How often do you click on a website, only to hear the friendly ding of a chat pop up? The chances are that it’s happening more and more. That’s because countless businesses are turning to live chats for communication. It makes sense in an age where customers often interact solely online. It’s a sure way to put a face to otherwise robotic transactions. And, if you haven’t taken the step of installing live chat yet, it’s well worth your consideration.
There’s no getting around the fact that pop-ups like these can be irritating. And, let’s be honest; the sound always has us jumping for our phones. But, the plus points far outweigh those negative niggles. Customers often report much higher levels of satisfaction when they have the chance to chat with a member so easily. Chats like these ensure you can answer questions, address issues, and improve your business as a whole. Bear in mind, though, that merely having a chat in place isn’t all it takes. You also need to ensure it’s efficient. Here are a few ways you can do that.
Operate During Working Hours
If you think you can offer a 24-hour chat feature, you’re kidding yourself. Everyone needs a break. If you try to keep on top of this, your other work will suffer. Not to mention that falling asleep at the wheel will lead to more customer anger than shutting your chat. Hence, it’s worth only operating during business hours.
Bear in mind that customers will often log on after finishing work at 5. It may be worth staying online 9-6 instead. Out of these hours, leave a comments box, or let customers know when you’ll be back. They’ll understand, and you can ensure better service this way.
Ensure Continued Connection
When you are online, it’s essential to stay online. Losing connection in the middle of a query would spell disaster. So, turn to companies like IT Total Care Inc. who can strengthen your connection, and make sure it doesn’t drop unexpectedly.
Even one millisecond of lost connection could have a knock-on effect, so this is a vital step. It’s also helpful to ask for email addresses before getting into a conversation. Customers may be hesitant at first, but with your word that you won’t send promotional emails, they should come around. That way, you can always email them if you do happen to lose them for whatever reason.
Open The Floor
Bear in mind that your ongoing connection won’t do any good if only one operator is at the helm. You need to ensure that any customer can reach a real staff member at any given time. Hence, you should hand this role to at least five members of staff, if not more. This doesn’t mean losing five of your team. It merely means that they can have a chat window open in the background. If anyone does need help, they can put aside what they’re doing and deal with the issue straight away.