Live chat for e-commerce is undoubtedly becoming the way forward. Email has become outdated, particularly in the field of Ecommerce because of the delayed pace of conversation. Some stand-out benefits of this modern technique can include:
Instant responses
Live chat allows customers to reach out instantly and get immediate responses in return as well. This advantage becomes so significant because sales are most likely to rise by a large percentage if the queries and concerns of the customers are dealt with promptly. A delayed decision is a lost sale. Simple and basic questions are often left unanswered because the mechanism to respond is inherently slow. Live chat allows instant service, examples can include brands like ModCloth with “Chat Now” button on their website.
Documentation
With live chat as a feature, the entire conversation between a sales representative and customer is essentially documented. Their chat is consistently available and accessible. This firstly allows the customer to visit and re-visit conversation for confirmation about details and their queries at any time. Secondly, better team performance analysis can be deduced if live chat is used. With documentation of chats available, the customer service and performance of each employee can be closely monitored and therefore evaluated. Their efficiency as support agents can be calculated with accessibility to this chat. For example, first response time, resolution rate, and average handling time are all elements that can be observed because of live chat. Feedback can be collected on both sides to make improvements.
Cost- efficiency
Following the time efficiency of live chat, this feature allows the sales representative to conduct their job much faster. This means that it yields higher productivity in the company’s overall performance. They can deal with a large number of customers in less time. As per Richpanel, the cost of maintaining and scaling live chat support is 17-33% lower than any other form of communication. Employees can also multi-task if they are using live chat to provide customer support further increasing in productivity.
Personalized experience
Conversing with customers on live chat helps create a more individualized experience for each customer. Instead of communicating by email, this direct contact humanizes the exchange. For example, the agent can converse by name or recommend certain products by the brand. A friendly attitude and support can elevate the customer experience which phone support or automated replies/emails fail to provide. One-on-one communication also reflects the care and attention a brand is willing to put in for its customers. This helps build trust and loyalty, contributing in gaining regularity from the customer’s end.
Competitive advantage
It is considering that this feature is not very commonly used in the market yet. It can help the brand stand out. Going above and beyond in customer service through the addition of this feature definitely gives the brand a cutting edge over others. The overall benefits are therefore long-term and effective.
