Does your website have live chat? If not, you’re missing out on a number of benefits that your competitors are already enjoying. Live chat offers distinct advantages compared to instant messenger applications, so it’s important to understand the differences. In fact, live chat is one of the more flexible tools your website can have, even if you use other communication tools. Specifically, live chat allows you to help customers in the moment.
Here are six reasons why every website – including yours – needs live chat.
1. Reduced Expenses
To serve customer needs, most companies have a customer call center. However, hiring enough people to answer the phones is costly, plus staff needs to be well-trained. If an agent gives a customer the wrong information, it’s a poor reflection on your company.
Live chat is a cost-effective alternative to staffing phones. A few live chat agents are enough to handle customer needs, cutting costs on payroll. Training costs can also be reduced, as agents can refer to the handbook before answering a question.
2. Increased Sales
According to the American Marketing Association, live chat can increase conversions by 20%, with a typical ROI rate reaching 300%. Also, the AMA reports that customers who are helped through live chat are 3x more likely to make a purchase compared to those who were not helped. Bottom line: having live chat helps customers and boosts sales.
3. Improved Customer Loyalty
When customers are helped right away and can continue on with their journey, they form positive associations with the brand. Plus, customers are more confident doing business with a company that is accessible. With a friendly live chat service, you can handle all aspects of the customer journey, including returns, exchanges and shipping questions.
4. Learn Customer Pain Points
When talking with customers on live chat, you can learn a lot about their pain points. And, you don’t have to do any research to find these struggles! You’ll naturally hear from customers about what they like and what they don’t like. This allows you to make changes to your products and service that lead to a better brand.
5. Solve Problems Immediately
When customers have to wait to have their problems addressed, they can lose faith in a company. With live chat, customers can hit the “chat” button and be reached to a customer service rep right away. The agent can walk them through the steps they need to take, and the issue will be solved quickly and effectively.
6. Gain a Competitive Edge
Only 9 percent of businesses use live chat to offer real time support to customers. Imagine the competitive edge you can gain by installing live chat software. Customers will appreciate the instant support, and you can address any barriers that might be standing in the way of a sale. If customers have to wait 24-48 hours for a response, you might miss the opportunity for a sale.
Live chat is a flexible, affordable tool that should have a place on your website. To learn more about your options for live chat and the money you can save your business, contact Magna Technology.
