Why Live Chat is Essential for Your Website

Why Live Chat is Essential for Your Website (But Also Demanding)

Introduction

In today's digital world, offering a great customer experience is more important than ever. With competition just a click away, businesses must find ways to engage visitors instantly. Live chat is a powerful tool that allows businesses to connect with customers in real time, answering their questions and providing support when they need it most. In fact, "millennials prefer live chat for customer service over any other communication channel" (source: Comm100).

However, while live chat can enhance customer satisfaction and boost conversions, it also comes with its challenges. Managing it effectively requires time, effort, and the right strategy. Let’s explore both the benefits and the potential drawbacks of implementing live chat on your website.

The Role of Chatbots

One of the biggest advantages of live chat is the ability to integrate chatbots. These AI-driven assistants can handle common customer enquiries, ensuring users receive instant responses 24/7. For businesses that receive a high volume of chat requests, chatbots are essential.

However, chatbots aren’t perfect. They need regular updates to ensure their responses remain accurate and helpful. If you only receive a few chat enquiries per day, it may be more effective to handle them personally rather than relying on AI.

That said, businesses using chatbots have seen significant cost savings. "Organisations that used chatbots in 2019 saved an average of $300,000" (source: Intercom). But to maximise their effectiveness, chatbots should be optimised to sound as human-like as possible since most customers still prefer speaking to a real person.

Availability and Customer Expectations

A major challenge with live chat is meeting customer expectations. Studies show that "approximately 66% of customers expect an immediate response to their enquiries" (source: Hubspot). If your live chat response time is too slow, it can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave your site, negatively impacting your brand reputation.

However, when businesses do respond quickly, customers are often pleasantly surprised, as they generally expect slow response times. This can be a great opportunity to impress your audience and build trust. If your team is unavailable at all hours, setting clear availability times and using automated messages to manage expectations can help.

What Can Live Chat Be Used For?

Live chat can serve as an extension of your team, assisting customers in several ways:

• Answering product questions
• Gathering customer details (name, email, order number, etc.)
• Providing real-time support during checkout to reduce cart abandonment
• Triggering post-purchase messages to collect immediate feedback

For example, reaching out to a customer right after a purchase to ask for feedback can be highly effective. At this moment, they are still engaged with your brand, making them more likely to respond. If you send an email days later, it may be overlooked or ignored.

Is Live Chat a Quick Fix for Customer Service?

No, live chat is not a quick fix. Setting up and maintaining live chat requires time and effort. Managing chatbot responses, monitoring conversations, and ensuring accurate information is provided can be demanding. If your business only receives a few messages, you may be better off handling them manually rather than investing heavily in automation.

Additionally, responding to just one customer via live chat can take up to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of their enquiry. Businesses must evaluate whether they have the resources to manage live chat effectively before implementing it.

Our Recommended Live Chat System

For those looking to integrate live chat into their website, we highly recommend Tidio. It’s a user-friendly solution that is simple to set up, visually appealing, and easy to manage. The chatbot customisation options are also intuitive and enjoyable to work with.

If you’re unsure, Tidio offers a free version on Shopify, allowing you to test it out before committing. We suggest installing the app and exploring its features to determine whether it’s the right fit for your business.

Final Thoughts

Live chat can be an excellent way to engage customers, improve sales, and provide immediate support, but it must be managed properly to be effective. Without careful planning and regular monitoring, it can become overwhelming and may not deliver the results you expect.

If you're considering adding live chat to your website but need help setting it up, Digi Creative can assist. We can guide you through the setup process, optimise chatbot functionality, and ensure a smooth integration with your website. Contact us today to find out how we can help you enhance your customer support with live chat.