If you are online and connected to the Expert Messenger, you are communicating to clients that you’re available for Live Chat and/or Phone sessions. If a client tries to contact you and you miss the alert informing you of their request, note that your account will be suspended for one hour.

In order to avoid suspension, manage your availability preferences with ease by clicking on the Expert Messenger icon in your system tray at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. Select ‘Status’ from the drop down menu, and then click ‘Not Available’ when you expect to be away from you computer. If you would like to set your status to open automatically as being 'Not Available' each time you connect to the Internet, simply right click on the Expert Messenger icon in your system tray, click 'Options' and check the box next to "When I start up my computer automatically set my status to 'Not Available'."

If you do not want a particular client to contact you, you can block that person from your 'My Clients' list or from within the Expert Messenger at the end of a live session. Once a client is blocked, they will no longer be able to contact you for Live Chat or Phone chat sessions. Note that they will still be able to send you messages through the 'Send a Request' option.

Lastly, if you are not certain that you would like to provide your services to a particular client simply accept their request for service and utilize the free mode at the start of the session to help you decide whether or not you would like to continue.

Please note, if you decline an incoming session while available, your account will be suspended for 30 minutes.