A website with a live chat feature has several distinct advantages over competitor sites that don’t chat. The live chat platform allows you to talk real-time with an expert and to exchange files, documents, screen images, and other important information that facilitates quicker issue resolution. While your website might offer phone support, email and other tools, live chat packs a special wallop, as we see in these benefits:
Convenience:
Many online customers appreciate the convenience of getting immediate help from a live person. Chats are often more convenient than phone conversations, because of shorter wait times, no exasperating phone menus, and the fact that important data, such as URLs, are written out for customers – no scrambling to find a pen and paper. A benchmark survey found that customer satisfaction reached 73 percent through live chat, compared to 44 percent for phone support and 61 percent for email support. A live chat agent can push documents and links out to consumers to help resolve problems faster. Many chat facilities allow consumers to receive a transcript via email at the end of the conversation, providing documentation of what was discussed.
Expenses:
Chat optimizes interactions, cutting costs relative to phone contact centers. Furthermore, a chat representative can often handle several tasks at once, thereby reducing the need for additional representatives. By spending less time on the phone, chats increase efficiency and save money.
Sales:
The efficiency of chatting produces high customer satisfaction, an important factor in motivating sales. One study shows that live chat boosts sales by 20 percent and provide a typical ROI of 300 percent. For better or worse, Americans demand instant satisfaction, and having to wait for an email reply or a long phone queue is enough to send a consumer to a competitor’s website. A chat representative can walk a prospect through a sale by answering questions and clearing up confusion that could jeopardize a sale. Chatting also provides businesses with an upselling opportunity that can increase sales margins.
Competitive edge:
The cost efficiency of a chat feature makes it an easy way to grab an edge over the competition. Put another way, lack of a chat facility gives your competitors a leg up. When you offer chat, you appeal to many Millennials who prefer typing to talking. Instant messaging has supplanted phone conversations among a great swath of the population. Omitting chat is like fighting the tide – not a good idea.
Data mining:
Phone conversations are hard to share, but you can mine chats for important information that help you recognize unmet needs or sources of frustration. This can lead to the introduction of new product/service features that respond to customer complaints. A savvy marketing person can sort through chat transcripts and recommend important improvements in what you offer and how you offer it.
Outreach:
Better live chat systems don’t wait for consumers to request a conversation. Rather, they invite visitors to ask questions or discuss issues. This proactive outreach can help shy consumers overcome their reluctance to chat, and offers more information that can help convert prospects.
Clearly, many small-business websites would benefit from incorporating a live chat feature. There are many chat packages available for to evaluate. Your webmaster can add a chat facility, or you can hire a third-party provider to do the work. However you get there, a chat facility is a great destination to strengthen your business.
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