Live chat is immediate, but visitors do not always arrive during your team’s working hours. A useful offline experience should accept the question first and ask for contact details only when they are actually needed.
Why email is requested after the message
When no operator is online, the Lavenity widget changes its status to “Leave a message — we’ll get back to you.” After the visitor sends their first message, the widget offers a compact email form. It does not interrupt people before they explain what they need, and it stays hidden when an operator is available.
The address is validated in the browser and again by the server before it is saved to the visitor. Once capture succeeds, the widget remembers that an email is already available, including on a return visit, instead of asking the same person after every message.
How offline contact capture works
Open dashboards receive the email update in real time. The address appears in the conversation list and chat header, participates in conversation search, and can be copied with one click when an operator needs to follow up outside the live session.
The original message still lands in the shared inbox with its full conversation history. If the previous thread was closed, a new visitor message reopens it. The email adds a way to continue the relationship; it does not replace the context the visitor already provided.
What the team sees in the shared inbox
This creates a calmer offline flow: let the customer describe the issue, collect one reliable return channel, and give the team both pieces together when they come back online.
Set an honest offline expectation
The widget status should explain that the team is offline and give a realistic idea of when it will return. Do not promise a specific number of minutes unless the workflow can support it. After the first message, explain briefly that email is requested so the team can continue the conversation when an operator is available.
Do not treat the collected address as automatic consent for marketing. It exists to continue a specific support conversation and should be processed under the business privacy policy. A newsletter or campaign requires its own clear consent instead of silently expanding the purpose of collection.
Frequently asked question
Does the widget ask every visitor for an email address?
No. The form appears after the first message only when every operator is offline and no email is already saved. If an operator is available or the visitor profile already has an address, the prompt stays hidden.