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Unable to access TechSoup Customer Service’s Live Chat?

  • Updated

Contents

 

Overview

The Help widget,Help bubble.png,  which is used to access the Live Chat, is always available in the bottom right corner of www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org.  When there are system issues or maintenance blocking the Help widget, an update will be added below, under TechSoup Systems: Current Status.

While the TechSoup Support Virtual Assistant is always available to provide assistance, TechSoup Customer Service representatives are only available during our Hours of Operation (note the 2026 Closure Dates).

As a nonprofit ourselves TechSoup does our best to provide quality and timely service with the resources we can sustain.   At this time we have determined our resources are best focused on Live Chat support and developing TechSoup’s Digital Solutions and Services program.

Review the following TechSoup Support articles for more information.

 

TechSoup Systems: Current Status

  • TechSoup's systems are operating as expected.
  • The Help widget is currently live.

 

Troubleshooting: Help Widget Not Visible

This issue is most likely related to your browser version or security settings; such as a pop up window blocker or the browser version is not up to date.  When there are system issues or maintenance blocking the Help widget, an update will be added to the TechSoup Systems: Current Status section above.

Complete all 12 steps of troubleshooting to resolve this issue.

  1. Use a Computer, Instead of a Mobile Device
  2. Try a Different TechSoup URL
  3. "Accept" All Cookies for the TechSoup Website
  4. Check Your Security Settings
  5. Update Your Browser Version
  6. Turn Off Your VPN
  7. Turn On the “Incognito” or “Private” Browsing
  8. Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies
  9. Clear the Browser History
  10. Try a Different Browser
  11. Restart the Device
  12. Try a Different Device and WiFi Network

1. Use a Computer, Instead of a Mobile Device

Mobile devices (table, phone, etc.) are not recommended for accessing the Help widget.  

If using a mobile device, you most likely will need to switch to the "desktop website" setting and possibly turn off your privacy settings.

  • Choose to "Accept" cookies when prompted at the bottom of the screen when arriving at the TechSoup website.
  • Android: Manage desktop mode settings
  • Apple: On an iPhone (depending on the IOS version) you will you have to click the extensions icon (puzzle piece) and then select the Request Desktop Website to be able to access the "Type your question here..." box in the Help widget.

2. Try a Different TechSoup URL

The Help widget is:

Always available on:

Never available on:

3. "Accept" All Cookies for the TechSoup Website

TechSoup's website will not function properly unless all cookies are accepted.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to enable cookies for www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org in that specific browser:

4. Check Your Security Settings

TechSoup's website, including the Help widget, utilizes pop up windows. cookies, and other features that may be getting blocked by your browser, device, or server's security settings.

NOTE: Check with your IT manager before updating the security settings for apps or tools on devices owned by your organization.  TechSoup is not liable for any issues related to updating your security settings.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to manage your security settings in that specific browser:

Add www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org to the browser, email app or server’s “whitelist” or “allow” list.

5. Update Your Browser Version

The TechSoup website may have trouble loading properly on older versions of browsers.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to update that specific browser:

NOTE: Check with your IT manager before updating apps or tools on devices owned by your organization.  TechSoup is not liable for any issues related to updating.

6. Turn Off Your VPN

A VPN is a security tool that may be blocking the Help widget from populating.

NOTE: Check with your IT manager before turning off a VPN on devices owned by your organization.  TechSoup is not liable for any issues related to turning off your VPN.

7. Turn On the “Incognito” or “Private” Browsing

Turning off “incognito” or “private” browsing will ensure your browser does not store your browsing history, cookies, cache, or other temporary data, which can help websites load better.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to turn on the “incognito” or “private” browsing for that specific browser:

8. Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies

Your browser's cache and cookies may be pulling out of date website information.  Clearing the cache and cookies for both www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org  will ensure the most current version of the TechSoup website is loading.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to clear the cache and cookies in that specific browser:

9. Clear the Browser History

Your browser's history may be pulling out of date website information.  Clearing the browser history for both www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org will ensure the most current version of the TechSoup website is loading.

Select your web browser for instructions on how to clear the browser history in that specific browser:

10. Try a Different Browser

We recommend trying to load the Help widget on www.techsoup.org and support.techsoup.org in all of the following browsers.

NOTE: Check with your IT manager before downloading and installing a new browser or app on devices owned by your organization.  TechSoup is not liable for any issues related to downloading and installing a new browser or app.

11. Restart the Device

Restarting a device can help reset systems and settings, and ensure any recent updates are live.

12. Try a Different Device and WiFi Network

Security related to your workplace hardware or network may block access to certain websites, webpages, and website features.  Accessing the TechSoup website on another device or WiFi network, such as a personal computer or network, may resolve the issue.

 

Troubleshooting: Unable to Connect with a TechSoup Customer Service Representative

TechSoup Customer Service representatives are only available during our Hours of Operation (note the 2026 Closure Dates).

Have You Entered a Term or Phrase?

You must enter one of the following terms or phrases to connect with a representative.

Terms

  • Contact
  • Agent
  • Customer service
  • Customer agent
  • Customer representative

Phrases

  • Talk to agent
  • Talk to a person
  • Talk to someone
  • Chat with a human
  • Chat with a representative
  • Connect me to a live agent
  • Connect me to a person

Receiving the Message: "Our agents are currently unavailable. Please try again later"

When experiencing high volumes of contacts, the Live Chat queue may become full and temporarily close.  When this occurs members will receive the "Our agents are currently unavailable. Please try again later" message and not be able to access the"Connect with an Agent" form.

The temporary closure is to ensure TechSoup can connect with each member waiting.  As a nonprofit ourselves TechSoup does our best to provide quality and timely service with the resources we can sustain.  We apologize for any inconvenience the delay in connecting with our customer service team may cause.

In the meantime, we encourage you to review the TechSoup Support article for answers to your questions.  You may also be interested in utilizing the Alternative Contact Option: TechSoup's Community Forums detailed below.

not ava.png

 

 

Troubleshooting: Not Receiving Chat Messages

Depending on contact volumes, there may be long periods where no messages appear between joining and connecting with a TechSoup Customer Service representative.  As a nonprofit ourselves TechSoup does our best to provide quality and timely service with the resources we can sustain.  We appreciate our members' patience while we work to connect with everyone.

  1. Confirm You Have Filled Out the "Connect with an Agent" Form
  2. How to Confirm You Have Successfully Joining the Live Chat Queue
  3. How to Confirm a TechSoup Representative has Joined the Chat

1. Confirm You Have Filled Out the "Connect with an Agent" Form

When you click on the Help widget, Help bubble.png you will join the Live Chat and be greeted by the TechSoup Virtual Assistant, which is a ChatBot.  You must enter one of the terms or phrases, such as "customer service", to populate the "Connect with an Agent" form.

Chat 2.jpg

You must completely fill out the "Connect with an Agent" form and select the blue "Connect with Agent" button to enter the Live Chat queue.

Contact Form.png

2. How to Confirm You Have Successfully Joining the Live Chat Queue

After successfully submitting the "Connect with an Agent" form, you will join the Live Chat queue and wait to be connected with a representative.  You can expect to see the following if you have successfully joined the Live Chat queue. 

FIRST: A message providing information on how to access TechSoup Digital Solutions and Services for Nonprofits appears.

Chat Greeting.jpg

SECOND: A system note with the Hours of Operation appears. 

Hours.jpg

THIRD: A system note on where you are in line

Chat Position.jpg

NOTE: If there is no wait, you will not receive this system note and instead will be connected with a representative after a minute or two.

3. How to Confirm a TechSoup Representative has Joined the Chat

After confirming you have successfully joined the Live Chat queue, when a TechSoup Customer Service representative joins the chat the following system note will appear (the representative's name will also populate at the beginning of the sentence).

Joined chat.jpg

NOTE: Depending on contact volumes, there may be long periods where no messages appear between joining and connecting with a TechSoup Customer Service representative.  As a nonprofit ourselves TechSoup does our best to provide quality and timely service with the resources we can sustain.  We appreciate our members' patience while we work to connect with everyone.

 

Alternative Contact Option: TechSoup's Community Forums

Unable to access the Live Chat and have completed all of the troubleshooting in this support article?  TechSoup's community forums is a great place to connect with TechSoup Customer Service and other organizations for guidance and camaraderie in the nonprofit sector.

Build Some Karma to Be Able to Post

To receive posting privileges in the TechSoup community forum, you are required to build karma.  This ensures users are live individuals, and not spam.

  • Log into the TechSoup Forums website a few times: forums.techsoup.org.
  • Be a TechSoup Community member for a few days before posting.
  • Read several different discussion threads in different forums topics.  
  • Like a couple of posts.  
    • Select the heart icon on a post to like it.
  • Reply to a thread or post.
    • Select the blue Reply button at the bottom of the thread to reply to the thread
    • Select the grey Reply option on a post to reply to that post in the thread.

Approval Required

After building your karma, to ensure posts meet our TechSoup Community Standards, new posts typically need to be reviewed before being published.  The Community Standards review is typically completed within three business days of posting.

Post in TechSoup Program Help

Post questions and support requests in the TechSoup Program Help topic.  TechSoup Customer Service normally responds to within five business days of your post being approved and published.  

As needed, the TechSoup Customer Service representative may reach out to the email address used to login to your TechSoup account: in the member details edit your name, password, and email address.  Learn how to ensure you receive TechSoup’s emails.

Unable to Post in TechSoup's Community Forums

Reply to the thread, Unable to post in our forums? Follow the troubleshooting and reply to this forums thread!, to get started or try connecting with our Live Chat again.

Connect with the TechSoup Community

Along with being able to connect with TechSoup Customer Service, check out the other community forums topics to see what discussions are going on in the nonprofit community.  TechSoup members may have some suggestions or insights that could be useful to your organization.

Get started by introducing yourself to our community!

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