In the digital world, user experience is king. Therefore, it is no secret that companies both small and large are trying to make their business user-oriented and online brand presence even more effective when it comes to user engagement. Businesses offer rich user experience like easy-to-use navigation, uncluttered design layout, eye-catching CTAs, which are undoubtedly indispensable parts of an application, but lately, the shift in the in-app chat feature made the conversation more convenient for users and provided them with lower response time. It made live chats a tool that customers started looking for on a website.
Live chat software allows users and companies to have real-time conversations within one platform. They differ in functions integrated into a mobile or web application. The most common features of chat apps are cloud storage and backup, message broadcasting, push notifications, group chatting, etc. Dozens of out-of-the-box chat solutions offer such functionality. Individual aspects of chat app development, including custom features and integrations that require advanced programming, can be delivered by an experienced outsourcing software development company.
Live chats save users from switching from one platform to another and enable them to get real-time responses. On the other side, customer service can talk to potential customers, providing them with support during the sales funnel, solving any problem that may arise, and enabling specialists to handle multiple queries simultaneously.
Improved website experience is the first but not the last benefit of live chat software. In this article, we will discuss other reasons for integrating a live chat feature into your application to better understand various facets that make it a priority for every app owner.
Increase sales and conversions
By using live chat, businesses have the potential to increase sales. According to the research made by the American Marketing Association, B2B companies that have been using live chat noticed a 20% growth in conversions. The reason for this is the ability of companies to hold their potential clients’ by hand through live chat, help them overcome challenges, and reach a buying decision.
When prospects and customers browse through your website, they may have questions about different products or problems that appeared with your service. You can answer them immediately while a user is still on the decision-making stage of the funnel. It is like having a sales assistant on standby, online on your website.
An eMarketer report confirmed the connection between live chats and sales. People who used live chat were 36% more likely to make a purchase. It shows a strong impact of live chats on consumers that businesses should take into account.
Reduce support costs
Customer support can be expensive. Let’s take a look at traditional call centers. A customer service representative can be responsible for both calls and email requests. But only one at a time while live chat can handle multiple queries simultaneously, depending on the complexity of the issues involved. As a result, you will need a smaller team to support your customers’ requests – decreasing your support spendings. It also reduces call expenses. Live chats are more than 50% cheaper than phone calls.
Moreover, the waiting queue can be cut down to a fraction of the time spent waiting for phone support with a deflection rate of 70% from calls to live chat. It reduces the need for hiring more support specialists and increases the number of sales and support efficiency of multiple queries at the same time.
Build trust with customers
Consumers are more likely to buy something from companies they trust. When you come to a physical shop, consultants can answer questions and establish trust. After building rapport during communication, customers can buy something. This is not so easy to do with online users.
Live chats give a possibility to have direct conversations with potential customers and establish trust without going to the physical store or calling to support. It blurs the line between online and offline purchases. When customers don’t trust your company, they won’t share their contact information and personal data. And with live chat, customers know that they will get help if they need it, which makes them trust you.
Gain a competitive advantage
Live chat can give you an edge over your competitors. SuperOffice research shows that only 9% out of 1000 websites use live chat to provide their customers with support.
At the same time, the percentage of online customers who use live chats has grown to 58%. Therefore, it is good to have a competitive advantage over your rivals to make yourself a more desirable choice. It becomes vital to stay ahead of the competition, especially now when many businesses consider implementing live chats due to their cost-effectiveness. Numbers confirm this tendency. The live chat software market is expected to reach $997 million by 2023 at a CAGR of 7.5%.
Keep in contact with visitors
Not all website visitors will make a purchase straight away. When a visitor leaves your site, you can either sit and hope that they will eventually come back later or collect their information via live chat before they leave and work with it.
To turn visitors into leads, ask them for the contact details before a live chat session begins. It will also help to identify an existing customer and provide a more personalised experience. If they are not your existing customers, you will learn who they are and can provide them with news and promotional material as a part of your email marketing strategy. If they decide to buy something, they will most likely choose you because of brand awareness.
Moreover, a survey made by eMarketer shows that 63% of consumers are more likely to return to a website that offers live chat even. It lets you communicate with already engaged prospects instead of ‘cold’ anonymous visitors.
Conclusion
Live chats are no longer a trend of the time but a necessity. In our tech-driven and highly competitive world, businesses need to provide their customers with the experience they are waiting for in order to succeed in the market.
Your customers want to get fast and comprehensive support along the purchase process without leaving the website. For companies using live chat means communicating with their visitors in a preferred channel and reducing support costs while increasing overall sales and conversions. So it is no longer a question of if your business needs a chat app but more about the time when you integrate this tool into your website to start benefiting from it.
