“Hi there! How can I help you today?”

It’s the greeting on most website chat widgets, and most visitors ignore it. Not because they don’t have questions, but because the greeting gives them nothing to reply to.

Think about who’s actually on your site. Someone on your pricing page is wondering whether a plan fits their team. Someone on your checkout page is wondering how much delivery costs. One generic greeting can’t speak to both of them, but a greeting written for the page they’re on can.

Below are 40 live chat greeting messages you can copy: 30 grouped by the page or situation they’re for, and 10 for specific industries. You’ll also find how to fix a generic greeting, when to show yours, and how to make sure someone’s there to answer.

What makes a good live chat greeting?

The greetings that get replies tend to do four things:

• They fit the page. A visitor on your returns page has a different question from one on your homepage. Speak to the one they’re most likely to have.
• They’re short. People glance at a chat bubble. They don’t read it like an email, and one or two sentences can be a lot
• They make the first reply easy. A specific question like “Want to know which plan fits your team?” is easier to answer than “How can we help?” Buttons are easier still.
• They only promise what you can deliver. If your greeting says “We reply instantly,” someone, or something, has to reply instantly.

Keep those in mind as you go through the examples. Swap anything in [brackets] for your own details, and adjust the wording to sound like your brand. If you haven’t settled on a voice yet, our guide to creating a chatbot persona will help.

40 live chat greeting messages by page and industry

Homepage and general greetings

Your homepage gets every kind of visitor, so these greetings stay broad but still give people a clear next step.

1. The simple welcome

Hi, welcome to [Brand]. Have a question about [what you sell]? Ask here and we’ll help you find what you need.

Use it when: you want one dependable greeting for your homepage.

2. The first-time visitor

New here? We help [who you serve] [do what]. Ask me anything, or pick an option below.

[See how it works] [Pricing] [Talk to sales]

Use it when: many visitors arrive without knowing what you do.

3. The signpost

Not sure where to start? Tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll point you to the right page.

Use it when: your site has lots of products or pages, and people get lost.

4. The personal touch

Hi, I’m [Name] from [Brand]. If you have a question, ask it here. I’m happy to help.

Use it when: you’re a small team and want visitors to know there’s a real person behind the business.

Pricing page greetings

Visitors on your pricing page are close to a decision. Their questions are usually about fit and cost, so answer those directly.

5. The plan matcher

Trying to pick a plan? Tell me how many people will use it, and I’ll suggest the right one.

Use it when: you have several plans and people aren’t sure which to pick.

6. The billing question

Questions about pricing? Ask me anything, from what’s included in each plan to how billing works.

Use it when: your pricing has add-ons, usage limits, or anything else people ask about.

7. The feature check

Not sure if [Plan] has what you need? Ask me about any feature before you sign up.

Use it when: visitors often upgrade later because they missed a feature on a lower plan.

8. The trial nudge

Want to try it before you pay? Ask me how the free trial works.

Use it when: you offer a free trial and want more people to start one.

Product page greetings

On a product page, the visitor already likes something. The greeting’s job is to clear up whatever’s stopping them from buying it.

9. The product expert

Questions about [product]? Ask about sizing, materials, or delivery, and I’ll answer right away.

Use it when: you sell physical products and someone (or an AI) can actually answer right away.

10. The size helper

Not sure which size to get? Tell me the size you usually wear, and I’ll help you choose.

Use it when: sizing questions are a common reason for returns.

11. The comparison

Deciding between [product] and [other product]? Ask me, and I’ll explain the difference.

Use it when: you sell similar products and shoppers can’t tell them apart.

12. The alternative finder

Looking for something similar in a different color or price range? Tell me what you have in mind.

Use it when: you have a large catalog and want to keep shoppers from leaving when one item isn’t quite right.

Cart and checkout greetings

A question at checkout is often the last thing between a visitor and a sale. Keep these greetings short and focused on finishing the order.

13. The last question

Anything stopping you from checking out? Ask me about delivery, returns, or payment.

Use it when: you want to catch hesitation before people leave their cart.

14. The delivery date

Wondering when it’ll arrive? Orders placed today usually arrive by [day]. Ask me if you have any other questions.

Use it when: delivery time is one of the most common questions you get.

15. The payment helper

Having trouble paying? Tell me what’s happening, and I’ll help you finish your order.

Use it when: you want a safety net for failed payments and checkout errors.

Demo and lead generation greetings

For B2B companies, the goal is to turn a curious visitor into a conversation with sales. These greetings ask for a little information and offer something useful in return.

16. The demo offer

Want to see how [product] would work for your team? Tell me a bit about what you need, and I’ll help you book a demo.

Use it when: a demo is your main way of winning new customers.

17. The evaluator

Comparing [product category] tools? I can answer your questions now or set you up with a call with our team.

Use it when: visitors are likely to be comparing you with competitors.

18. The no-pressure option

Just browsing, or ready to talk to someone? Both are fine. Let me know which, and I’ll help.

[Just browsing] [Talk to sales]

Use it when: you want to separate ready-to-buy visitors from researchers without scaring anyone off.

For more on what to do once a lead starts chatting, see how chatbots qualify leads.

Help and support page greetings

Visitors on help pages already have a problem. Get to it quickly.

19. The order check

Need help with an order? Send me your order number, and I’ll take a look.

Use it when: “Where’s my order?” is your most common support question.

20. The help center backup

Couldn’t find your answer in our help center? Ask here, and I’ll help.

Use it when: you have help articles, but people still get stuck.

21. The troubleshooter

Having trouble with [product]? Tell me what’s happening, and I’ll help you fix it or get you to someone who can.

Use it when: some problems need a person, and you want visitors to know they’ll get one.

Greetings for returning visitors and customers

If you know who the visitor is, because they’re logged in or have chatted before, use it. Just don’t guess.

22. The welcome back

Welcome back, [first name]. Anything I can help with today?

Use it when: the visitor is logged in and you have their name.

23. The repeat customer

Good to see you again. Need help with a recent order, or looking for something new?

Use it when: returning customers usually come back either to buy again or to check on an order.

24. The trial check-in

Hi [first name], your trial ends in [number] days. Any questions before then?

Use it when: you run a free trial and want to catch questions before it ends.

After-hours greetings

When your team is offline, the greeting has one job: tell people what happens next.

25. The honest offline message

We’re offline right now, but leave your question, and we’ll reply by [time]. You’ll get the answer right here.

Use it when: a person answers every chat, and nobody’s working out of hours.

26. The always-on answer

Our team is back at [9 a.m.], but you don’t have to wait. Ask your question, and I’ll answer what I can now and pass the rest on.

Use it when: an AI answers chats out of hours and hands anything it can’t solve to your team in the morning.

27. The contact collector

We’re closed for the night. Leave your email and your question, and we’ll get back to you first thing tomorrow.

Use it when: visitors might not come back to your site, so you need another way to reach them.

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Greetings for busy times

During a sale, a launch, or a busy afternoon, tell visitors honestly what to expect.

28. The honest wait time

We’re busier than usual, so replies may take around [15 minutes]. Ask away, and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.

Use it when: your team is stretched, and you’d rather set expectations than miss them.

29. The self-service option

It’s a busy day here. While you wait, you may find your answer in our [help center].

Use it when: many of the questions coming in are already answered in your help articles.

30. The sale-day shortcut

Lots of questions about our [sale] today. Here are the quick answers: [link]. Still need help? Ask here.

Use it when: you’re running a promotion and expect the same few questions over and over.

Greetings for specific industries

The rules stay the same in every industry, but what visitors want changes. Someone on a clinic’s website usually wants an appointment, and someone on an agency’s site wants to know whether you’re a fit. Open with that.

31. Real estate

Looking at homes in [area]? Tell me your budget and how many bedrooms you need, and we’ll shortlist a few that fit.

Use it when: visitors browse listings but rarely get in touch.

32. Education and online courses

Not sure which course is right for you? Tell me what you want to learn and where you’re starting from, and I’ll suggest the best place to begin.

Use it when: you offer several courses or levels, and people aren’t sure which to choose.

33. Clinics, gyms, and wellness

Want to book a session? Tell me which day suits you, and I’ll check what’s available.

Use it when: most of your chats are about booking appointments, and your booking calendar is connected to your chat.

34. Financial services

Questions about fees, eligibility, or how to apply? Ask here. If it’s about your account, we’ll connect you with our team.

Use it when: general questions can be answered in chat, but anything account-specific needs a person.

35. Agencies and consultants

Thinking about a project? Tell me what you need in a sentence or two, and we’ll let you know if we’re a good fit.

Use it when: you want to qualify leads before booking a call.

36. SaaS onboarding

Just signed up? Tell me what you want to get done first, and I’ll show you the quickest way to do it.

Use it when: new users sign up and then go quiet.

37. Hotels and travel

Planning a stay? Tell me your dates and how many guests, and I’ll check availability for you.

Use it when: you want more direct bookings and can check availability from the chat.

38. Restaurants

Booking a table or ordering for a group? Tell me the date and how many people, and we’ll sort it out.

Use it when: group bookings and catering requests come in through your website.

39. Car dealerships

Interested in a test drive? Tell me which model and when suits you, and we’ll book you in.

Use it when: visitors browse your stock but don’t fill in the test-drive form.

40. Local services

Need a quote? Tell me what needs doing and where you’re based, and we’ll give you a price range.

Use it when: you’re a cleaner, plumber, electrician, or any other service business that gets lots of quote requests.

These greetings only start the conversation. For what to say next, we’ve put together 50+ chat scripts for customer support teams.

Which greeting goes on which page, and should it pop up?

A greeting can appear in two ways. A reactive greeting waits until the visitor opens the chat. A proactive greeting pops up on its own, usually as a small message bubble next to the chat icon. Proactive greetings get noticed more, but they also interrupt more, so it’s worth deciding page by page.

Here’s how it all fits together: each page, what visitors there are usually wondering, the greetings that suit it, and whether to pop up or wait.

Pop-ups work best on pages where people are making a decision, like pricing, product, and checkout pages. On a blog post, a pop-up is more likely to annoy people than help them. When you do use one, a few rules keep it helpful:

• Don’t pop up the second someone lands. They haven’t read anything yet, so they don’t have a question. Give them time to look around first.
• Keep it small on mobile. A greeting that covers half the screen gets closed straight away. A short bubble is enough.
• Show it once. If someone closes the greeting, don’t show it again on every page they visit.

If you’re not sure, follow the table: wait on most of your site, and pop up only on your pricing, product, and checkout pages. You’ll soon see where people actually start chatting.

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3 live chat conversation examples (greeting, reply, and handoff)

A greeting only starts the conversation. These three show how a good one carries on, so you can use them to train your team or test your AI before it goes live.

1. Pricing page

Greeting: Trying to pick a plan? Tell me how many people will use it, and I’ll suggest the right one.

Visitor: There are 6 of us, mostly doing customer support.

Reply: Thanks! With 6 people, [Plan] is the best fit. It includes [number] users and [the feature support teams use most]. Want me to explain what’s included, or send you a link to start a free trial?

Why it works: the reply uses what the visitor said and ends with two easy next steps.

2. Order question on a help page

Greeting: Need help with an order? Send me your order number, and I’ll take a look.

Visitor: #20417. It was meant to arrive yesterday.

Reply: Sorry about that. Order #20417 left our warehouse on [date] and is with [courier]. Here’s the tracking link: [link]. If it hasn’t arrived by [day], reply here, and I’ll pass it to our team to sort out.

Why it works: it answers with specifics and says what happens if that isn’t enough.

3. After hours, with a handoff

Greeting: Our team is back at 9 a.m., but you don’t have to wait. Ask your question, and I’ll answer what I can now and pass the rest on.

Visitor: I was charged twice for my order.

Reply: I’m sorry, that’s frustrating. A refund needs one of our team to check it, so I’ve passed this to them with your order details. They’ll reply here when they’re back at 9 a.m., and you won’t need to explain it again.

Why it works: a billing problem needs a person, and the reply doesn’t pretend otherwise. It says when the customer will hear back and that they won’t have to repeat themselves. For more on getting this moment right, see our guide to chatbot-to-human handoff.

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5 live chat greeting mistakes (and how to fix them)

Most greetings that get ignored make one of five mistakes. Here’s what each one looks like and what to write instead.

The pattern is the same each time: say what the visitor is doing, ask one easy question, and only promise what you can deliver. If fast replies are the hard part, these 8 ways to reduce response time will help.

How to set up automated chat greetings in Heyy

Start with greetings for two or three pages that matter, like your homepage, your pricing page, and after hours. Make sure something can answer before you polish the wording.

In Heyy, that means adding live chat to your site and hiring an AI Employee that answers from your business information. You set its brand name and how it introduces itself, then decide when it should hand over to your team. Our guides to adding a chat widget to your website and automating customer messages with AI walk through the setup step by step.

Once it’s live, read your first week of conversations. They’ll show you which greetings to write next.

Live chat greeting FAQs

1. What should a live chat greeting say?

It should speak to the question a visitor on that page is most likely to have, and make it easy to reply. For example, on a pricing page: “Trying to pick a plan? Tell me how many people will use it, and I’ll suggest the right one.”

2. How long should a live chat greeting be?

One or two short sentences. Visitors glance at a chat bubble rather than read it, so anything longer tends to get skipped, especially on mobile.

3. Should I use the visitor’s name in the greeting?

Only when you actually know it, for example, when the visitor is logged in. A greeting that gets someone’s name wrong does more harm than one that uses no name at all.

4. Is it okay to use emojis in a chat greeting?

Yes, if they suit your brand. One emoji can make a greeting feel friendlier, but several can make it look like spam. If your brand voice is more formal, leave them out.

5. What should a live chat greeting say after hours?

Tell visitors your team is offline, when they’ll get a reply, and where the reply will show up. If an AI answers out of hours, say what it can help with now.

6. What’s the difference between a live chat greeting and a welcome message?

Most people use the two terms for the same thing: the first message a visitor sees in your chat. If there’s a difference, it’s timing. A welcome message usually appears when someone opens the chat, while a greeting can also pop up on its own.

7. How many live chat greetings do I need?

Fewer than you might think. Start with three: one for your homepage, one for your pricing or product pages, and one for after hours. Once you can see which pages people actually chat from, write greetings for those.

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