Your customers don’t want to be kept on hold whilst listening to fairly terrible music. They want their questions answered now, so email is no good. Audiences have made it clear that what they really want from a business is immediacy… and with live chat, you can offer that.
41% of people expect to see a live chat on your website. This percentage gets even higher for mobile users, with over half of people expecting to find some sort of instant communication service.
Since the ‘70s, live chat has been growing in popularity. Businesses from numerous industries, all over the world, are embracing the leading digital contact method for online customers. If customer service matters to you, live chat should be top of your list.
So why are so many small businesses not utilising this immediate communication channel? Well there are a lot of myths putting business owners off. We’re here to bust them and tell you exactly what you can expect after installing a live chat on your website.
Top 4 Live Chat Myths
First thing’s first, any business can take advantage of live chat. Whether you’re a huge eCommerce company or an independent accountant, this service will benefit your customers. So let’s talk about some of the reasons you might be against the idea…
#1 Live Chat is Controlled by a Scripted Robot
False. While there are different products and options available, chatbots aren’t the only way you can utilise live chat on your site. Some people like to use an automated message to get the conversation started, others like to be fully in-control of the communication they’re having with their customers.
Most live chat software offers a mobile app which sends any messages that come through straight to your phone. It has never been easier to personally respond instantly to any messages that come through. Chatbot or no chatbot, we’ll leave it up to you to decide how you want to operate your live chat.
#2 You Have to be Online 24/7
So you understand that your chat doesn’t have to be controlled by a robot, but what about when you want to switch off in the evening? One thing that puts business owners off the idea is the thought of live chat messages pinging to their mobile out of office hours. That’s understandable. No one wants that.
Again, most of the available software allows you to allocate your business hours. When you’re at your desk, you’ll receive the notifications and be able to respond in real time. When you’re putting your feet up in the evening, the messages will divert to your chosen email address.
#3 Live Chat Installation is Too Expensive
One of the top concerns, particularly with small businesses, is cost. Luckily, live chat is one of the cheapest and most cost-effective options when it comes to digital communication channels.
Depending on the features your business needs, you might find that there is no monthly fee associated with your live chat at all. The only cost to your business will be installation of the software on your site… unless, of course, you’re a Dorset Chamber member and want to take advantage of free installation on any WordPress website.
#4 No One Uses Live Chat
The stats in the introduction do enough to bust this myth. Your customers do use live chat (when it’s available). Almost half of your visitors expect you to offer it. Yet, while 90% of businesses agree that they need social media to offer better customer service, only 9% of businesses are using live chat.
More than three quarters (79%) of visitors prefer using live chat to communicate with businesses. Think about it. If you’ve got a question about a product, want a quote for a service or have a general customer enquiry – wouldn’t you want a response immediately?
Remember, people won’t wait for your response if it’s urgent.
Why Your Business Needs Live Chat
Okay so all of your live chat myths are busted. Hopefully, you’re warming to the idea of installing one on your website. Just in case you aren’t convinced, here are a few more statistics that are impossible to argue with.
Does your business care about and want to improve customer satisfaction? Live chat is the best communication tool to make that happen. A study by SuperOffice in 2020 found that live chat had an 82% satisfaction rating, compared with only 61% for email and 44% for phone.
Perhaps your customer satisfaction is at an all time high, but you want to increase sales and generate more leads. I’m sure you already know what I’m going to say… A 2021 study by Reve found that customers who engaged with a business via live chat were 82% more likely to make a purchase!
It’s difficult to argue with numbers like that.
So if you want to increase customer satisfaction whilst reaching your businesses sales goals, you need to seriously consider getting a live chat installed on your website. As always, Digital Storm are on hand to get your live chat installed and talk to you about the new array of features at your fingertips.