As a business owner, you want to do everything possible to take proper care of your customers and resolve any issues they might have. One of the best ways to do this is through first contact resolution. This is essentially a concept in which problems are taken care of the first time a customer reaches out to you through live chat. Learn three ways to make the most of this method and better ensure your customers remain with your company for the long haul.

Do Your Part to Shape the Customer’s Expectations

One of the first things to do after learning and verifying a customer problem is informing the individual of how long it will take to take care of the issue. While it’s understandable you want to resolve a problem as quickly as possible, providing exemplary customer service means taking care of the entire problem the first time rather than resolving only a portion of it, which can draw a customer’s anger or even result in his or her leaving your company for one of your competitors. When you do give a customer an estimate of how long the resolution will take, try to add a few extra minutes, that way you under promise and over deliver, which customers love.

Remain Two Steps Ahead

Imagine how nice it is to have your needs anticipated, saving time and making things much more efficient. When it comes to maximizing customer experience and first contact resolution, being proactive means pulling up the customer’s profile to see her or his membership details, account number and the like. Profile info can give you an idea of why the person is calling and narrow down potential solutions.

Because customers might be doing something else while chatting online, it’s also a good idea to check up on them during long stretches of silence rather than have them ask if you’re still there. Not only is this a way to remain attentive, it also reduces the chances of the customer forgetting he or she is in a chat session only to “call” back with the same problem.

Finally, being proactive also means making sure the right person is handling the customer’s problem. Doing so helps keep unnecessary transfers at bay, which people hate because they often must repeat their information and their issue to the new agent.

Use All the Tools in Your Chat Arsenal

Live chat technology and software have come a long way, and it pays to understand the full capabilities of whatever program you’re using. Make sure your customer service agents are fully versed in the features of your chat software and know how to use those features. For instance, you might be able to share a screenshot with a customer, take a glimpse at the customer’s screen or keep membership details in the corner of the chat window for easy referencing.

Achieving first contact resolution is made much easier with the right information and a few suggestions. Make sure you and your agents are working together to keep customers happy and your business