Exceptional customer service differentiates you from the other providers in the market. That differentiation is crucial because today’s customer is sophisticated and has more options than ever before. With the click of a button, they are out of your online shop and into the next. The secret is to offer them support and assistance that is relevant, timely and personal.
One way to achieve this is through Live Chat Support. Live support is a web service that allows you to communicate with your customers in real time. Many companies have embraced the use of live chat software as more customer service channels arise in the market.
Customers really appreciate it when you listen to them and meet them where and when they want. When you are able to do that, you guarantee increased satisfaction levels. Here are five critical reasons to invest in effective chat software for your customers.
Live Chat Taps Into Customer Pain Points
Pain points are customer needs that have not yet been met. For example, a client will reach out to your company because he or she wants to ask a question pertaining to the performance of the product or just some clarifications. However, when the agent is alert, he or she will detect the customer’s mood and attitude, if there is something bothering them, the agent can inquire about underlying issues.
These pain points, when effectively addressed, are great opportunities for brand positioning in the mind of the customer. You can leverage the interactions with the customer to discover which improvements are needed in your products or services.
The essence of tapping into these pain points is to uncover critical areas of improvement, meeting the customers’ needs in the most direct way. The result will be higher customer satisfaction levels and incremental business growth.
Live Chat is Convenient
Receiving support through live chat is very convenient. It provides your customer with immediate access to information. For example, when a customer is shopping online and he or she is having trouble with the purchase, while still on the page, they can chat with an agent who will resolve their issue on the spot.
It is convenient also because you can speak with a customer service representative anytime and anywhere. If the customer is in traffic and there is a lot of noise, the live chat continues without any interruptions. How wonderful is that?
Even when the customer has to wait in line for the next available agent to become available, the wait is not that long compared to waiting for a call to go through, because an agent can chat with more than one customer at any given time. Convenience is a win-win situation for the agents and customers.
Live Chat Removes Language Barriers
Most companies reach, especially with online retail operations, extends beyond their borders and their customers are spread all over the globe. This can lead to communication challenges. Imagine having a phone conversation with an agent for whom English is their second language; you will run into language barriers because of the diverse accents and idioms.
However, with live chat you will understand each other easily. As you type, words and sentences will be autocorrected, minimizing margins of error. A conversation that goes well, not only leads to customer satisfaction but also leads to employee satisfaction. Language can be vetted beforehand to present the most easily understood word choices.
Live Chat is Versatile
Live chat is a great platform to attend to customers no matter the complexity of the issue presented. From a simple product question to a technical one, the tools and resources available through live chat can address a wide gamut of issues.
Another critical quality component of the chat process is that, because all of the conversations are written, they are readily accessible by the performance management teams to review for quality assurance. The customer can also refer to it for directions in case they forget what you told them and an agent can evaluate their own performance on how well the conversation evolved.
Live Chat Builds Strong Relationships
Strong and long-lasting relationships are worth building and fighting for, in order to grow your business. With live chat, you can introduce a human element into the online conversations with customers. Even though most companies have prepared their Frequently Asked Questions for access by website visitors, the FAQ’s are never enough to satisfy all of the questions asked by all of the customers.
When customers are happy and satisfied, they will not only purchase more but also advocate for your brand to others, leading to higher conversion rates. Making yourself easily available to your customers when and where they want to have the conversation is powerful for your business. Live chat is critical to success platform in providing the unique opportunity to complete your customer service processes. Train and coach your agents in the best practices for live chat and you will see the improvement in customer satisfaction levels and healthy business growth.