According to a Moxie Software study reported by eMarketer, 62% of respondents expect live chat customer service to be accessible on their mobile devices. Among these respondents, 82% would use it when it’s available. This is just one indicator of the shifting communication preference among customers. People don’t want to wait in a queue for at least 10 minutes on a phone call. And why would they want to wait 24 hours for an email response?
Live chat enhances the customer experience and results in higher satisfaction levels because of it eliminate wasted time. Let’s take a deeper look at the reasons more and more customers prefer chatting live online.
1. Instant and Convenient
We live in a busy and technology-centric world. It’s no surprise that customers expect instant responses when they have a question answered or a problem resolved. While some customers may prefer or be fine with phone or email, don’t ignore how live chat can add value to your brand. Giving your customers the ability to receive instant resolutions to their issues will help you get an edge against your competitors and improve retention.
2. Personalized Experience
Unlike automated processes or phone calls, live chats give you the ability to immediately access all important details about your customers on a dashboard while answering an inquiry. These details include:
- Name
- Past purchases
- Location
- Internet browser
- Computer operating system
With a live and interactive experience, customers don’t have to spend time giving you all of this information over the phone. You can just pull it up on your end and begin providing tailored support. Through this easy access to past data, you are able to quickly and effectively solve each inquiry that comes your way.
3. Engaging and Useful
While email responses and automated phone messages have their place in customer service, many customers want a more useful experience. Emails and phone calls limit the amount of interaction between your company and customers. Chat gives you the opportunity to go beyond the constraints of traditional channels.
With certain software, you can co-browse your customers’ computer screen with their permission. This tool allows you to directly guide them through a process, like setting up a profile or completing a checkout page. Even just being able to know what computer model and browser your customers are using is helpful information for understanding how to solve their problems. Eliminating the need for your customers to provide details allows you to focus on being an engaging, helpful, and interactive company.
Give Your Customers What They Want and Deserve
You don’t need to totally eliminate traditional customer service channels to incorporate live chat as an option. Multiple studies and reports have shown customers prefer it over email and phone calls because it’s faster, simpler, and more personalized. When you use it to complement your other channels, you can provide a robust customer experience that will maximize customer satisfaction. If your customers aren’t able to get quick answers from you, they might move onto a competitor for solutions. Don’t neglect the customer satisfaction and increased loyalty you could benefit from.