Live chat has become a staple for e-commerce stores. This customer service tool started out as a way to make communication easier between the business and the client. However, once it was implemented, the benefits became more and more clear — clients preferred it over phone or email customer service due to its convenience and rapid response time. Nowadays, other customer service avenues are still widely used, but live chat is the preferred choice.

The reasons live chat is so appealing in Chicago are varied, and they include:

  • Rapid response: The faster a customer solves his or her problem, the faster they can get back to shopping, with longer waiting times leading to higher bounce rates (sometimes as high as 50%). Live chat response times are typically around 30 seconds, making it one of the best ways to minimize bounce rates and improve other vital metrics.
  • Customers can multitask: Some customer service requests require some time to process, and while the operator is looking into the problem, the customer is free to pursue other tasks.
  • Trust: By simply having a live chat capability on your website, you have already earned a higher degree of trust from your customers. This is because they know you will be immediately available if they experience an issue.
  • Reduces the impact of the language barrier: Some of your customers may be able to read and write in your native language, but they may not be as well-versed in speaking it. Or, they may only have a beginner’s level grasp on the language — in this instance, they can use translation and auto-correct tools in your live chat to receive the support they need.

Must-have Chicago Live Chat Features

In order to have a highly successful live chat feature, your implementation should meet at least several or most of the following features:

  • Canned responses are standard sentences that you would normally use in a conversation. These can help speed up response times for common questions and various routine interactions.
  • FAQ section, or an easily accessible knowledge base, will allow customers to instantly find solutions to their problems and will lower the overall pressure on your live chat system.
  • A ticket creation and management system is a good way to ensure that your customers remain engaged during your off-hours. If they have a support issue when your live chat is not active, they can still interact with your team and have their issue resolved.
  • A support and agent rating system will allow customers to offer suggestions on how to improve your live chat implementation.
  • Visitor tracking can help you to improve your website’s UX and sales funnel by tracking which pages the shopper has visited before contacting live support. This feature will also provide key information for the customer support agent, helping them to better understand the customer’s request.
  • Analytics integration will help you understand which live chat interactions actually assist in improving sales numbers.
  • A tag/keyword system will help agents find immediate solutions for common issues and questions.
  • Integrated auto-translate features may prove invaluable, depending on your market.
  • Transcription system through email. Chat logging and exporting to various data formats.

There are several live chat platforms out there, along with customizable options, so it’s best to shop around for the best features at the best price, or to ask around for professional advice. If you would like to learn more about how to implement live chat for your Chicago business’s website, and which option is best for your particular business needs, contact us today.