Live chat in marketing
“We are connected to the Internet. How can we help you today?” unless this is your first day online, you certainly noticed these small pop-ups with such text on many websites.
These windows are a live chat – an online app to communicate directly with site visitors. Many surveys and research projects show that live chat is an effective marketing tool with the highest level of customer satisfaction.
This publication will focus on the benefits that live chat can bring to your online business. You will learn how it works on both sides – for the customer and chat. In addition, we will discuss some of the best live chat practices and modern live chat solutions that can act as a broadband communication center.
What is live chat and how does it work?
Live chat is essentially an application that allows communication between two or more people. In digital marketing, live chat is a business messaging program. For internet surfers, live chat looks like a small pop-up in the bottom right corner. The significant progress behind this tool means that the user does not need to install any software to use live chat – except the browser of course.
The live chat window consists of two main sections for the site visitor: the bottom section is a text entry form, and the top section is a screen with a chat history. The user writes the text, sends it by clicking “Enter” or another special button, and sees the record – messages, operator answers, and technical messages.
However, the operator also sees the chat window on the other side of the screen, but the interface is different. The interface varies depending on the solutions, but the key point is that the operator can manage many chats simultaneously.
The phone user sees the chat log and the list of requests received. This means they can switch between users and chat sessions. It looks easy, but there’s more behind this simple interface.
Live chat solutions allow support agents to see the chat history, personal or contact information of the user, create tags for certain categories of users, and even leave notes to indicate the user’s information or requests.
As its popularity has increased, live chat solutions have steadily gained additional functionality. The visitor can save the chat history to retain information or prove more action. The operator can set up automatic responses, and chat bot will automatically provide visitors with information.
Both sides can share parts of text, links, and photos in the chat. Live chat is now an essential tool that can be customized to your business needs.
What are the benefits of live corporate chat?
A visitor who speaks on the website is an opportunity for all business owners. In terms of marketing, this user is a potential customer – someone interested in the company’s products or services. Direct contact with potential customers can bring a variety of benefits, such as:
Increased customer participation. If a visitor is interested in a product, effective communication with the company representative via live chat can help them turn potential customers into paying customers and make more deals.
Marketing analysis for your target audience. It is difficult and une ethical to collect comprehensive data on customers without their permission. However, with live chats, visitors can voluntarily provide some interesting information. This helps marketing analysts get to know their target audience and learn more about their preferences.
Take care of customer loyalty. A quick, useful and enjoyable conversation with the company representative makes the customer satisfied, resulting in a positive impact on customer retention rate and lasting value.
Improve customer support. While connecting via live chat, the operator can invite a technical support representative to join the conversation to resolve the customer’s problem quickly. With the chat history, it is possible to share important information without asking questions twice.
Train your employees. By answering questions about your company’s products and services, employees gain a deeper understanding of the company’s business. In addition, they can practice communicating with customers. Because the chat history is available after the conversation closes, it is possible to find and analyze existing gaps and problems to improve your customer service process.
There are more benefits of live chat on the website. However, to work more effectively, some refinement is required.
Best practices and rules of live chat
Mark live chat in the bottom corner
Having a chat tool in the right location is the key to live chat effectiveness. Most webmasters place a live chat window in the bottom corner – the visitor can quickly find them, and do not overlap with the content of the page. Live chat in the bottom right corner has become an industrial standard.
This does not mean that this site is mandatory for everyone. You can try the live chat tool and place it in any part of your website. However, make sure it’s easy to find and that the window doesn’t interfere with important content. Otherwise, angry users will leave your website forever.
Respond quickly, and turn slowly
Don’t make your customers wait. Respond quickly to their incoming requests. If all your operators are busy, send an automated message – interact, otherwise you will lose the customer.
However, do not try to convert a user via chat. The visitor, who asks for help via live chat, is already interested in your product. Don’t start selling directly in chat. Help solve the client’s problem first, then ask for a conversation evaluation – this method works best.
Be honest and meet the customer’s expectations
In theory, live chat can work 24/7. In practice, you need operators to respond to all incoming requests. If your budget allows you to hire operators from different time zones, that’s good for you. Make sure you’re always a live person behind the chat window.
However, if your customer service is only available during business hours, tell your customers. Add some automated messages, ask the visitor to describe his problem, and ask him to leave his contact information. You can also add some links to the FAQ section.
Automating the customer’s muzzle while retaining the human side
Automating conversations is a key benefit of live chat. Accurate conversation texts make the conversation faster and better. Automatic responses can answer most of your visitors’ questions, which is why companies use live chats.
However, live chat should remain humane with your customers. Make sure your tone of voice looks friendly to your customers. Review your messages to make them clear and polite. Even automated messages must show sincere respect for your customers.
Be active, not annoying
Use warm-up messages to start connecting in the live chat window. Welcome your zoark, provide some help and start a dialogue. You can set up the chat window to appear after specific customer actions – for example, scroll down the page. For maximum live chat effect, place the chat window on all your important pages to provide more chat points with your visitors.
Always respect your site’s visitors. Let the customer close the chat window with one click – always make the close button visible. Avoid restarting welcome audio over and over again. Let the visitor focus and make the decision to buy.
Live chat can boost your sales, generate new customers, and increase your customers’ loyalty. Sometimes it’s the key to business survival. Use live chat best practices to engage your visitors and turn them into customers. Stay cooperative and polite, respond quickly, and make sure every customer is satisfied with your service.
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