Live Chat Support Benefits and TO-DOs for Increased Customer Loyalty in 2023

62% of businesses believe that implementing online customer support via chats or bots is a way to drive sales. There are no surprises as to why.

Assume you order something online and have an urgent payment issue with your order. The chances are you would look for the “Live Chat” button, which is usually in the right down corner of the page.

Websites with live chat support are like telling customers, “We’ll take care of everything, don’t worry.” It’s a guarantee that customers will have a safe and sound shopping experience. And the results are almost immediate—live chats lead to a 10% increase in average order value.

Let’s dive into 5 key benefits of live chat support and some up-to-date tips on making the most of them.

Definition & Types of Live Chat Support

Live Chat Support is a general name for a dedicated customer service tool that can solve customer issues or concerns immediately and directly on the main website page, without the need to write or call the support team via other platforms. It offers a seamless and convenient experience, ensuring that customers never feel stranded or alone in their journey, but instead receive timely support at the very moment they need it.

Here’s how live chat support surpasses email support or phone calls as a communication channel:

Live chat support is the most human-oriented and resource-intensive option. It involves trained sales agents who actively engage with customers in real-time. These agents possess product knowledge, sales skills, and the ability to provide personalized assistance to customers.

The advantages of this approach are the human touch, personalized recommendations, and a more interactive and conversational experience. However, it requires a dedicated team of support agents and can be more resource-intensive compared to other types of live chat support.

Now, let’s dive deeper into how exactly live chat support can benefit (or even skyrocket) your business.

5 Ways How Live Chat Support Can Benefit Your Business

1) Improved customer satisfaction: Whenever customers get immediate assistance with concerns, their satisfaction is likely to increase, which leads to brand loyalty and higher customer turnover. In fact, 90% of customers define an "immediate" response as essential when they have a customer service question (for them, "immediate" is 10 minutes or less).

2) Less customer complaints: Because live chat supports help address customer inquiries and provide troubleshooting assistance, there are less chances customers will have a “bad aftertaste” and leave bad reviews/complaints. Here goes, saved brand reputation.

3) Enhanced customer loyalty: With live chats, customers can always count on reaching a real person within seconds, no matter the time of day, without any transfers to other departments. Such exceptional service finally boosts customer loyalty.

4) Lower customer churn: The high level of efficiency and personal attention not only helps to build a loyal customer base but also helps to minimize customer churn. Satisfied customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, trusting in the company's commitment to their needs.

5) Increased revenue: For brick and mortar shops, live chat support can help customers find the products they are looking for, and offer personalized recommendations. Take into account this inspiring statistic: 50% of the customers purchasing from Zappos do return for further shopping, and 75% of the total revenues are made thanks to returning customers.

Essential Steps To Implementing a Sustainable Live Chat Support Strategy

Now, let’s discuss essential live chat support steps to benefit the user experience:

1. Position the chat window inconspicuously: Choose a subtle location on your website to place the chat window, ensuring it doesn't disrupt the user experience. The most optimal location is usually in the lower left corner of the page.

2. Provide training for your support agents: Invest in comprehensive training programs to equip your support agents with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle live chat interactions effectively. For instance, at EverHelp, we always teach our team staff how to resolve customer issues and handle critical inquiries, considering 2023 market requirements. We work hard to create and develop high-performing guidelines to provide the customized and most beneficial approach to target audience.

3. Analyze data from live chat software: Review and analyze the data collected from your live chat software to gain insights into customer behavior, common issues, and areas for improvement. The main live chat support metrics usually include the number of chats per day, completed chats, missed chats, conversion rate, and the quality of the chat as measured by a client at the end.

4. Determine the required number of chat agents: Assess the chat volume and demand to accurately identify the number of chat agents needed to handle customer inquiries and provide timely responses.

5. Utilize AI to enhance the live chat experience: Implement artificial intelligence technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your live chat support, such as chatbots for handling basic inquiries or automated routing of chats to the appropriate agents.

6. Consider outsourcing live chat support: If resources or expertise are limited, you may opt to outsource your live chat support to a third-party service provider who specializes in handling customer inquiries through chat. We’ve created EverHelp to help businesses develop dedicated and highly professional customer support teams, contributing to new customer standards in the market. You can easily book a call with us to learn more.

7. Maintain a conversational tone: Ensure that your chat interactions remain friendly, personable, and conversational to create a positive and engaging experience for customers. Treat customers like you would like to be treated (without unnecessary cliches, unknowable tech phrases, or vague formal politeness).

You want to resolve a customer's issue, rather than aim to impress someone with advanced English qualifications.

8. Go the extra mile (beyond text): Utilize the live chat platform to exceed customers' expectations by offering personalized recommendations, proactively addressing their concerns, and providing relevant information beyond their immediate inquiries.Broaden your communication horizons by going beyond the confines of text messages. Embrace the power of various media formats, including images, audio files, videos, documents, and more, to enrich your communication and create more engaging interactions.

9. Cultivate positive communication: Infuse your messages with a positive outlook to ensure that even neutral statements are perceived in a positive light by your customers. By consciously adding a positive spin, you can avoid any misinterpretation and cultivate an environment of optimism and goodwill in your communication.

By following these guidelines, you can enhance your live chat support system and deliver a superior customer experience.

Bottom Line: It’s Time To Get Your Powerful Ally

So, live chat support emerges as a powerful ally in the realm of customer service, surpassing conventional methods with its unique advantages. Its ability to provide immediate assistance, offer a user-friendly experience, and facilitate real-time interactions sets it apart from other support channels.

By embracing live chat support best practices, businesses can enhance their customer service capabilities, foster stronger relationships with customers, and differentiate themselves from competitors.

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