Universal Co-browsing
Universal Co-browsing is a form of collaborative browsing that functions on any website or web application without requiring any prior code installation, plugins, or configuration on the target site.
What you need to know about Universal Co-browsing
While standard co-browsing tools require JavaScript snippets to be embedded on each webpage where collaboration is needed, universal co-browsing operates without any website modifications. This architectural difference transforms co-browsing from a limited, site-specific tool into a solution that works across different websites.
Surfly achieves universal co-browsing through its proprietary Interaction Middleware, which intercepts and reconstructs web traffic at the network level rather than relying on browser scripts. This approach solves the technical limitations that have restricted co-browsing adoption in enterprise environments where customer journeys span multiple domains, third-party payment processors and partner websites.
Capabilities Enabled by Universal Architecture
Universal co-browsing unlocks use cases that were previously impossible or impractical:
- Third-Party Integration Without APIs: Collaborate on external platforms like payment processors, identity verification services, or partner portals without requiring integration agreements or API access.
- Legacy System Compatibility: Works with older web applications that cannot be modified, including government systems, mainframe web interfaces, and proprietary platforms.
- Multi-Domain Business Processes: Support complex workflows that span multiple internal systems, each potentially on different domains or subdomains.
The importance of Universal Co-browsing
The capability to co-browse on any site provides major operational advantages and removes technical barriers. Organizations can support customers across their entire digital journey, not just on company-owned properties. This ability to maintain a single, uninterrupted support session from start to finish directly influences customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Accelerate Time-to-Value and Reduce IT Dependence
Deploying an embed-based solution often requires a lengthy IT project involving development, testing, and deployment cycles for every web property. A universal, proxy-based approach allows businesses to bypasses this process entirely and benefit from the technology instantly.
- Accelerates deployment time from weeks to minutes.
- Reduces IT maintenance overhead, as the solution is unaffected by website updates.
- Allows business departments to launch new initiatives with co-browsing support quickly.
Provide Complete and Unbroken Customer Journeys
Modern customer journeys are rarely linear and often involve moving between different websites for tasks like payment, identity verification, or accessing partner information. Universal co-browsing is the only technology that can support these multi-domain interactions without interruption. This prevents the session from breaking at a critical point, which would otherwise lead to a failed transaction and a poor customer experience.
- Allows agents to assist customers on third-party payment gateways or partner portals.
- Prevents cart abandonment in e-commerce scenarios that involve external sites.
- Creates a single, continuous support interaction instead of multiple fragmented calls.
A Practical Example of Universal Co-browsing
Frequently asked questions about Universal Co-browsing
We’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about
Universal Co-browsing
.
Surfly's proxy-based architecture operates independently of any website's code. When you start a session, the proxy retrieves and processes web content in real-time, making any site collaborative without requiring permission or modification from the site owner. This enables support for third-party payment processors, government portals, or partner websites.
Universal co-browsing continues functioning without any action required. Since the technology doesn't rely on embedded scripts or specific page structures, website updates, redesigns, or even complete platform migrations don't affect co-browsing capability. The proxy adapts automatically to whatever content the website serves.
Yes. Surfly's session continuation feature securely transfers authentication cookies through the proxy, allowing co-browsing to persist after customer login. Both agent and customer see the authenticated view of the account, with sensitive data masked according to your security policies.
Universal co-browsing typically provides better performance because it synchronizes only DOM changes rather than capturing and transmitting interface states. The proxy infrastructure is optimized for minimal latency, and the absence of embedded scripts means no additional JavaScript execution on the client's browser.