In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, having one communication channel where your customers can reach you doesn’t automatically mean that you’re well-connected with your market. Your call center may deliver customer service anytime your customers need assistance, but this may not be the platform they prefer.

Many customers would rather relay their concerns via live chat than spend time waiting for a customer service representative to be available on the phone. For some, typing a query is preferable when they’re browsing the brand’s page or while they’re on the go. Essentially, customers appreciate the convenience, efficiency, and speed of live chat.
That’s why businesses add chat support to their customer service and e-commerce solutions not just to serve their market better but also to gain the following advantages:

Sales increase

Market research company eMarketer also backs the importance of having a live person ready to assist web visitors. In its “ How Helpful Is Live Chat” survey they conducted, they found out that 62% of customers will do business with an online shop again if it offers live chat. The study also claimed that 38% of the respondents have made a purchase because of the chat session they had with the Internet store’s representative.People would likely buy from an e-commerce website if their product-related inquiries are answered while making a purchase on the brand’s page. This is what a Forrester study revealed.

Lower operational costs

Investing in a live chat software can help lower your telco expenses as well as the time your agent spends on a task. Corp Magazine explains that with a chat program, your staff could handle multiple clients simultaneously or research for answers while transacting with a customer, which can be impossible to accomplish over the phone.

Your call center could also cut utility costs with the lowered volume of calls you receive. And with the time and resources you save from investing in chat support, your customer service team can dedicate much of their attention to solving more complex problems.

Added competitiveness

Having an instant messaging tool gives you an edge over competitors that have yet to position live chat in their e-commerce or customer service strategies. According to the same emarketer survey mentioned above, giving customers a simple way of connecting helps them choose your brand over less reachable companies.

The research revealed, “Almost two in 10 live chat respondents did more than 75% of their holiday shopping online, compared with 14% of those who did not chat. A further 25% of chatters made 51% to 75% of their purchases on the Web, versus just 10% of those who did not participate in the chat service.”

To give you a quick recap, live chat is an effective way to reach customers, make them buy, and keep them coming back. It is the convenience, efficiency, and speed of instant messaging that give your business an advantage over competition and make web visitors return.