Live Chat Increases Sales and Conversions for Online Businesses

The live chat option has become one of the most popular for many types of businesses. Whether the business uses the live chat option to provide support or to answer questions from potential customers, it can increase both conversions and sales for many reasons.

Customers love the live chat option for many reasons. Today, we live in a society of people using email, text messaging and all types of chat programs. No longer do we just pick up the phone and call a business with our questions.

Live chat support allows the customer to feel important and they don’t have to sit on hold forever waiting for somebody to pick up on the other line. They can select the option, open the chat window and see exactly how many requests are in front of theirs. Since it’s done on their computer, they can keep working as they wait the few minutes it may take during high volume hours.

Often, customers don’t have to wait more than just a few seconds for somebody to join the chat on the other end. This high level of efficiency makes customers happier and they tend to trust your company more. According to an ATG Global Consumer Trend Study, 90% of customers using live chat found it to be very helpful. (http://lewiscarroll.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/wp-worldwide-live-help-survey1.pdf) The same study also showed:

• Customers Value Live Chat – Consumers ranked click to chat very highly in the study.
• Live Chat is preferred over any other online support option – Customers ranked live chat help as the top option when it comes to online customer service.
• Most Customers have never Used Live Chat – The survey also showed that only a small percentage have actually used live chat because it’s not available from all companies.

When customers have a question they need answers, they prefer to use live chat.

Increasing Your Business Sales with Live Chat

If you have a website and you provide support, live chat is the best possible choice. This support option comes with many different benefits. The most important benefit, of course, is the increase in sales and conversions you will experience with live chat.

Sales increase because customers can get the answers they need quickly. The same study from ATG Global showed that 40% of US consumers surveyed stated that live chat was a major factor in the buying decision. The survey also showed that 61% of UK consumers believe that live chat would be very helpful in their buying decision.

If you’re not currently using live chat, this increase in sales will pay for the expense very quickly. Your business will experience less shopping car abandonment and higher conversion rates because the live chat support option will actually help customers faster and easier.

Did you know, 77% of online consumers stated that they would like to chat with a real person before they make their buying decision? This means, most of the people coming to your website are clicking away because they cannot chat with a live person. However, with live chat support, the consumers clicking away will become much less.

Reduce the Cost of Doing Business Online

Along with the increase in sales, businesses experience a reduction in costs when they use live chat support. Customer services teams using live chat don’t have to spend as much time or money helping customers. The initial set-up is very easy and quick.

Live chat provides a lower cost per interaction compared to email and phone support. This is due to the faster response times, which allow the support agents to spend less time with each request. In addition, skilled agents can support multiple customers at the same time.

Along with less time per interaction, live chat also reduces the number of calls coming in for the phone support option. Many customers will turn to live chat before they pick up the phone. Businesses have reported a reduction in support cots of 30-70%! Some have even eliminated phone support altogether.

The benefits of live chat for online businesses can certainly change the bottom line. With an increase in sales and conversions, along with a reduction in cost, it only makes sense for companies to add live chat as an online support option.