General FAQs
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How much does Melu cost?
Pricing is based on the volume of raised conversations you are projected to receive each month. If you are already using one of the channels we cover, we can calculate the price from that. If not, the free trial period (Live Chat and Facebook Messenger)...
I'm looking for a job.
Thanks for your interested with working for us. Unfortunately we are not currently hiring.
Do you charge for every chat/conversation?
No, we only charge based on how many raised conversations we handle. So you could have 100 conversations in a month, but if only 50 of them were raised, those will be the ones the price is based on. Our standard rate for Live Chat, WhatsApp and Facebook...
How is the price calculated?
We charge based on the number of raised conversations we handle per month. For Live Chat and Facebook Messenger, we can calculate this during the free trial. For WhatsApp, the first month is a fixed price, and number of raised conversations handled defi...
Do I get a discount if I pay annually?
We currently only offer monthly payments on a flexible rolling 30-day contract.
How do I get started with Melu?
For Live Chat and Facebook Messenger, we offer a free trial. For WhatsApp, we don't offer a free trial, but have a fixed set-up fee and first month price for unlimited conversations 24/7 so you can see the benefits. Once you sign-up for any channel(s), ...
After your free trial has ended
We don’t tie you in with long contracts, so at the end of your trial, it’s up to you whether or not you continue using Melu. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] During the review call we’ll confirm the cost per month based on the number of conversations we raised and a ...
Can I cancel any time?
Yes you can! We offer a rolling 30-day contract, with each month paid in advance. If you don’t wish to continue using Melu, simply email us here – support@meluchat.com – and we won’t invoice you again. You will still be able to use Melu on your website ...
How long is the contract?
We offer a rolling 30-day contract, with each month paid in advance. There is no commitment to continue after the free trial or first month.
Do you offer a refund if it doesn't work?
If you received little or no chats during your free trial, you are not committed to continue on a paid account. If you have paid for the first month of WhatsApp, we don't offer a refund, but you can cancel before the next month starts. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS...
Can I make changes to the knowledge base?
Absolutely! You can edit existing knowledge base articles or add new ones via the client portal. If it’s easier, you can send the changes to us (support@meluchat.com) and we’ll do it for you!
What is the knowledge base?
The knowledge base contains questions that we expect your visitors to ask, and the answers for those questions. We create this for you based on the information on your website. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] The knowledge base also has a guide for our operators and...
Will Melu work on my website?
Yes, so long as you or your web developer can add custom code to it. Most popular website builders allow you to do this, but we do know of some GoDaddy hosting accounts that don’t. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] If you’re not sure, please contact us onsupport@meluc...
How will I know when someone has been chatting on my website?
Every time we handle a chat on your website, it’s logged in your client portal. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] If the chat is a lead, or something that requires your attention, it’ll also be emailed to you. In the client portal, you can set which of these chats you...
What information does a chat email notification include?
We include all the vital information about the chat:Visitors name, email address and telephone number (unless they choose not to share this information)Subject – the main objective of the chatFull chat transcript – everything that was said between the v...
My business is regulated, so how will your operators handle complex/technical questions?
We work with lots of businesses that are regulated, and it’s not an issue, as we will never attempt to answer technical questions or give advice. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Think of Melu as your online reception – we’ll answer simple day-to-day questions and gu...
What is the client portal?
The client portal is a secure area where you can see the following:All the conversations we’ve handled since the start of your account, across any channels you're using.Statistics showing the number of conversations we’ve handled sorted by tag.A user ad...
What are tags?
When a conversation has been completed, our operator will wrap it up, making sure all the relevant information is recorded. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Part of the wrap-up is to assign a tag based on the outcome of the chat. Every chat is tagged, and all of them...
Who receives email notifications?
We can send email notifications to as many users as you’d like. By default, the only user on your account will be the person who signed up initially. They will have admin rights in the client portal and will be able to add more users there. [PAUSE 10 SE...
Does Melu really use people to answer messages?
We certainly do! Since we started Melu back in 2018, we’ve only ever answered chats with our team of real human operators. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Just like with telephone calls, we believe Live Chat, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are better with real people!
Do you work with appointment booking systems, e.g. Calendly?
Yes! We can work with anyonline calendar system, including popular ones like:CalendlyMicrosoft BookingsAcuity SchedulingSimplyBook.meGoogle Calendar
Where are you based?
We are based in Oxford, UK and manage Live Chat, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for clients globally.
Where are your operators located?
Every member of our operator team is based in the UK and Philippines.
How do I use webhooks?
Adding a webhook to Melu is simple. Once you’ve started creating the integration in either Zapier, Make or IFTTT, they’ll give you a webhook URL to use. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] In your client portal, go to the section Team Webhooks, and you’ll be able to ad...
Why should my business website use Melu?
Potential customers seeking products or services often have pressing needs. Human-operated live chat from Melu enables your business to engage with website visitors in real-time, confirm they’ve found the right solution, and guide them toward making pur...
Why should I have live chat on my site?
Human‑operated live chat helps you turn more visitors into customers by combining real expertise with genuine conversation. Instead of generic automated replies, real people guide prospects, answer questions clearly, and build trust in the moment it mat...
Why do websites need live chat anyway?
Live chat gives website visitors a fast, convenient way to contact a business while they’re already browsing. Instead of waiting for emails or filling out forms, customers can ask questions and get answers in real time. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Being able to ...
Do you offer a free trial?
Yes, for Live Chat and Facebook Messenger we offer a free 14-day trial so you can see the results risk-free. For WhatsApp, due to complexity and set-up, we don't offer a free trial. Instead, there's a set-up fee and fixed charge for the first month. [PA...
How much work is it to get started?
Unlike other messaging providers, we make sure that your input is minimal, so you can focus on what’s important – growing your business. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] All you’ll need to do is approve our knowledge base once we've onboarded you – no programming, no...
Where do you operate?
We operate globally, with clients in the UK, Europe and USA.
What payment methods does Melu accept?
Most of our clients pay their regular monthly invoices through an automated payment service called GoCardless. This also known as a Direct Debit in the UK and ACH in the USA. It is a safe service that you have complete control of. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] We ...
Does a chatbot ever answer messages?
No, never. Every message is always answered by a real person.
What languages do your operators chat in?
All our operators are native English-speaking, but through our messaging software we can communicate is almost any language, thanks to translation tools. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] If a visitor starts a conversation in a language that is not English, it is dete...
Does Melu integrate with other software services?
We don’t have any direct integrations with other software, but you can add webhooks via your client portal. This opens up a huge range of possible integrations via third-party services like Zapier, Makeand IFTTT, including major CRMs and email marketing...
Why is Melu so expensive?
Actually, when you factor in the cost of doing it yourself, or using an AI chatbot, Melu's pricing is very reasonable. For example, our standard pricing works out at just 32p per hour for 24/7 coverage. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Most AI chatbot platforms charg...
Does the price change every month?
In most cases no, it doesn’t. We’re pretty flexible with the allowance that you’re paying for, and some months you may have a few more and others a few less. We keep the price per month the same in this situation. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] We only review the m...
What will WhatsApp cost after the 1st month?
Pricing is based on the volume of raised conversations you are projected to receive on average each month. This will be calculated from your initial month volume, so if you received up to 50 raised conversations during that time, your monthly price woul...
Why do businesses need Facebook messenger anyway?
Facebook Messenger gives customers a fast, familiar way to contact a business without visiting a website or filling in a form. People already use Messenger every day, so starting a conversation feels natural and easy. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Messenger is esp...
Can I download my invoices?
We will email your invoice to you automatically upon payment of the first month, then each month after that. [PAUSE 10 SEOCNDS] We don’t currently have the ability for you to download invoices, but you can always request them to be sent again here – sup...
Do you charge more if a conversation takes a long time to deal with?
We do not factor in the length of time a conversation takes, so there is no limit to this and no additional charges. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] The average conversation is around 7 minutes in length, with some taking up to an hour!
Review and prepare for launch!
Once everything is ready (always within 48 hours!), we’ll send you your login details for your client portal and the code you need to add to your website to make Melu appear. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] In the client portal, you can review and edit the knowledge...
What happens once Melu is live?
Once Melu is live, your free trial (Live Chat and/or Facebook Messenger) or first month of WhatsApp has begun, and you’ll start seeing the benefit of having real people available to your prospects 24/7. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] At this point, we’ll book in a ...
Can you guarantee I'll get chats/conversations?
We cannot guarantee that conversations will occur on your website, WhatsApp or Facebook page, as it is up to your prospects to start a conversation with us. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] This is the reason we offer a free trial period for Live Chat and Facebook – ...
What happens if I don't get any chats/conversations?
We don’t tie you in with long contracts, so at the end of your free trial (Live Chat or Facebook) or first month (WhatsApp), it’s up to you whether or not you continue using Melu. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] If it looks like the lack of engagement could be due t...
Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
We don’t, but instead we offer a free trial for Live Chat and Facebook Messenger so you can test our service without financial commitment. For WhatsApp, the first month is paid for, but you can cancel at the end of that month if you wish.
How many chats should I expect?
This varies depending on the industry you operate in or how niche your products/services are, but generally we recommend that you have at least 500 visitors a month to see value in our service. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Most of our best performing clients have...
How many website visitors do I need to make live chat effective?
This varies depending on the industry you operate in or how niche your products/services are, but generally we recommend that you have at least 500 visitors a month to see value in our service. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Most of our best performing clients have...
Can you work with B2B or B2C businesses?
Absolutely! Our clients are fairly split between B2B and B2C businesses. No matter who your audience is, we’ll make sure they are handled professionally and swiftly.
My business is niche, how will your operators understand what we do?
When you sign-up, we will create a knowledge base of information for our operators. This comes from your website, plus any additional information you send to us before launch. These can include manuals, FAQs sheets, fact-sheets and brochures. [PAUSE 10 ...
Do I get a discount if I have more than 1 account?
Yes you do! We offer a 20% discount on each additional account.
How long after sign-up before I can go live?
For Live Chat and Facebook Messenger we guarantee to have everything ready for you to go live within 48 hours of sign-up of the free trial. For WhatsApp, it takes around 7 days. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Once everthing is ready, it is up to you as to when you ...
I've got more than 1 website, can I have multiple accounts?
Yes, of course. If you have more than one account with us, these can be linked in the client portal so that you can access them with one login account. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Each account is unique and will have its own knowledge base, users, colour scheme ...
Is there a lot of work involved to go live?
Not at all! We do all the work to get your account and knowledge base set-up within 48 hours of sign-up. All you need to do is review the knowledge base and arrange for our chat widget code to be added to your website. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Most of our cli...
How will Melu know what to say to my visitors?
When you sign-up, we create a knowledge base of questions that we expect your visitors to ask, and the answers for those questions, based on the information on your website. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] The knowledge base also has a guide for our operators and a ...
Will the Melu chat widget look good on my website?
It certainly will! We can match the colours of the chat widget and chat window to fit your brand, so that our live chat looks like it’s part of your website. If you have a version of your logo in white or another single colour, we can add that to the ch...
How do I add the Melu code to my website?
To get Melu working on your website, as piece of JavaScript code needs to be added. Normally your web developer will be able to do this for you. If your website is built in WordPress, we have a plugin that makes the job easy. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] You can ...
Why do businesses need WhatsApp anyway?
WhatsApp gives customers a fast, familiar way to contact a business using an app they already trust and use every day. There’s no need to visit a website or fill in forms—customers can simply send a message and get a quick response. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] B...
Can you book meetings/calls via live chat?
Yes we can! And we don’t just provide the visitor with a link to you booking calendar – we’ll do it on behalf of the visitor and offer them a time that suits them. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] We can work withanyonline calendar system, including popular ones like...
My website had low traffic and I didn't get many chats/converstions. Can I get a refund?
If you received little or no raised conversations during your first paid month after trial, you cannot get a refund. However, you’re not committed to continue into your second paid month, so you are free to cancel any time. [IF THEY ASK WHAT A RAISED CO...
If I cancel before the end of the billing month, do I get a partial refund?
If you cancel before the end of your billing month, we will still handle conversations for you until the end of that month and we don’t offer a partial refund for any time remaining. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] You are free to keep Melu live until the end of you...
Is Melu GDPR compliant?
Yes! Melu is registered with ICO (registration number ZA456272) and our service is GDPR compliant in the UK and Europe. For more information, please read our GDPR statement:https://meluchat.com/gdpr-statement/
What are the features of Melu?
Melu features everything you’d ever need to provide better customer service and improve lead generation on your website, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger channels. This includes: [PAUSE 10 SECONDS]Real human agents 24/7, answering every message within se...
What industries do you work with?
We work with a variety of different industries. These include:Law FirmsAccountancyReal EstateStudent AccommodationPub/RestaurantsMedicalAnd much more![PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Would you like a member of the team to explain how our human-operated managed messag...
Where can I see your reviews?
You can read the reviews of our happy clients here - https://meluchat.com/live-chat-reviews/
Can I add a WhatsApp widget to my website?
Absolutely! There are various ways to do it, but we have a guide with a couple of options here - https://meluchat.com/install-guide-whatsapp/.
Do I get my own account manager?
We have a number of account managers, and in general you’ll be assigned to one of them for the duration of your account, but in certain circumstances other members of the team may contact you or be the person you’re directed to.
Do I need to write questions and answers or provide you with information?
No, we do all of this for you! Our operators use a knowledge base to answer questions from visitors and get the information you need for them to be a lead. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] We create this knowledge base from the information on your website, as well as...
Does Melu outsource its operators from another country, like India or the Philippines?
We have teams in the UK and Philippines, and each member is trained and managed by us in-house. The quality of the conversations experience is our number one priority.
How do your operators know what to say to my visitors?
Every account has a custom made knowledge base. Our operators use this to help them answer questions visitors ask, but also to know what information to get from them too, and how to adapt to their responses. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Our operators are also ver...
Can information from a chat be sent to my CRM or other apps?
Yes it can! Using webhooks through services like Zapier, Make and IFTTT, chat data can be passed into thousands of different software services, including the most popular CRMs. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] You’d need to check that your CRM is available within Zap...
What will Melu cost after the trial?
We charge based on the number of raised conversations we handled during either your trial period (Live Chat and Facebook Messenger) or first month (WhatsApp). [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] If this was less than 50, you’ll be charged our standard rate for the next ...