Build Better Customer Relationships With Chat Services

In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, any edge you have over your competitors in sales or service can make the difference in whether you gain or lose a sale. Automated touch-tone customer help systems used to be the norm, but times are changing. The ability for a customer to chat with a live person through a website is a standout feature for improving customer relationships.

The following are a few simple tips to help make the live chat you offer your customers rewarding and beneficial for everyone involved.

Atmosphere

Create a warm, welcoming, and personalized atmosphere for your customers. The welcome message sent to customers to initiate chat should be professional and friendly, with an appealing tone. Keep in mind that nobody really likes the pushy salesman type.

Your chat window should pop up only once. If a customer does not respond immediately, you should not send a message again. However, be certain to keep yourself or your support staff available should the customer require assistance.

Active Listening

It is a good idea to encourage feedback from the customer and learn how the visitor found your site. Remember, you are not a bot, so reading or typing from a script will not enhance the customer experience in a live chat.

Great customer service is not necessarily achieved by providing great responses. Listening to the customer and understanding what is being stated is often more important than an immediate response. Showing empathy and concern will also make the customer feel comfortable.

Keep It Simple

Your customers won't be able to initiate chat support if they can't find it. Customers want to have immediate access to a real person if a question arises during their shopping experiences, so live chat buttons should always be displayed prominently on your website.

Going Offline

Web chat is generally utilized by the younger generation, so be aware of generational differences. Some customers may not be as used to chat as others.

If you run into a situation that is too complex to handle via chat, don't be afraid to move your conversation to a different medium. Simply ask the customer if she would like to switch the conversation to a phone call.

Security issues are another reason to go offline with customers. For example, personal information, account details, or credit card numbers should never be shared on a live chat platform. Give the customer the chance to provide any security-sensitive information over the phone or with a secured web form.

With live help you can transform your website from a place where people go to learn about you, to a place where you build strong customer relationships with each and every visitor, and convert those relationships into sales. These days, if you're not using one of these services for your online store, it is possible you are missing out on valuable sales opportunities. Offering customers chat services will not only make them happy customers, but it will also improve customer relationships while creating loyalty and repeat business.

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Chat Service Providers I highly recommend: Olark and BOLDCHAT (if you are working in a PC environment).