What Is Co-Browsing? Full Explained Guide

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have embraced the digital market. Subsequently, there is a need to create highly personalized experiences that improve customer satisfaction. For example, when customers need assistance with a website such as filling a form or choosing a package, the brand agent can offer support.

However, this can quickly become frustrating when the agent cannot see what is happening on the customer’s screen. Therefore, many businesses are leveraging visual engagement tools like co-browsing to provide the highest-quality customer support.

This guide will explore co-browsing and everything you need to know about it.

What Is Co-Browsing?

Co-browsing (also called collaborative browsing) is a technology that allows human guidance in real time across various platforms. In other words, it allows a brand agent and customer to interact with a page simultaneously. Therefore, it offers an interactive experience that increases customer satisfaction and retention.

How Does Co-Browsing Work?

For co-browsing to work, one party (usually the customer) has to authorize access to their screen. The aim is to foster dynamic interaction while maintaining privacy. Therefore, the agent can only access content based on the customer’s preference.

Additionally, co-browsing is an app/browser-based solution so this eliminates the need to install third-party apps. Once a session starts, the agent can see what the customer sees. As a result, they can provide accurate visual guidance, which significantly optimizes customer satisfaction.

Significance of Co-Browsing

Co-browsing revolutionizes the way support interacts with customers. It makes the experience feel more human than interacting with chatbots. Here are some benefits of co-browsing:

Optimizes Customer Satisfaction

Co-browsing makes support more personalized, which significantly improves customer satisfaction. Customers want to feel special – when someone walks them through each process, it makes them feel valued. As a result, they feel supported, which plays a role in customer loyalty and positive reviews.

Minimize Cart Abandonment

Inability to navigate a website can lead to cart abandonment, which can negatively affect sales. Most customers will exit a site when they face challenges such as a complex layout.

The option of co-browsing allows agents to offer guidance that ensures clients successfully reach the checkout stage. Subsequently, they can show customers how to navigate the page in real time, which increases revenue and growth.

Ensures Accessibility for Users without Technical Expertise

Although the world has gone digital, not everyone excels at using tech. As a result, those who are not tech-savvy may quickly get overwhelmed with the process. Here, co-browsing becomes a crucial tool that allows these users to navigate the site with due guidance.

Fast Problem Solving

With co-browsing, support agents can solve customers’ problems quickly and efficiently. Providing support without a visual guide can make the back-and-forth chat frustrating. Since co-browsing puts both parties on the same page, it can reduce resolution time.

Use Cases of Co-browsing

Co-browsing technology can be applied across various sectors. The goal remains to offer personalized support and reduce support volume. Here are some common use cases of the technology:

Customer Support

One of the most popular use cases of co-browsing is customer support. Users may encounter technical or troubleshooting issues when navigating a site.

The use of co-browsing technology eliminates the need for support agents to ask questions like “What do you see on your screen?” Instead, they can see the page and provide appropriate directions. Subsequently, this ensures support is more efficient.

Insurance and Financial Services

Co-browsing technology can also be useful in the insurance and finance sectors. It allows agents to support customers in filling complex forms regarding loans, mortgages, or choosing the best insurance policy. Subsequently, it makes these services more accessible for people with little to no experience navigating the space.

E-Learning 

Another sector where co-browsing is applicable is e-learning. It ensures an interactive session between the instructor and students. This can significantly affect the rate at which students understand concepts. In other words, it makes virtual classes feel less distant and more immersive.

E-commerce Sales Support

E-commerce businesses can adopt co-browsing for a competitive advantage. Some customers may have reservations on certain products. However, co-browsing provides a unique opportunity for sales support to guide customers through product descriptions, alternatives, and checking out. This can affect the rate of cart abandonment and increase overall revenue.

Product Onboarding

When a client visits a website or downloads a software, their experience within the first few minutes matters. Therefore, co-browsing allows onboarding specialists to show users how to use features without stress. This personal demonstration in real-time makes clients feel valued.

Co-Browsing Vs RDP 

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a similar yet distinct technology. While co-browsing shares a page for dynamic interaction, RDP offers complete access to a remote computer. Developed by Microsoft, this protocol allows users to control a computer like they were in front of it.

Differences Between Co-browsing and Remote Desktop Protocol

Feature	Co-browsing	Remote Desktop Protocol
Scope	Access to only shared tabs	Complete access to the computer and all its applications
Security	High	Low
Use cases	Great for customer support, onboarding process, virtual classes, and filling out complex forms.	Managing servers, IT administration, troubleshooting remote systems.
Setup	Does not require software installation	Often requires software installation
Level of control	Shared control – based on what the customer permits.	Total control of the computer system.

Top 4 Co-Browsing Solutions

Co-browsing is useful across several industries so it is necessary to know how to choose the right provider. Therefore, this section will examine the top co-browsing options. They include:

1. Cobrowse.io – Best for Online Support 

The first on our list is cobrowse.io, a tool that offers excellent support via visual intelligence. It equips agents to effectively navigate platforms with customers in real time. As a result, customers’ issues are promptly resolved, which significantly increases positive experience.

In addition, Cobrowse is compatible with mobile apps, PDFs, and third-party websites. Initiation of a co-browsing session can either be via smart buttons, SMS, 6-digit codes, or deep links.

Features

Universal Co-browse

Universal co-browsing ensures that support agents can seamlessly interact with customers even if they navigate to apps or third-party sites. This feature is crucial to avoid blind spots which can affect customer experience as they navigate complex workflows. In simpler terms, the universal co-browse allows support agents to follow customers across apps and sites as needed.

Data Redaction

Cobrowse offers this feature to ensure optimal security for customer information. Subsequently, the agent should not be able to view or interact with sensitive data like social security numbers and credit card details.

Mobile Camera Share 

Mobile camera share allows users to share their screen via the mobile device camera during virtual support. This allows the agent to see the problem and provide timely guidance.

Agent Present Mode 

This feature permits the support agents to share content with the customer. Although the agent controls the shared content, the purpose is to provide a template that customers can follow.

PDF Co-browsing

PDF co-browsing is a feature that allows customers and agents to hold an interactive session with PDF documents. With the built-in support for PDF co-browsing, it makes it easy for agents to guide customers as they review documents without the need for extra codes.

Session Replay

This feature allows the agent and customer to record the session interaction. It provides an accurate proof of interaction. Session replay is an indispensable tool for audit and quality assurance. These recordings can also be used as training materials to implement good support practices.

Pros Vs Cons

Pros	Cons
Ease of use	Limited features
Seamless integrations with already existing systems	Expensive for small teams
Multi-platform support
Self-hosting
Fast and clear live screen sharing
Mobile support

Pricing

• $18 per agent per month for co-browse on the web
• $36 per agent per month for co-browse on web and mobile app
• Custom pricing: This depends on the service required and is useful for enterprise-level businesses.

2. Surfly – Best Cobrowse Alternative 

Another outstanding co-browsing provider is Surfly. Unlike other tools that are limited, Surfly works on external websites without the need to write additional code. Moreso, you can use this software to design collaborative user manuals for an app or website.

Surfly is an excellent tool for clients in insurance, healthcare, banking, and sales. Additionally, it supports integration with popular sales and tech platforms like Zendesk, Salesforce, and Cisco Finesse.

Features

Universal Browsing

Its co-browsing features ensure that support agents can interact with a customer’s page. This is necessary to provide real-time and effective guidance without the need to write additional code.

Multi-person Video Chat

This feature allows agents to interact with customers via a video chat. Subsequently, this provides a more personalized experience as it fosters trust and builds brand loyalty.

File Sharing

File sharing is another co-browsing feature offered by Surfly. It ensures that agents and customers can work together on documents in real-time. This makes it easier to complete complex paperwork without the hassle of the back and forth associated with traditional support methods.

Screen Sharing

With screen sharing, support agents can also share their screens with customers. This may become necessary to provide live demonstrations or show supporting documents associated with clients’ queries.

Field Masking

The customer can leverage the field masking feature to hide details on their screen. For example, if the page requires sensitive data like bank details, the customer can hide such fields so that the agent cannot view it. Field masking feature is a way to ensure high-level privacy while boosting patient confidence.

Session Logs

This feature allows both the customer and agent to record the co-browsing session. It can be used as evidence in the case of any legal matter. More so, the brand can leverage this interactive session to train new talents. Maintaining transparency is a top reason for keeping session logs.

Pros Vs Cons

Pros	Cons
Fast and reliable	Customers need to set up a remote session within 10 minutes of the appointment
Secure tool	Pricing model is not transparent
Easy to use

Pricing

• You need to contact the sales rep to get a quote.

3. TeamViewer – Best Free RDP Tool for Remote Computer Access

Our top choice for remote desktop protocol is TeamViewer, a feature-dense solution from Germany. Founded in 2005, this enterprise solution is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android systems.

Meanwhile, you can still download this software at no cost. Despite being one of the earliest solutions, it is still a top choice for enterprise-level organizations that need remote management.

Features

Secure Unattended Access

The core feature of this remote solution is that it provides secure remote access. Once it is properly set up, authorized persons can access unattended computers and phones from a remote location. Remotely controlling a device becomes necessary when you promptly need to fix issues.

Screen Recording

TeamViewer has the feature that allows users to record remote sessions. The videos can be used for quality control and training materials.

Session Analytics

This enterprise-grade remote access solution has a built-in analytic system. Users can track their remote activities on the user-friendly dashboard. Session analytics provide useful insights on common troubleshooting issues and those that take the longest to fix.

Remote Printing

TeamViewer offers the remote printing feature that allows users to get a hard copy of documents. For example, you need a document from your work PC, which is obviously at the office. You can leverage TeamViewer to remotely access the computer and print the files you need.

Comprehensive Reporting

This feature provides an overview of remote desktop activities. It keeps a comprehensive log of connections as well as the time it took to complete each task.

Comprehensive reporting is necessary for accurate billing, especially those on the Tensor (custom) plan. Additionally, it can be used for audits to improve performance.

Pros Vs Cons

Pros	Cons
Extensive system compatibility – Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux	It can be expensive as premium features need payment
Comes with several management features that optimize remote sharing	File transfer is slow
Excellent technical support

Pricing

TeamViewer offers three subscription plans. However, they offer a 30-day free trial on all the plans.

• Individual plan: From $11.90 per month, which gives access up to 3 unattended devices (remote access) and $25.90 per month for TeamViewer Business with access to about 200 unattended devices.
• Team plan: From $52.90/month (TeamViewer Premium) – access to 300 unattended devices and $102.90/month (TeamViewer Corporate) – access to 500 unattended devices
• Enterprise plan: This custom plan (TeamViewer Tensor) is priced based on what features your business requires. Therefore, you need to request a quote and speak to a customer rep to find out how much it costs.

4. Gologin – Best for Social Account Delegation 

Gologin is a top antidetect browser that allows you to modify your device fingerprint details. This is especially useful for managing multiple accounts on a single device while minimizing the risk of IP ban. With this browser, you can create multiple profiles with distinct parameters.

Gologin has a unique approach to co-browsing. It allows sharing access to browser profiles instead of multiple people interacting with a page. Therefore, Gologin supports account collaboration without the need for full device access or screen sharing.

Features

Session Sharing

With Gologin, you can share work sessions with remote teams. It does not require you to share account credentials like username and password. Instead, once you add someone to the team and they run the profile, they get access to the page.

Team Management

This antidetect browser stands out because it has features aimed at helping remote teams optimize their workflow. The leader can provide access to each member based on their job roles without compromising the security of operations. Additionally, this feature ensures virtual teams collaborate effectively for maximum productivity.

Platform Compatibility

Another exciting feature of this browser is its level of compatibility. Gologin can seamlessly integrate into your existing infrastructure for optimal performance.

Quality IPs

Gologin is intentional about protecting privacy and maintaining anonymity. Therefore, the browser comes with both free and paid proxy IPs. Subsequently, non-technical users do not have to worry about obtaining high-quality IPs for their tasks.

Device Session Tracking

This browser allows for session tracking. From the dashboard, you can get an overview of the activities on your account. As a result, users have control of the account and can terminate unwanted access with ease.

Cloud Profiles

Another unique feature of Gologin is cloud profiles. In simpler terms, you can create, launch, and control several cloud profiles. For example, if you travel a lot, you can create and operate profiles directly in the cloud. Therefore, you can access them from anywhere in the world provided you have access to the cloud.

Pros Vs Cons

Pros	Cons
Excellent profile isolation	Paid tool
Fits accounts on every website	Does not offer real time interaction
Team member management
Fits for delegating restrictive social media (Linkedin Facebook)
Provides asynchronous access – users don’t need to be online at the same time

Pricing 

Gologin offers a 7-day trial period for new users. In addition, they provide a 14-day money back guarantee on each plan. There are four tiers of premium plans and they include:

• Professional plan: From $4 per month and covers about 10-100 unique profiles.
• Business plan: From $59 per month, which covers about 300-500 unique profiles.
• Enterprise plan: From $149 per month and includes 1000 unique profiles
• Custom plan: From $224 per month, including 2000 or more unique profiles.

Comparison Between Cobrowse Vs Surely Vs TeamViewer Vs Gologin

Features	Cobrowse	Surely	TeamViewer	Gologin
Purpose	Page level co-browsing	Page level co-browsing	Complete remote desktop access	Browser profile isolation
Use Cases	Customer support, remote guidance, sales support	E-learning, onboarding support, sales support	IT support, remote work, device troubleshooting	Asynchronous access, team management
Live Shared Control	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Access	Browser page	Browser page	Entire device OS	Browser profile
Session persistence	Shared only in real time	Shared only in real time	Persistent remote connection	Persistent browser sessions
Asynchronous access	No	No	Yes	Yes
Cross-Platform Support	Web/SDK	Web/SDK	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux	Web, multiple device OS, cloud

Guide: Using Gologin to Delegate Accounts

This section will cover how to use Gologin to delegate accounts. For the sake of this guide, we shall consider how to share ChatGPT account using Gologin.

For those who prefer a visual guide, here is a detailed video on how to share ChatGPT account using Gologin.

Also here is a brief article guide on how to use Gologin to share ChatGPT account:

1. Download and install Gologin on your computer
2. Create a browser profile with proxy
3. Run the profile and log in to ChatGPT
4. Use the “Sharing” option to share the browser profile with members of the team
5. Save the session

Conclusion

Co-browsing is a tool designed to make virtual interactions easier and more effective. Tools like Cobrowse and Surfly are ideal for situations where real-time assistance is necessary. They work across different platforms, apps, and operating systems.

On the other hand, tools like TeamViewer aim to provide seamless remote access. Gologin also comes in with its unique features. Unlike the other tools that focus on sharing screens or access to remote devices, Gologin aims to share profile sessions.

With emphasis on team management, members can access browser profiles and collaborate across different locations without the need to always log in. In addition, Gologin offers consistent and secure browser profiles for multiple users in a remote team.