Great customer service has never been more important. With customer service being a key part of the overall customer experience, it’s vital that brands rise to meet customer expectations every step along the way. Increasingly, this means being proactive and anticipating the points where customers will need help or guidance. Web chats are a popular way to ensure that you’re ready and available at every part of the sales funnel.
What are Web Chats?
You’ve seen them around: those pop-up chat windows that appear when you land on a brand’s site. Usually opening with the prompt “How can we help you?” they allow customers to start a conversation, ask questions, or take control over a challenge they’re facing. Webchats are typically supported by AI and use conversational language to walk customers through basic questions or functions such as product availability or returns. They can also be programmed to refer customers to human representatives when a more challenging issue arises.
The benefits of web chats include:
- Easily handle large input volumes at once – they free up your human CS staff to focus on more complex interactions.
- Popular with customers – they allow customers to take ownership over the exchange and avoid picking up the phone!
- Personalize the experience – web chats can tap into customer profiles and shopping histories to deliver a tailored experience.
- Solve customer problems – they offer a self-service option for customers to handle questions or challenges.
Web chats boost conversions and help customers put themselves in the driver’s seat of an interaction – increasing satisfaction.
How Brands Can Use Web Chats
There are a multitude of ways that brands can use web chats to elevate their customer experience. Some of these include:
- Handle basic tasks. Program your web chat to handle customer service tasks such as delivery ETA, product questions, returns, and more.
- Client onboarding. Walk your customers through a new product or service. This will help build trust.
- Conversational commerce. Don’t just use web chat to deflect inquiries. Use it to engage with prospective customers and turn them into buyers!
- Synchronous or asynchronous service. Sometimes customers want to chat; other times, they want to leave a message and bounce. Offer both a “chat” and “leave a message” option to serve their needs.
- 404 redirect. Add a chatbox to your 404 page so that instead of customers bouncing, they engage with you instead.
- Multilingual support. Multilingual chat opens up your customer service to a much larger pool of customers – especially those who are uncomfortable speaking or unable to speak on the phone.
- Text-to-chat. Let your customers take their chat with them by using this option. Instead of communicating while on your website, they can continue the conversation on the go.
- Reduce cart abandonment. If a customer is taking longer than usual to check out, program your web chat to ask if they need help or have questions.
- Book meetings. If your sales process involves meetings, allow customers to schedule an appointment via the chat – then sync it to their calendar.
- Ask for feedback. Program your web chats to let customers leave a star rating and review so that you can gauge customer satisfaction in real-time.
Elevate Your Web Chat with ACD
Boost your customer experience with smart, integrated web chat from ACD. Part of our larger customer contact platform, our web chat functionality is scalable, customizable, and connects with your sales and CX to ensure a 360-degree window into your customer needs. Whatever your business model or audience, we can help you define a powerful web chat strategy that helps you land leads, increase conversions and drive satisfaction. Talk to us today to add web chat to your organization’s website!
