Co-browsing software, also known as collaborative browsing software or co-surfing software, enables customers to share their screen and allows agents to jointly navigate a web page, which provides real-time customer support. This process happens instantly and does not require downloading software or installing extensions. The customer support agent initiates a co-browsing session with the customer, and by accepting the invite, the agent can then get an accurate visual representation of the customer’s view of the website. This empowers the agents to take temporary control of the customer’s screen to guide them through complex transactions and processes when placing a purchase order.
Unlike screen sharing software, co-browsing software only shares the user's web browser or mobile application, not the entire desktop. It does not allow the agents to view any other web page or tabs other than the ones permitted due to secured field masking or data masking, which is when customers can enter sensitive information without the agent seeing the characters registered.
To qualify for inclusion in the Co-Browsing category, a product must:
Provide the ability to allow view-only and edit access of user’s web browsers