Customer engagement is essential for any business that wants to succeed. When customers feel engaged with a business, they are more likely to buy from them, become loyal customers, and spread the word to their friends and family. Live chat is a powerful tool that can help businesses improve customer engagement. By providing real-time support and assistance, live chat agents can help customers resolve their issues quickly and easily. In this article, we will explore some of the key benefits of live chat and discuss how businesses can use live chat to improve customer engagement.

What is live chat?

Live chat is a real-time communication tool that allows businesses to connect with their customers via a web browser. It is typically implemented as a chat widget on a website that allows customers to start a conversation with a live chat agent. Live chat agents can be human or Chabot-based.

Live chat has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way for businesses to provide customer support and sales assistance. It is a convenient and efficient way for customers to get help with their questions and issues, and it can also be used to generate leads and sales.

Key benefits of live chat on Websites

1. Real-time customer support

Live chat allows businesses to provide real-time customer support to their customers. This means that customers can get help with their questions and issues immediately, without having to wait on hold or send an email.

This is especially important for e-commerce businesses, where customers may have questions about products before they make a purchase. Live chat agents can answer these questions and help customers choose the right product for their needs.

2. Increased customer satisfaction

When customers feel like they are getting the support they need, they are more likely to be satisfied with the business. Live chat can help to increase customer satisfaction by providing a quick and easy way for customers to get help.

A study found that 92% of customers who used live chat were satisfied with the experience. This is much higher than the satisfaction rate for other customer support channels, such as phone and email.

3. Increased sales

Live chat can also be used to generate leads and sales. For example, live chat agents can answer questions about products and services, help customers checkout, and offer personalized recommendations.

A study by Understanding eCommerce found that live chat can increase website conversion rates by up to 40%. This is because live chat agents can help to overcome customer objections and close deals.

4. Reduced costs

Live chat can also help businesses to reduce costs by reducing the number of customer support calls and emails. This is because live chat agents can handle multiple conversations at once.

A study by HubSpot found that live chat can reduce customer support costs by up to 30%. This is because live chat is a more efficient way to handle customer inquiries.

5. Increased employee productivity

Live chat can also help to increase employee productivity by allowing agents to focus on one conversation at a time. This can lead to better customer service and faster resolution of customer issues.

A study by Zendesk found that live chat agents can handle up to three times as many conversations as phone agents. This is because live chat agents do not have to spend time placing and answering calls.

How businesses can use live chat on websites to improve customer engagement

Be proactive

• Greeting visitors. When a visitor lands on your website, you can use live chat to send them a greeting message. This shows that you are aware of their presence and that you are interested in helping them.
• Offering assistance. If a visitor is browsing a particular product page, you can use live chat to offer them assistance. This could involve answering questions about the product, helping them to choose the right size or color, or offering personalized recommendations.
• Targeting abandoned carts. If a visitor adds items to their cart but then leaves the website without completing the purchase, you can use live chat to reach out to them and offer assistance. This could involve answering any questions they may have or offering them a discount to complete the purchase.

Be responsive

• Responding quickly. When a customer initiates a live chat conversation, it is important to respond quickly. Customers expect to get answers to their questions quickly, so don’t leave them hanging.
• Setting realistic expectations. If you are unable to respond to a customer immediately, let them know when they can expect a response. This will help to manage their expectations and prevent them from getting frustrated.
• Staying in touch. If a customer has to leave the chat conversation before it is resolved, make sure to stay in touch with them. You can do this by sending them a follow-up email or message.

Be helpful

• Being knowledgeable. Live chat agents should be knowledgeable about your products and services. They should also be familiar with your company’s policies and procedures.
• Answering questions clearly. When customers ask questions, live chat agents should answer them in a clear and concise way. They should avoid using jargon or technical terms that the customer may not understand.
• Providing solutions. Live chat agents should not just answer customer questions. They should also provide solutions. This could involve helping the customer troubleshoot a problem, recommending a product or service, or providing a discount.

Be friendly

• Using the customer’s name. When chatting with a customer, live chat agents should use the customer’s name. This shows that the agent is paying attention and that they are interested in the customer’s needs.
• Being polite and respectful. Live chat agents should be polite and respectful to all customers. They should avoid using slang or informal language.
• Showing empathy. Live chat agents should try to understand the customer’s perspective and show empathy. This will help the customer to feel valued and respected.

Personalize the experience

• Using the customer’s name and other relevant information. Live chat agents should use the customer’s name and other relevant information to personalize the conversation. This could include the customer’s purchase history, browsing history, or location.
• Offering personalized recommendations. Live chat agents can use the customer’s browsing history and other information to offer personalized recommendations. This could involve recommending products, services, or content that the customer is likely to be interested in.
• Building relationships. Live chat agents can build relationships with customers by getting to know them and their needs. This could involve asking them questions about their interests and goals.

Live chat is a powerful tool that businesses can use to improve customer engagement and support, generate leads and sales, and reduce costs. If you are not already using live chat on your website, I highly recommend that you consider doing so. If you are looking for a professional website design company that can help you implement live chat on your website, contact us today. We offer a variety of website design services, including live chat integration. We can help you choose the right live chat solution for your needs and budget, and we can also help you train your staff on how to use live chat effectively.