Using SFIM is simple and easy, and it's always available for you to initiate chats with your referred affiliates or your SFI Advisor. To access your chat, just click the bubble icon in the top right corner of the Affiliate Center or use one of the following methods:
1. In your Referrals Report, located in the far right column for each name, is the chat status icon. Click it to start or join a chat. Key Tip: Select “Online Now” from the QuickFilters menu to instantly view everyone in your Referrals Report who is currently online and available for chat.
2. On any Affiliate Snapshot, located under the person’s picture, is the chat status icon. Click it to start or join a chat.
3. At the Forum, located under the person’s picture, is the chat status icon. Click it to start or join a chat.
When you open your chat, you'll see the following popup, as shown in the image below:
LEADERSHIP TIP: When you receive an e-mail notification from SFI about a new Personally Referred Affiliate (PRA), it means the person is probably currently online at the SFI Affiliate Center and you should initiate a live chat immediately to welcome this person to SFI and help your new affiliate get started! Simply click the link provided in the email notification or locate the person in your Referrals Report and click the Chat Status icon located in the far right column. If they’re not online now, leave a friendly note anyway, so it’s waiting for them the next time they visit the Affiliate Center.
✔ A visual alert is displayed in the top right corner of every Affiliate Center page letting you know when you’ve received a message.
✔ Initiate chats even when the the other person is not currently online (they’ll be alerted to your chat attempt the next time they visit the Affiliate Center).
✔ SFIM automatically includes your SFI Advisor.
✔ The FAVORITES list allows you to add and remove team members whenever you want. SFIM remembers whom you’ve chatted with most recently. These persons are automatically displayed on your RECENT list.
✔ Engage in simultaneous chats with different persons.
✔ For a personal touch, all chats feature the SFI account photos of the persons chatting.
✔ Smart Chat Status icons next to names let you know instantly if the person is offline or online (green). An exclamation mark in a green ball means the person is online and has initiated a chat and is waiting for you to reply. An exclamation mark in a gray ball means the person is no longer online, but has messaged you (you can reply now and they’ll get your response the next time they visit the Affiliate Center).
✔ Change your status whenever you want from Available to Unavailable (use Unavailable when you are online but need to stay focused on something other than chatting).
✔ Turn on audio alerts to hear when someone has messaged you…turn it off with a single click when you want quiet.
✔ All chats are now stored so they can be referenced later.
✔ Easily set blocks on anyone with whom you do not wish to further engage in chats.
✔ Is someone violating SFI policy? Use the Report Abuse link located next to the person’s name.
✔ Emojis!
✔ Review the person’s Affiliate Snapshot in a new window by selecting the option from the “Arrow Menu” located behind their name.
✔ Minimize the chat window by clicking on the upper bar area (great for when you need to see the screen behind the chat window).
✔ All chats follow you anywhere you go at the Affiliate Center. Great for when you need to visit a certain page or resource at the Affiliate Center and reference it in your chat.