eCommerce and Live Chat – A Relative Interconnection
There are plenty of clear advantages to online shopping, but there are drawbacks as well. Even the most detailed, in-depth product or service descriptions are no substitute for speaking to an actual person. Live chat adds that missing human element to eCommerce, allowing potential customers and clients the opportunity to ask specific questions that can make or break the sale.
Here are five reasons why you should be incorporating live chat into your eCommerce strategy.
1. Convenience
In today’s saturated markets, customer loyalty can be fleeting. If the information that a customer requires is not immediately available at your web store, there is a very strong chance that he will simply move on. After all, why would someone call or email customer service when immediate gratification is just a click away? As an online retailer, it is up to you to facilitate the sale by making it as easy as possible, and that means providing instant customer support.
2. Reduce Overhead Expenses
Time spent on the phone is time that could have been utilized in a million other ways. Live chat allows your customer support team to multi-task, and compared to a call center, it drastically reduces your average interaction costs. Unlike phone support, your staff can interact with multiple customers simultaneously using live chat, drastically increasing overall efficiency, reducing customer waiting times, and keeping your customers and employees happier overall.
3. Customer Retention
In eCommerce, customer retention is critical. If your customer has a pleasant experience doing business with your web store, he is much more likely to return next time. Additionally, an easy and fast transaction means that customer is far more likely to recommend your store to a friend. Making your customers twiddle their thumbs on hold for 10 minutes is one of the easiest ways to leave a permanent negative impression, so take advantage of every communication option available to your company.
Check out: The list of live chat software in order to retain customer for your business.
4. Instill Confidence and Trust
Offering a live professional shows the customer that you genuinely want to create a positive experience. Knowing that there is a person available at a moment’s notice eases any apprehension that a customer may have about clicking the order button. Even if the customer does not require any assistance at all, just knowing that there is a person standing by is enough to alleviate any worries. Having live representatives available also proves that you are a legitimate company with enough regular business to justify offering this service.
5. Keep Negative Reviews at Bay
These days, everyone is a critic. The current digital landscape allows anyone with a computer or mobile phone to express an opinion, so it’s critical that you make a good impression every time. Live chat adds that personal touch to the shopping process. If you browse Yelp, one of the most common complaints you will see is that people were left to fend for themselves. In eCommerce platform, you may not be able to engage your customers in person, but you can still ensure a positive experience by simply not being absent.