For many webshops, live chat has become a standard channel. Visitors can ask a question straight away, without calling or waiting for an email. But what does live chat actually deliver, and what should you watch out for to do it well?
1. Help at the decisive moment
A visitor who asks a question in the chat is often about to buy. Doubt about a size, delivery time or the right variant can make the difference between an order and an abandoned basket. A fast, knowledgeable answer helps that visitor decide.
2. Low-threshold contact
Not everyone likes to call. Live chat is easy to use and fits how people communicate online. Customers can keep browsing in the meantime, and the conversation can be read back at any time.
3. Efficient for your team
Via chat, an agent can often move faster than on the phone, for example by sharing a link, a photo or a tracking code. That makes live chat an efficient channel for common questions.
4. Valuable insights
Chat conversations show where visitors get stuck on your website. What information is missing? Where do they hesitate? Those insights help you improve your website and product information.
Where it goes wrong: the chat without an answer
A live chat that is not staffed, or only responds after hours, backfires. A visitor expects a quick response in a chat. If it does not come, the frustration is greater than if there had been no chat at all. So only switch live chat on when someone is actually available, and be clear about your opening hours.
Chatbot or person?
Many companies consider a chatbot to keep live chat affordable. For simple questions that can work, but as soon as a question deviates from the standard pattern, customers get stuck. At Mijnsupportdesk we therefore choose real agents in the chat, supported by a knowledge base and AI assistance behind the scenes. That way you combine speed with the personal attention that helps a visitor decide.
Read more about live chat and social media or customer service via WhatsApp.