Your agent profile is what website visitors see when they chat with you on Social Intents. The display name, profile photo, and job title you configure create the first impression for every conversation. A well-configured profile builds trust, makes interactions feel personal, and helps visitors know they are speaking with a real person. Below is every profile setting available to agents and administrators, how to configure them, and best practices for creating profiles that drive engagement.
Accessing Your Profile Settings
Every agent can access and edit their own profile, regardless of their role. Admins and Owners can also edit any agent's profile from the Agents management page.
Personal Information Settings
The Personal Information section contains fields used internally for account management and login. These settings are not displayed to website visitors.
| Field | Description | Visible to Visitors? |
|---|---|---|
| Real Name | Your full legal name. Used in internal reports, the agent list, and administration. This is not the name visitors see during chats. | No |
| Your login email address. Also used for email notifications when new chats arrive. Must be unique across the account. | No | |
| Password | Your login password. Can be changed at any time. When an admin creates your account, a random 10-character password is auto-generated if one is not specified. | No |
| Role | Your permission level: Agent, Manager, Admin, or Owner. Only Admins and Owners can view and change this field. See the Adding and Managing Team Members guide for role details. | No |
| Timezone | Your local timezone. Used for scheduling accuracy, reporting timestamps, and ensuring your online schedule reflects the correct hours. Select from the standard timezone dropdown. | No |
Agent Display Settings
The Agent Display section controls what visitors see when they interact with you in the chat widget. These settings directly impact the visitor experience and should be configured thoughtfully.
Display Name
The Display Name (also called Nickname) is the name shown to website visitors during a chat conversation. It appears in the chat header, next to your messages, and in any pre-chat greetings that include the agent's name. Your Real Name is never shown to visitors - only the Display Name appears.
Choose a Display Name that is friendly, approachable, and consistent with your brand's communication style. Common approaches include:
- First name only - "Sarah" - Creates a casual, friendly feel suitable for most businesses
- First and last name - "Sarah Johnson" - More formal, appropriate for professional services
- First name and initial - "Sarah J." - Balances professionalism with privacy
- Team name - "Support Team" - Useful when you want to present a unified team identity rather than individual agents
Profile Photo
A profile photo adds a human face to your chat conversations. When the Show Agent Photos setting is enabled on your chat widget, the agent's photo appears in the chat window alongside their messages. Photos are also displayed on pre-sales pages and in multi-agent selection screens.
Uploading Your Photo
To remove your photo, click the Remove Image button on your profile page. This clears the photo field and the widget will display a default avatar instead.
Photo Requirements and Recommendations
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Recommended Size | 50 × 50 pixels (displayed at this size in the chat widget) |
| Maximum File Size | 4 MB |
| Supported Formats | JPG, PNG, GIF |
| Storage | Amazon S3 (secure cloud storage) |
| Best Practice | Use a clear headshot with good lighting on a neutral background |
Job Title / Position
The Position field lets you display a job title alongside your name in the chat widget. This helps visitors understand who they are speaking with and adds credibility to the interaction. Examples include:
- Support Specialist
- Sales Representative
- Customer Success Manager
- Technical Support Engineer
- Account Executive
The job title appears below the agent's Display Name in the chat header. If left blank, no title is shown. This field is optional but recommended for businesses that want to convey professionalism and expertise.
Online Status
Your online status determines whether you receive incoming chat requests. There are two ways to manage your status: manual toggle and automated schedule.
Manual Status Toggle
The simplest way to control your availability is the manual online/offline toggle on your profile page. Set your status to Online when you are ready to accept chats, and Offline when you are unavailable. You can also toggle your status directly from the chat console without visiting your profile page.
When you go offline manually:
- You stop receiving new chat requests
- Active conversations you are already handling continue until completed
- If you are the last agent to go offline, all widgets without an active schedule switch to offline mode
- Offline widgets display the offline message and contact form (unless hidden)
Schedule-Based Status
If your widget has an online schedule configured, the schedule takes priority over the manual toggle. When the schedule is active, the manual toggle is disabled and shows "(Using Schedule)" to indicate that your availability is controlled by the schedule. See the Online Schedule vs. Manual Status guide for detailed setup instructions.
Stay Available Feature
The Stay Available setting keeps your status as "Online" even when you are not actively logged into the dashboard. This is useful for agents who use mobile push notifications (such as Pushover) and want to remain available to receive chat alerts on their phone. When Stay Available is enabled, your session expiring or closing the browser does not set you to offline.
Profile Settings for Admins Managing Multiple Agents
If you are an Admin or Owner, you can edit any agent's profile from the Agents page. Open the Agents list, click on the agent you want to manage, and update any field. This is useful for:
- Onboarding new agents - Set up their display name, photo, and job title before they log in for the first time
- Role changes - Promote an agent to Manager or Admin when their responsibilities change
- Group assignments - Add or remove agents from departments as teams restructure
- Correcting information - Fix typos in display names or update email addresses
- Removing photos - Remove inappropriate or outdated profile photos
Changes to an agent's profile take effect immediately. If you change an agent's role, their permissions update on the next page they load in the dashboard.
How Profile Information Appears in the Chat Widget
Understanding where your profile information appears helps you configure it for maximum impact. Here is how each element is used in the chat experience:
| Profile Field | Where It Appears |
|---|---|
| Display Name | Chat widget header, alongside messages, pre-chat greeting, agent selection screen |
| Profile Photo | Chat widget header, beside messages (if Show Agent Photos is enabled), agent selection screen |
| Job Title | Below the Display Name in the chat header |
| Real Name | Admin dashboard only - agent list, reports, internal references |
| Not shown to visitors. Used for login, notifications, and admin contact |
Best Practices for Agent Profiles
Use Professional, High-Quality Photos
A clear, well-lit headshot creates trust and humanizes the chat experience. Avoid blurry images, group photos, or images where your face is not clearly visible. If your organization prefers not to use real photos, consider using a consistent branded avatar or illustration style across all agents.
Keep Display Names Consistent
Decide on a naming convention for your team and stick with it. If you use first names, all agents should use first names. If you use full names, all agents should follow the same format. Consistency strengthens your brand identity across every chat interaction.
Set Your Timezone Correctly
An incorrect timezone leads to scheduling issues and inaccurate reporting. If you work remotely or travel, update your timezone to reflect your current location. The timezone setting is used by the online schedule feature to determine when your widget should be available.
Add a Job Title
Even if your role is general, a job title like "Customer Support" or "Team Member" adds context. For sales-focused teams, titles like "Account Executive" or "Sales Specialist" signal that the visitor is speaking with someone who can help them make a decision.
Review and Update Periodically
Set a reminder to review agent profiles quarterly. Update photos that are outdated, correct job titles that have changed, and verify that timezone settings are accurate. Keeping profiles current ensures the best possible visitor experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can visitors see my real name?
No. Visitors only see your Display Name, profile photo, and job title. Your Real Name and email address are used internally for administration and reporting only and are never exposed in the chat widget.
What size should my profile photo be?
The recommended size is 50 × 50 pixels. Larger images are automatically scaled down. Supported formats are JPG, PNG, and GIF, with a maximum file size of 4 MB.
How do I enable or disable agent photos in the chat widget?
Agent photos are controlled by the Show Agent Photos toggle in your widget settings. This is a widget-level setting, not an agent-level setting. Even if agents have uploaded photos, they will not appear unless an Admin enables this toggle on the widget.
Can I use the same display name for multiple agents?
Yes, technically multiple agents can use the same display name. Some teams set all agents to display as "Support Team" to present a unified brand. However, if you want visitors to know they are speaking with a specific individual, each agent should have a unique display name.
What happens if I do not upload a photo?
If no photo is uploaded, the chat widget displays a default avatar icon. The chat experience functions normally - only the visual element differs.
Can agents change their own role?
No. Only Admins and Owners can view and modify the Role dropdown on an agent's profile. Agents cannot elevate their own permissions.
What does the Stay Available setting do?
Stay Available keeps your status as "Online" even when you are not logged into the dashboard. It works well for mobile agents who use push notifications and want to continue receiving chat alerts on their phone when away from their computer.
How quickly do profile changes take effect?
All profile changes take effect immediately upon saving. Updated display names, photos, and job titles appear in the very next chat session.
Can I use a company logo instead of a personal photo?
Yes. The profile photo field accepts any image file, including company logos or branded avatars. If your organization prefers a unified visual identity rather than individual headshots, you can upload the same branded image for every agent. Keep in mind that the image is displayed at 50 × 50 pixels, so simple logos with clear shapes work best at that size.
Does changing my display name affect past chat transcripts?
Chat transcripts store the display name used at the time of the conversation. Changing your display name going forward does not retroactively update the name shown in historical transcripts. Future conversations will use the updated display name.