The challenge that website owners face nowadays is how to connect with customers and improve user experience (UX). Hence, live chat support has been one of the key features that websites use to encourage communication from their users.
Setting up live chat support allows your brand to efficiently cater to the needs of your customers and potential clients.
Here are some points on how live chat support gives your website an edge
Widens clientele base
Compared to the use of emails and phones, there are higher instances that customers make use of the instant messaging function of live chat support. Emails, which are often used for company or office purposes, are checked or opened less by clients. Meanwhile, there is no immediate guarantee in trying to reach customer support through phone calls possibly due to connectivity issues or the inrush of callers.
Being able to address the concerns of clients through live chat support ensures customer satisfaction, especially if the exchange is done in real-time.
Contributes to client conversion
According to the American Marketing Association, business-to-business (B2B) companies that utilize live chat support have generated a 20% rise in client conversions. This shows that it is important to respond adequately to customer queries so that they have no qualms in purchasing your products or subscribing to your services. Aiding the client when they make decisions is important, as you can give them options and customize advice regarding the product or service to their needs.
In addition to this, eMarketer cited that there is almost a 40% chance that the buyer will go through with their purchase if they are assisted through live chat and are satisfied with the service they receive.
Optimizes performance of employees and resources
Compared to the operations of email and phone calls wherein you can only communicate with one person at a time, the use of live chat support can enable one person to view the concerns of multiple people and address them in a short period. A study shows that chat is the most anticipated communication channel by clients. Live chat support may use pre-written templates to answer the most queries in a short amount of time. It may also help if questions from clients are prioritized so that there would be no long waits from the end of potential buyers.
Allows recording of communications
Aside from the fact that it is more accessible and is flexible in terms of accommodation, live chat supports also provide features to document the exchanges between the client and the support agent. This is highly beneficial in data analysis for improvement of agent performance and further insight on how clients behave.
The information that is allowed to be recorded includes the waiting duration, messages from each end, rating or performance of the agent, the source of the chat, and the volume of communicated messages. It is also possible to gain data on website visits.
Increases brand satisfaction
By gathering and studying chat support data, businesses may be able to assess how to further improve their products and services. If consistent and systematic, this could lead to further improvement and innovation in solutions and technology.
Moreover, research indicated that through using live chat, you could improve business outcomes such as marketing awareness, initial stage sales strategies, and post-sales customer assistance.
Develops trust with clients
Based on Statista, 80% of customers would choose to communicate with a live customer service representative compared to chatbots. This shows that customers really prefer to be addressed personally instead of being limited to automated responses. Also, the Art Technology Group (ATG) reported that 90% of users mentioned that they are positive that they will be assisted upon using live chat support for their questions.
Allows active time
If you plan to extend your schedules for live chat support, customers would find it easier to reach you, especially for urgent or pressing concerns. For companies that cater to international clients, a live chat that is responsive 24/7 is most helpful. This also works to reduce customer frustration, which is very detrimental in building trust and rapport among your target market.
In the case that a 24/7 arrangement is not possible for you, ensure that you enable documented responses so that even though customers reach you at an unavailable schedule, they will be able to gain information that may just be enough to address their questions.
Conclusion
If you are interested in maintaining your e-commerce store, setting up live chat support would greatly boost your advantage in the market. Remember, the more you connect with the customers, the more you cement client relationships and personalize the services of your business. The best thing that utilizing live chat could give you is information, which should complement your business strategies.
