications into text messages.