Are you struggling to meet the demands of customers, finding that many of their questions and requests are left unanswered? If your target audience is millennials, you’ll also find that they’re notoriously averse to phone calls–especially when it comes to customer support! If this is the case, it may be time to consider implementing live chat on your website.
A live chat widget for websites makes it easier for your customers to get the support they need, but there are also even more benefits that you may not have considered.
Read on to learn all about them today!
1. Increased Rapport With Customers
One of the main benefits that often goes ignored is the fact that a live chat widget is better at building a relationship with customers compared to traditional phone calls. This is because live chat feels like a more informal way of communicating, and customers are able to receive instantaneous answers to all of their questions, concerns, and requests.
Live chat agents are also able to mirror a customer’s tone in order to build rapport with them. For instance, if a customer is friendly and using emotes, agents can respond in turn in order to create more of a casual relationship that helps customers feel comfortable and heard.
2. Improved Productivity
Businesses that use live chat may also see an increase in the productivity of their customer service agents. Through live chat, agents are able to speak with multiple customers at once unlike with phone calls. In addition, they’re also able to resolve customer complaints and requests faster.
This is because they can copy and paste scripts for common issues. Businesses may also see a reduction in live chat requests because you can also include common answers to questions in an FAQ.
When it comes to more complex requests that require more research, agents will feel more comfortable resolving issues because customers are typically more patient when it comes to live chat. As they wait for the agent to respond to their request, they’re free to go about their day instead of waiting on hold by their phone.
Agents can also utilize a shared inbox. All agents are able to see customer requests in real-time in order to distribute the workload evenly between everyone. This also makes collaboration easier so that tough customer issues can be resolved with more than one agent.
3. Support 24/7
One of the main issues with providing traditional customer support through phones is that agents are usually only available for a limited time each week. Providing 24/7 live chat customer support is easier and more cost-effective because you can provide self-service options through a knowledge base of FAQs and how-to articles. Some businesses even provide forums where customers are able to answer each other’s most commonly asked questions.
If you’re able to hire agents around the clock, live chat is usually more affordable than answering customer calls.
4. Satisfied Customers
80% of customers say that speed, convenience, and knowledge and the three most important aspects when it comes to customer support. Live chat is able to provide all three because customers don’t have to wait on their phones in order to get an answer to their questions.
It’s important to remember that when it comes to traditional customer support lines, the customer isn’t just waiting for the agent to resolve their issue. They also have to find the right number to call, be redirected to the right line, and then wait for an available agent.
A live chat support widget is able to provide both speed and convenience. The live chat bubble is usually easy to find for customers at the bottom right of a web page–even for those who aren’t completely computer savvy. All they have to do is type out their question.
Even if an agent is available, widgets are able to provide answers to most commonly asked questions so that a customer is able to do their own research while they wait. They won’t feel as if their time is being wasted.
5. Reduced Repetition
One of the main pinpoints when it comes to traditional customer service calls is that customers often repeat their problem to multiple agents. This leads to increased frustration as they feel that their issue isn’t being resolved in a timely manner. When it comes to live chat, this isn’t necessary.
Multiple agents are able to read the text that the customer supplied. Even better, live chat enables customers to take screenshots of their screen or share photos so that they can describe their problem in more detail. This drastically cuts down on the back and forth between customers and agents, making the process more efficient for everyone.
6. Connect With Prospective Customers
Last but not least, live chat can help convince customers to make a purchase. According to Forrester data, 53% of adults online are likely to abandon their purchase if they’re not able to get a quick answer to their question. By enabling a live chat widget for a website, online browsers are able to quickly get the answers they need.
Live chat is also helpful when it comes to onboarding new customers and making the checkout process as seamless as possible. For instance, they may have issues remembering old login credentials or how to make bulk or custom orders.
Increasing Efficiency With a Live Chat Widget
Live chat is an aspect of online browsing and purchasing that’s becoming more of the norm. Customers now want quick and expedient ways to get answers to their questions. If they’re able to find a competitor that provides better customer support for live chat, they’re far more likely to abandon their purchase and opt for the next best brand.
It’s also important to remember that live chat also helps build relationships with current customers. Agents are freer to match the tone of customers so that they can build rapport in a more easygoing manner. Some brands even advocate for agents to match the brand voice so that there is a more consistent experience for customers.
Ready to communicate with your customers like humans and provide the best customer support available? Try out our demo today!
