ADD LIVE CHAT TO YOUR SITE
Live chat support on a website is a thing of the future, that exists in the now. Let’s get caught up and not left in the past with these tips on how to add a live chat feature to your site.
What Live Chat Is & Does
Live chat services are a communication channel managed by a team of sales representatives that provide an elevated user experience in the form of customer service, promotions and consistent engagement that keeps a customer engaged along the path to checking out. It helps answer user questions, generate sales leads, and even notify brands of a technical issue that one may have otherwise overlooked if not actively viewing the site. In short, it’s almost like a front desk administrator, serving as the initial touchpoint for your brand.
Having a live chat feature allows you to answer those questions in a timely manner, and hopefully secure that purchase with those responses.
Live Chat vs. Chatbot
We want to make this differentiation up front. A live chat feature and a chatbot feature are not one in the same. Live chat 100% requires a human to facilitate the interactions, whereas a chatbot is an automated service that is AI-driven. Both are great and, if possible, should exist in tandem on your site. The chatbot can gather visitor information to be later sent to a live sales representative, who can finish the conversation immediately or at a later time as an attempt to secure that visitor as a loyal customer.
How It Benefits Business
As you read this article, there is potentially a customer sitting on your website asking themselves questions they can’t seem to find the answer to within your existing information. They’re just about to make a purchase or schedule a service with you but are hesitant because they have questions about the included benefits, or what the sizing of a blouse might be in UK sizes. Having a live chat feature allows you to answer those questions in a timely manner, and hopefully secure that purchase with those responses. In today’s world, customers don’t want to wait for a response - if they can’t find the answer or be responded to somewhat immediately, they aren’t interested. Your live chat can help combat this by creating a relay of communication that streamlines to the sales representatives and gives said reps time to develop a proper and timely response.
How To Integrate
Adding a LiveChat service looks a little different from platform to platform. Before comparing platforms, let’s review some action items that need to be identified before setting new plans to the live perspective.
Research and choose a live chat software
If you’re planning to choose a live chat software outside of your own platform, it’s important to research the third-party apps available before downloading and implementing to your site, otherwise you’ll be wasting a lot of time and stress. When reviewing which app to choose, consider the following points:
A template for your canned sales responses This is where your previously crafted sales rep scripts will live to help streamline and speed up response times.
An archive for your chat history Your chat archive will help the sales team monitor conversations with potential customers and provide insight to your marketing team on where they can improve on informing customers of updates, how your brand works, and new available features, products, or services.
Functions well with your current website platform As you research, make sure to find reviews or examples of other websites on your platform who use the same app to make sure you like the way it works. It’s also important to ensure that it actually integrates with your platform, otherwise it could be a waste of resources. Any addition that disrupts the streamline of your website is a point of exit for most customers.
Automatic greetings The automatic greeting is the small, but eye-catching pop-up visitors see upon entering the site, usually within the first 10 seconds. These are meant to pique user interest and encourage them to ask questions.
Reports & Analytics The ability to gather information and track how users interact with your chat feature is an important feature and a must-have. The information stored here will be of importance to several facets of your business, from sales to marketing to customer service - the works.
Plan a script for sales conversation flow
Whether you’re starting with a live chat + chatbot combo or just a live chat for starters, it’s important to have a set of canned responses, a script of sorts to help guide your sales reps through typical conversations they’re sure to encounter with your customers. We recommend collaborating with your marketing team to craft responses that are inclusive, personable, and supportive in ways that keep your audience satisfied. Later on, this script can be used to help support your chatbot services as it may contain longstanding auto messages that blanket resolve many issues customers may have, such as finding the shipping information, operating hours, etc.
Test & Implement
If it’s possible to test your new live chat features in a test environment, we recommend doing so. If not, we recommend isolating your testing to a hidden, unlinked page on your site where you and your team can test and retest this new feature from different browsers, smart devices, in and out of incognito mode, any access point imaginable to make sure that it works well for you and your customer.
Integrate the chat in marketing efforts
Once fully vetted, make sure to let your audience know that the live chat feature exists! This is an exciting opportunity for customers to engage with your brand in a new way that generates a level of gratification that produces those endorphins that lead to purchase fulfillment. After the hype around a new service has died down, don’t let your users forget about it. Make sure your marketing team takes time to periodically remind users that the feature still exists.
Gather and Analyze Feedback
We will run this horse into the ground - feedback and data are integral to brand health. This applies as well to your live chat resources. Data from this new app will drive decision-making as your brand grows and innovates. Don’t miss out on these golden nuggets of information that speak volumes to your customers’ shopping behavior.
Looking Ahead
As the eCommerce industry continues to grow and change, so does our digital presence as brands and how we interact with our customers. While you monitor how live chat features change the way your customers interact with you and the effect it has on your sales, be mindful of what more or less you can do to maintain that customer/brand relationship. Are your response times fast enough? Do you provide the right information? Is your chatbot off-putting from the beginning and keeping users from wanting to engage? Can you find ways to offer your chat in different languages? All of these questions and more will arise. How you choose to answer these questions is what will control your path to success -- or failure.
Executive Summary
Live chat, as an added feature on a website, is a great way to connect with users and turn questioning users into loyal ones. Combined with a chatbot feature, customers can ask questions and receive near-instant responses about the nature of your products, more details on services and even more specific questions whose answers may not always live on your site. All in all, it is a great conversion and customer service tool which strengthens the bond between customer and brand. When you’re ready to take that next step in the eCommerce industry journey, make sure to add this tool to your arsenal. If you’re looking for assistance on making this happen for you and your business quickly and seamlessly, don’t hesitate to contact us.
