Bioderma Medical Laser & Aesthetics wanted real time chat added to their website. I really wanted to find a solution that would be extremely easy for the site visitors (no leaving the site, nor having to download any plugins, or having to register or login) and easy and convenient for the client as well. Â After researching many different options, I found that having the client set up a free Google Talk account and incorporating a chatback badge into the site was most effective.
The Google Talk account presents numerous advantages for the client:
- it’s free
- is a full featured IM client
- can be accessed via an application or even through the browser
- Google Talk is compatible with other IM clients
- has a robust API
- features are continually being rolled out for Google Talk
- can be used on multiple devices (iPhone, etc.)
From the web visitors end, they just see a text bubble stating the status of the client. Â Whether they’re available or not for chat, busy, etc. Â If someone is available to chat all they have to do is click on the link and a chat session begins. Â No logging in, downloading software, etc. Â It’s very cool, and a great solution for incorporating real time chat into a website.