Live Chat Etiquette: Making It Work

Here are some basic guidelines for operators and customers to follow for a smooth live chat support experience.

Giving and getting help via a live chat doesn’t have to be awkward. In fact, the experience can be an overwhelmingly pleasant one with the right etiquette. Fast and painless communication is made significantly easier when the chat operator and guest have overlapping goals. Here are some basic guidelines for operators and customers to follow for a smooth live chat support experience.

Tips for the Operator

As an operator, your main objective is to help a customer in need, whether they’re seeking assistance with troubleshooting, placing an order, or something else entirely. One of your priorities should also be to gain customer satisfaction. There are many ways to add value during the live chat experience, including:

  • Super fast responses
  • Friendly attitude
  • One-stop service
  • Unexpected extras

Achieving Customer Satisfaction

There are many different tactics for creating the perfect customer experience, but it boils down to excellence in three different categories:

  1. Knowledge: Know your offer, product, or service and be prepared to discuss in great detail. You should also know what your other resources are for telling customer about products, like where they can go on your website to learn more.
  2. Behavior: Be calm, clear, honest, and polite. Expect to listen patiently as find out what the root problem is so you can focus on solving it. Don’t panic if you need to transfer the customer to another agent; simply reassure them that all of their details will also be transferred.
  3. Technical: Simple is better. Refrain from using technical jargon and make sure to use proper spelling and grammar. Be sure to use a real photo as well as your real name in order to build trust.

    By honing in on these three core areas, you’ll be able to wow customers as you solve their problems.

Tips for the Customer

As a customer using live chat support, your main objective is to get your problem resolved. While you are relying on the operator for support, there are several actions you can take to simplify the process and make it easier for the operator to help you. These include:

  1. Knowledge: Gather any information that may be useful during your chat including order numbers, items purchased, or technical glitches encountered.
  2. Behavior: Follow all of the operator’s instructions and don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. Remain calm and patient as you wait for assistance. If you had a positive experience, it’s good etiquette to express gratitude to the operator.
  3. Technical: When it comes to troubleshooting, the details matter. Provide as many as you can and ensure that they are accurate. Answer questions honestly and be ready to elaborate if needed. It’s also considered a common courtesy to rate the assistance you received, typically in a follow up survey.

Creating a Win-Win Experience

The bottom line is that, when it comes to creating a perfect live chat experience, both parties should do everything in their power not to make things more difficult for the other side. By staying positive and trying to reach a common understanding, you’ll be on the fast track to live chat support success.

Improve how your visitors connect with you!

Let us help you build an effective customer engagement strategy.