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5 Factors That Could Affect Customer Support via Live Chat

Posted: 03 Jul 2012 02:40 AM PDT

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No matter what product or service you’re offering, no matter how large or small your company might be- every business should have a means for customers to receive support. There are few things that are more frustrating than seeking out support for a product or service and not being able to receive it – or, if it’s there, receiving useless customer service. Whether you implement a support desk, email, phone support, live chat, or some combination of these options, good customer support is critical to the long-term success of your business.

You could have the most innovative product or service on earth, but sooner or later, a customer will have a question or an issue. When this happens, the company will be judged upon how the issue is handled. If customer service is attentive, friendly, and solves the problem efficiently with a bias toward the customer, a company can bank goodwill and positive feelings that far exceed the initial problem. Good customer support instills trust and bolsters a company’s reputation, resulting in more return customers and positive word of mouth. It has become so important to retain customers that even the top web design company services providers also offer immaculate chat support to their prospective clients and customers.

The truth is that people talk, and the internet is listening. It provides a worldwide forum for the consumer to vent both their frustrations and positive experiences with products, services and businesses. Good customer support can help to avoid negative chatter and cultivate a positive “buzz” about a company. Choosing to put your head in the sand while ignoring the effects of social media is simply no longer an option.

One of the more innovative ways to provide customer service is via live chat. Live chat requires live chat software that can be merged seamlessly within an existing company website. Popularly and acceptance for live chat among consumers is on the rise. In fact, a recent survey showed that 77% of those who had used live chat felt that the experience positively influenced their opinion of that specific company.

However, implementing live chat software in a successful manner does require some planning and diligence. Here are 5 mousetraps to avoid in order to offer a truly superior live chat customer experience:

1. Don’t be too aggressive with pop-up chat invitations:

Your website visitors should always have the ability to easily decline a pop-up chat invitation. Pop-up windows with in-your-face messages that the customer is unable to close are experienced as intrusive and overbearing.

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2. Customize your invitation and overall look:

Live chat software offers flexibility for customizing your initial invitation to chat, and the overall look of the chat interface. The best chat invitations exude a warm, friendly vibe combined with aesthetically pleasing graphics consistent with the company brand, look and website design.

3. Give the customer your time and focus:

At any given time, live chat operators can be engaged in multiple chat sessions with several customers at once. This is fine, but the key is to make sure no customer ever feels the effects of this. Provide adequate staffing so every customer feels like they are receiving one-on-one, undivided attention. Not surprisingly, 89 percent of live chat users have reported the attentiveness of the agent is critical to a more positive chat experience.

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4. Be informed and articulate:

93 percent of customers said that knowledgeably about the product or service by the chat agent is the most important element for a successful interaction. Make sure chat agents know all critical information and can express themselves through writing in a clear, articulate, and friendly manner.

5. Always keep the big picture in mind:

While offering live chat fulfills- a need that arises for a customer in the moment- never lose sight of the impact your current decisions will make on your business moving forward. Avoid quick fixes for problems benefiting you only in the short run. If you start to see patterns of complaints, it’s time to re-evaluate and improve those areas of your product, service, business, and expertise.