Whether you have a physical storefront or a virtual one, much of your marketing effort is aimed at directing potential customers to your website. When they do find their way there, they are at a disadvantage to in-store customers as they do not have access to a staff member who can guide them through the tire-kicking process. Now Live Chat from Olark helps you to overcome any of the issues innate to an online sale by giving your customers unfettered access.
Does Live Chat really work?
Your marketing funnel is a complex network of social media, email, newsletters and more traditional marketing systems all design to shepherd clients to your home page. You have worked really hard to get a potential client to your site, but internet users are spoiled for choice. They have not invested enough to give you anything but a cursory glance. If their questions remain unanswered or their needs unfulfilled after only a couple of seconds, they are likely to bounce off down the information highway for a site more suited to their needs and all your hard work in marketing is lost in seconds.
But what if you could access them at the very moment that they get to your site? Like a considerate salesperson, you are available, but not insistent and if their needs are not immediately met, you are on hand to answer questions. Now they have a ready source of information that requires no more effort on their part. It’s an incredibly helpful and productive way to capitalize on all the work that has gone into your marketing.
Why does Live Chat work?
In a word; convenience. Your clients can have all the access to multimedia information and their own personal sales guide in the comfort of their homes. A study by Forrester Research made the following findings: “Many online consumers want help from a live person while they are shopping online; in fact, 44% of online consumers say that having questions answered by a live person while in the middle of an online purchase is one of the most important features a website can offer.”
This means clients who visit your site have
- Immediate answers to their questions
- Help navigating the site and the information-gathering process
- No wait times or mechanical voice operators like those they encounter with help lines
What’s in it for me?
Using Live Chat really cuts your running expenses and saves time. Employees can handle a large volume of chats at the same time, unlike phone calls which have to be dealt with individually. This cuts wait times for the client and improves the service you offer. It also reduces the number of employees you need to deal with customer queries. Employees can multitask while chatting in a way that they can’t when talking on the phone.
The biggest advantage of Live Chat is its ability to improve your sales. From a recent Forbes Magazine study: “In 2008, Wells Fargo made a second attempt to leverage online chat to drive sales, and happily, this time the results have been crystal clear. High customer satisfaction scores and a double-digit increase in converted shoppers have shown the value once and for all of this technology.”
Live Chat improves the service you are able to provide by zeroing in on your customer’s pain points. The live chat gives them the space to express concerns about design or after sales service and gives you the opportunity to counter these perceptions. This is also an invaluable source of information about how your company is perceived and how you can improve your marketing and service.
Studies show that the convenience of having their questions answered immediately coupled with the convenience of not having to leave their homes makes the combination of website and Live Chat a wining one for most prospects. While you must train employees on the correct etiquette to follow, Live Chat can mean your employees are more productive and effective at resolving your client’s pain points. You save time and money while improving your bottom line. It’s a no brainer!
Personal Note
I implemented Olark Live Chat on our web site in September 2013. I have seen a 60% increase in opportunities from my web site, and a 25% increase in closed new business. It really works!
