In this guide, we will learn about the Visitors Verification setting in Chatway which helps you to identify returning visitors, instantly access their past conversations, and secure the conversation between the visitor and the agent so that you can provide more personalized and secure support to the logged in users on your custom-coded websites.
Chatway is a live chat application designed to enhance real-time communication between you and your customers. By integrating a customizable chat widget into your website, Chatway enables immediate assistance, fostering improved customer satisfaction and engagement.
You can also access and manage chats on the go with Chatway’s mobile applications for iOS and Android devices. Please check our easy visual guides here: https://chatway.app/help/mobile-apps
With that being said, let’s dive in!
Who Is It For?
This feature is designed for any custom platform that has a login system and wants to provide users with a seamless chat experience.
If your platform requires users to log in, you can integrate this feature, regardless of the technology stack you use (PHP, JavaScript, Laravel, React, etc.).
Step 1: Go to Chatway Settings > Visitors Verification and click on the toggle icon beside Enable Visitors Verification to activate the setting.
Step 2: Under Select The Identifier heading, choose User ID or Email ID based on how you manage user authentication in your system. User ID should be the unique identifier assigned to each user in your system (e.g., database user ID) and Email ID should be the user’s registered email in your system.
Note: If you switch from User ID to Email ID (or vice versa), you need to generate a new security key to maintain data integrity and prevent conflicts.
Step 3: Copy the Security Key and save it in your backend as it will be used to encrypt user data before sending it to Chatway.
Step 4: Add the provided script to your website before the Chatway installation code. This script will hash the User ID or Email ID using the secret key and will send the encrypted data to Chatway for verification. Once Chatway receives the hash ID, it verifies its authenticity and loads past conversations for the logged-in user.
You can either select the Basic JavaScript option if you want a single JavaScript code or the Single-page App option if you want different codes for your backend and frontend. You can also change the language from PHP to Node.js, Rails(Ruby), and Django(Python 3) depending upon your app.
Note: Please make sure to follow the comments in the code and change the information asked to ensure proper functioning.
Step 5 (Optional): You can do additional customizations by assigning tags or custom data to users. For example:
tags: [{ name: 'VIP', color: '#FFD700' }],
customFields: [{ name: 'Subscription Plan', value: 'Premium' }]And that’s it! By following these steps, you’ll successfully complete the visitor verification. Below is some additional information to help you better understand how it works behind the scenes, and the key takeaways.
How It Works Behind the Scene
When a user logs into your website, their User ID or Email ID is used to generate a hash-ID, which is then sent to Chatway’s backend along with the chosen identifier. Chatway verifies the hash and retrieves any past conversations. This enables the chat widget to load the user’s conversation history, ensuring a seamless experience for returning users.
Key Takeaways
User ID vs. Email ID: Choose one carefully—this affects how users are identified.
Security Key: A new key must be generated when switching identifiers.
Seamless Chat History: Users can continue past conversations securely.
- This feature is not needed if Chatway is used only for anonymous visitors.
- Ensure your security key remains private and is stored securely in your backend.
Now, your users can enjoy a smooth and secure chat experience with their history intact.
To read more such guides, please don’t forget to check our entire Chatway knowledge base to make the most out of it.