Adding a button (instead of link) and opening user new message box in custom code work you did

I recently had a load of custom work done by yourselves and just wanted to know if you could help me with one small issue with it.

In my custom work you created text links that open up the user popup toolbar. I wanted to make the text link a button so it stands out more to users (at the moment they say it isn't obvious where to click). Ideally they wanted it to open the new message input box straight away for that user, so they dont first see the overview popup but instead see the message form ready to type in their message. This is the code you did but I don't know how to change it:

$ESuser = ES::user($agent->user_id);

									?>



										<li>

											<a href="/<?php echo $ESuser->getPermalink();?>" class="o-avatar" 

												data-popbox="module://easysocial/profile/popbox"

												data-user-id="<?php echo $ESuser->id;?>"

												data-popbox-position="top-left"

											>

												<?php echo Jtext::_('OS_CONTACT');?>

											</a>

										</li>

Are you able to offer any guidance?

Kind regards

Mel

Update: it is this box I want to open - basically the box that pops up when you click on the email icon: