Customer service is the face of an organization. While the methods for delivering that service have changed, the goal remains the same: You want your customers to feel good about your service.
It’s for this reason that many companies have started implementing live chat into their customer service operations. Traditional phone-only communication is now coupled with live chat, and many companies are seeing the benefits of using this hybrid formula.
If your organization has been tossing around the idea of implementing live chat in your customer service but still doesn’t know if it’s a good fit, we’ve provided a rundown of benefits that could help you with your decision.
Cost-Efficient
Anyone who’s been tasked with setting up a call center’s phone lines can probably tell you not only how time-consuming it is but also about the costs. Setting up phone support is expensive and involves a variety of factors that must be in place before it can go operational.
Implementing live chat support takes only a few steps and requires less investment. Some companies take this a step further and outsource their live chat for even more efficient operations and less costs.
Visual Aids
A large part of the population are visual learners. Meaning, no matter how many times you lay out a solution to them over the phone, they still won’t truly get what you’re saying. One benefit of live chat is being able to show a customer what you’re talking about. Whether it’s a product guide, screen-sharing, graph, or an animated GIF, visual aids can help customers better understand their issue and the solution.
Remote Real Time Assistance
No one likes being put on hold, and a call to a company’s customer service department almost certainly will result in one. Live chat eliminates this issue by putting a customer directly in contact with an agent.
Customers want answers quickly. In fact, Forrester Research found that 57% of customers will abandon their purchase if their questions aren’t answered quickly. They also found that 44% of online consumers find live chat services one of the most vital features a website can have.
Chat support provides agents with the tools needed to guide customers through step-by-step instructions. Agents can also handle multiple customers at once, adding an extra layer of efficiency to your operation.
Understand Your Customer Base
Learning about your customer base is the best way to create an experience that they will remember. Live chat can help you do just that. A comprehensive live chat software comes with features and tools that provide insights into customer behavior.
Customer data and relevant analytics can give your company insights and help you identify problem areas in your customer service experience.
Some of the data you can get for every live messaging session include:
- Time Spent on Site
- Referral Links
- Customer Location
- Operating System/Device Used
As you can see, implementing live chat can help your company continually modify the customer service experience to accommodate a changing customer base. If you’d like to learn more about live chat or even outsourcing your live chat operations, click here.
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