Highlights
- Co-browsing allows agents to help customers navigate web pages in a hands-on manner.
- Customers still maintain full control over the agent’s access to web browsers.
- RingCentral offers an optional add-on for contact center customers to help boost customer satisfaction.
Using a co-browsing solution for your contact center can make it easier for agents to resolve issues for customers who may be having trouble navigating your website. But how do you go about choosing the right co-browsing solution?
Understanding co-browsing
Co-browsing solutions allow contact center agents to access a customer’s web browser directly. This way, agents and customers can navigate the page and collaborate in real time, making it much easier to provide customer support and enhance customer engagement.
During a co-browsing session, agents are able to see what a customer sees. The agent can then either guide the customer accordingly, or take over and perform specific actions on the customer’s behalf.
Agents are limited in the amount of control they have during these interactions. Instead, the customer is in control. This makes co-browsing a secure and effective solution for businesses to improve customer experience.
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How to choose a co-browsing solution for your contact center
Co-browsing solutions are readily available to contact centers. Given all the options out there, it’s important for contact center managers to assess their specific needs and choose a co-browsing solution that most closely suits their criteria.
Here are a few features to consider before making a decision:
Easily integrates into existing systems: Co-browsing solutions should be able to integrate into a current customer relationship management system or other third-party platform.
Gives customers full control: To make customers feel comfortable knowing that their sensitive information is kept safe, the co-browsing tool should provide them with full control over what the agent is able to see or not see.
Provides customers with a code to access co-browsing mode: Customers who communicate with contact center agents via telephone will need a code to enter into the system to initiate a co-browsing session.
Built with webRTC technology: A co-browsing solution that’s built with this technology will enable real-time communication between customers and agents on both mobile apps and browsers. As such, no downloads, installations, or plugins will be needed.
Supports omnichannel communications: Co-browsing can be initiated via live chat, video chat, or telephone call.
Identifies each party’s cursor: To minimize confusion over who is doing what onscreen, named cursors are used to clearly identify both the agent and the customer’s actions.
Provides support on mobile apps without switching to a mobile browser: Co-browsing tools should feature mobile SDK to help avoid the need to move to a mobile browser when agents are offering assistance to mobile app users.
Let agents mark up the screen for visual instruction: Annotation tools are available that allow agents to write, highlight, and draw on the web page to help give the customer clearer visual instructions.
Supports omnichannel communications: Co-browsing can be initiated via live chat, video chat, or telephone call.
Identifies each party’s cursor: To minimize confusion over who is doing what onscreen, named cursors are used to clearly identify both the agent and the customer’s actions.
Provides support on mobile apps without switching to a mobile browser: Co-browsing tools should feature mobile SDK to help avoid the need to move to a mobile browser when agents are offering assistance to mobile app users.
Let agents mark up the screen for visual instruction: Annotation tools are available that allow agents to write, highlight, and draw on the web page to help give the customer clearer visual instructions.
How do co-browsing and screen-sharing differ?
In a co-browsing session, the customer can share his or her screen with the agent to allow for visual instruction. But doesn’t this sound a lot like screen sharing? How do they compare?
Both are visual engagement tools, but they do have their distinct differences:
| Co-Browsing | Screen Sharing |
| No download required | An application must be installed by both the agent and customer before the screen can be shared |
| Agents can only see the customer’s active web browser tab | Agents can see the customer’s full desktop, including other tabs |
| Agents can perform actions on behalf of the customer | Agents are unable to perform any actions on behalf of the customer |
| Agents cannot see any of the customer’s sensitive data | Agents can see all information displayed on the screen, including private information |
Co-browsing allows for a more efficient, convenient, and secure way to help customers when sharing web browsers.
How safe is co-browsing?
To ensure that customers feel comfortable sharing their screens with contact center agents, it’s imperative that the co-browsing session incorporates measures to keep all sensitive and private information confidential.
Co-browsing is very safe thanks to the policies and measures in place. Here are some ways to know whether or not a co-browsing solution has security built in:
Data masking protects sensitive information: Customers have full control over what the agent can see on screen thanks to data masking features.
Agent controls are restricted: Customers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to starting and ending a co-browsing session and completing transactions or buying products.
No software to download: Sometimes downloading applications can come with certain risks of viruses. Fortunately, co-browsing tools do not require any downloads or installations, so this risk is eliminated.
Only the active tab is visible to the agent: During a co-browsing session, the agent can only see the active browser tab that the customer needs help with. All other tabs or items on screen will not be visible to the agent.
Codes are needed to start a session when initiated via telephone: If communications between an agent and customer are taking place by phone call, the customer will need a PIN to start a co-browsing session. This gives the customer control over whether or not a session begins.
At RingCentral, we offer an add-on co-browsing solution that incorporates all of the safety measures and convenient features listed above. Not only can agents and customers collaborate easily and effectively, but customers can also feel safe knowing their information is secure.
Speak with a representative from RingCentral today to request your free demo.
Originally published May 17, 2022, updated Jul 24, 2024
