Why live chat apps are taking over marketing in 2017

6 minutes read
Alice - 16.10.2017

Live chat apps are the latest must-have tool for your business, offering numerous benefits over traditional customer communications such as email, phone or face-to-face support.

What is a live chat app?

Here’s a basic explanation. Visitors can click a live chat button displayed on your website to send a message, which your employees can respond to instantly. No need for visitors to install any apps or follow your brand’s social accounts – all they need is a web browser.

Despite this, a recent survey by TELUS International found that just 9% of websites currently use live chat to provide real time customer support. Embracing live chat apps now can therefore give your business a big competitive advantage, providing a new way for browsing website visitors to connect with your brand before other market players catch up.

So, what are the potential benefits of using a live chat app for marketing?

 

 

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Company benefits 

  1. Reduce your expenses

Many companies still use the traditional method of phone support to communicate with their customers, but it can be very costly in terms of office overheads and man hours.

Live chat customer service is 17-30% cheaper than a phone call - Forrester research

Naturally, your employees can only manage one phone call at a time, but using live chat they can assist several visitors simultaneously. They also don’t need a dedicated phone line, desk space or other office amenities, as live chat apps can be managed via mobile. 

  1. Understand your customers

Chat histories from live chat apps can create a catalogue of lead data, which you can search, sort and analyse. What better way to understand the pain points of your audience?

Whereas traditional phone or email support involves individual employees speaking with leads, using a live chat app for marketing activities can create a centralised collection of customer service communications. This array of visitor metrics can help you implement better strategies and improve your offering.

With this insight, you can easily focus on the problems, needs and ambitions of your target market, resolving issues before they appear and refining the perfect product or service.

  1. Increase your sales

It’s a fact – live chat is effective in generating leads and making sales. By providing web visitors with instant access to your company, your team have more opportunities to convert actively engaged leads into paying customers. 

Live chat can increase conversions by 20% - the American Marketing Association study

Your employees can tackle barriers to conversion, highlight your strengths as compared to market competitors, and support the journey to a sale, all in real time. 

Why live chat apps are taking over marketing in 2017 

Customer benefits

  1. Better Support

Customers feel more confident in companies which provide support in a simple, quick and convenient manner. Live chat apps are an excellent way of doing that. 

While your website helps to expand your reach, many visitors still need a human touch before they convert. Using a live chat app can provide a personal approach to business wherever your customer is based, bypassing issues such as making long journeys to your office or paying expensive international dialling rates.

90% of customers say the “Live Chat” button gives them confidence that they can get help if they need it - Oracle

Customers want to feel valued, and live chat apps provide acknowledgement, support and swift resolutions to their problems. When your visitors can easily contact you, they will be more confident in your company as a valuable source of knowledge and support.

  1. Faster Resolutions 

Live chat provides your website visitors with instant access to salespeople and support staff. They can raise questions or concerns as soon as they arise, allowing for speedy resolutions.

Traditional FAQs and help sections can provide a catalogue of support for customers, but this places emphasis on individuals making the effort to find the solution to their problem.

Live chat apps allow employees to provide suitable links via the chat window, meeting the individual’s needs in a personalised manner and with minimal effort.

  1. Great Convenience 

Technology makes things more and more convenient, and live chat apps are no different. Live chat makes it easy for leads to connect with you, often leading to conversion and long term loyalty.

51% of customers prefer live chat for multitasking purposes – Econsultancy

Many leads prefer using a live chat app as they offer a perfect blend of instant gratification and minimal commitment. They can be used while someone is working or shopping, at home or out and about.

 

 

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Our benefits

We’ve implemented live chat apps for a number of our clients, and we don’t just talk the talk – we walk the walk. Visit our site to try out our very own live chat app for marketing queries you may have.

Sales enablement is a strategic, cross-functional discipline designed to increase sales results and productivity by providing integrated content, training and coaching services for salespeople along the entire customer’s buying journey. If you want to find out how it can transform your business, read our blog: 'Will sales and marketing harmony be the death of the sales qualified lead?'

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