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LibraryH3lp is software used by libraries, educators, and non-profits for better customer service.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Hello Dashboard and 3mail


We have lots of exciting news to share!   The admin site has a new, modular design and a new name: dashboard.  Plus we've added three new features to the webclient for staffing: streamlined log in workflow, improved networking, and simple email module we lovingly call 3mail.  The updates are live on the main US server as well as the EU and SG regional servers.

Hello, Dashboard

We've transitioned from a monolithic admin site to a modular dashboard system.  The biggest visual change is a sidebar navigation menu that replaces the tabs across the bottom.  
New Dashboard menu: expanded and collapsed.  The menu can be expanded at any time by clicking the menu icon at the top.
If you peer a bit closer, you'll also notice that each menu item (chat history, chat reports, etc.) has its own URL.   This comes in super handy if you like to load pages as separate tabs within your browser or want to bookmark a specific administration page.

Webclient streamlined log in workflow

The dashboard (formerly known as the admin site) has always supported auto-authentication based on browser session cookies.  That is, if you haven't logged out, you can revisit later in that same browser session without having to log in again.  However, the webclient for staffing required a fresh login each visit.  We've removed that restriction and, like the dashboard, you'll be able to go straight to the queue selection dialog if you have already authenticated during that browser session.  

But there's more!  When you log into the webclient for staffing (or dashboard), by default, you get a session cookie, which is good for the duration of that particular browser session.  If you click the 'Remember me' option, instead, you'll get a cookie that remains valid for 14 days and persists between browser sessions (restarts).

If you staff from a shared computer, you'll want to stick with the default and not use the 'Remember me' option.  Either type of login ends when you logout from either the webclient or the dashboard.

Webclient networking improvements

The webclient and our server are in constant contact, verifying the network connection, to make sure that you'll be able to successfully answer incoming chats.  When that connection is disrupted, an auto-reconnection sequence begins that ultimately results in a successful reconnection or a notification to the operator of the error so that the operator can log in again.  We've reworked the networking in the webclient to better weather poor network conditions like dropped packets or low connectivity over wireless networks.

Hello, 3mail

LibraryH3lp already offers several points for email integration - tag for follow-up for chatsemail address or contact page for FAQs, and forwarding guest emails in reply to emailed transcripts.  But true to Zawinski's Law, your LibraryH3lp subscription now includes unlimited use of our new module, 3mail!


3mail provides a simple email system that is available from the webclient navigation menu and can be connected to one or more queues within your account.  Each queue represents a shared mailbox from which any operator assigned to a queue can view and send email.  Like Gmail, there are labels for categorization and email archiving features.

The webclient's Tag for Followup feature integrates with 3mail so staff can answer questions that need email followup after a chat is over.  You can also use your 3mail addresses to receive emails from places like web forms.  This way, the webclient can function as one-stop-shopping for email and chat interactions.

To get started with 3mail, please contact support.

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