Understanding and Getting the Most out of Live Chat

No matter what kind of business you have or the industry you’re in, you can always use another way for your customers to get in touch with you.

No matter what kind of business you have or the industry you’re in, you can always use another way for your customers to get in touch with you. Live chat services are essentially like sending text messages to someone without having to know the other person’s number and sharing messages without needing a phone. With more people preferring to text rather than talk on the phone, offering live chat can undoubtedly improve your service or business.

The Advantages of Live Chat

The biggest advantage of offering a live chat service is expanding your overall capabilities. You and your employees are able to remain in contact with your customers and audience, no matter where you are. Not only does this give your customer service team the ability to work wherever they like, it can also help reduce your total overhead costs.

Another benefit is that you’re still able to ensure your company’s standards remain the same. You can take a look at all live chat transcripts and make sure your representatives are delivering the level of care you’ve built your company on and your customers expect from you.

Something else to think about is that live chat services show your business is at the forefront of technology. Younger consumers grew up with instant messaging and are more mobile based, meaning they’re likely more comfortable with live chat than they are with other forms of getting in touch with your company. You also have to consider the fact that many people, no matter how old or young they are, groan at the thought of having to call a customer service number, listening to a recording of menu options, and having to wait for the next available representative. Think of how many potential customers you may have already lost because you don’t offer a method of communication they prefer.

Using Live Chat the Right Way

Just like with any tool, live chat has to be used the right way if you hope to reap the full benefits. The first thing you want to bear in mind is that live chat should not be used to duck customer service calls. It’s also not a good idea to use live chat primarily as a way to cut costs; there are better and more effective ways to do this. It’s best view live chat as a way to improve overall customer satisfaction and your revenue.

Live chat is also an effective way to improve productivity. While customers are dealing with troubleshooting, looking for information, or stepping away from the screen for a moment, your customer service agents can help other customers. One word of caution is to make sure agents don’t take on too many customers at once as doing so can cause more harm than good. Customer satisfaction should always be your end goal.

If you aren’t familiar with live chat and its capabilities, start small and ease into it to see how it works for you and your employees. While you’re testing the waters, be sure to ask your customers how they like live chat and how it can be improved. After all, you’re doing this for them, so you might as well give them the best messaging experience possible.

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