In recent years, the use of live chat software has become mainstream in many industries. It started as a way for companies to connect with their end-users and provide them with better customer service.
Being able to interact with your website’s visitors through live chat is a great way to generate leads. It can help you connect with them and provide them with the information they need to complete their transactions.
With live chat, you can connect your inbound marketing efforts with your sales team. It can help them close more sales and convert more leads. Providers like Podium offer webchat software for businesses to take their customer service to the next level. However, before you decide on a live chat provider, there are some key factors to consider.
Table of Contents
1. What Do You Want to Accomplish?
Are you an e-commerce company that’s looking to improve the customer experience and increase conversions? Before you select a live chat software, it’s important to understand what you’re trying to accomplish with the tool. This will help you narrow down the options based on your company’s needs.
It’s also important to gather critical information about your company’s operations. For instance, if your company processes sensitive patient information, it’s likely to be restricted to a vendor that’s certified to handle sensitive data.
2. Client Success and Quality Customer Support
It’s important to consider the support that the tool will provide you along the way. Having the right people on board will help you get used to the new features and the way they operate.
Before you make a decision, determine the exact hours that the live chat provider’s support team will be available. This will help you avoid getting confused with their local hours.
Make certain the live chat provider can easily get in touch with you if something goes wrong. Aside from that, do they also offer training for agents and admins? Before you make a final decision, verify that the chat vendor can provide quality support and training.
3. Product Pricing Model
You should understand the various fees associated with each live chat software model. One of the most crucial factors to consider when choosing a live chat software is the size of your team. If your company has multiple employees, a per-user license may be ideal for smaller businesses. However, if you’re an enterprise, a concurrent user license may be the best fit for you.
Aside from the price, it’s also important to consider the extras that are included with the product. For instance, are there any predefined features that are included as part of the base price?
4. Easy Interface
Due to the complexity of today’s digital world, it’s hard to avoid getting overwhelmed by the endless list of features and functionalities of live chat software. Ideally, a live chat software solution that’s easy to use will have all the features and functionalities that your end-users need.
Before you make a final decision, it’s important to consider the various aspects of the interface. A good chat software should be able to provide an interface that will allow your agents to easily interact with their customers.
5. Useful Analytics and Reporting
A good chat software should also have the capability to provide reports and analytics that are useful for different purposes. For instance, if you’re a customer support agency, good chat software should have the capability to generate reports that detail the average wait times and response times of your agents. This will help improve the efficiency of your team.
For instance, if you’re looking to improve the conversion rate of your agents, then good chat software should have the capability to provide that information. Regardless of the type of task that you’re trying to solve, having the right live chat tool will allow you to collect and analyze data to improve your operations.
6. Read Product Reviews
Although it’s hard to find the right live chat software for your company, reading reviews is a great way to find out what other users had to say about the product. Doing so helps you get a good idea of the type of live chat solution that will work for your company. Live chat is on the rise due to the numerous advantages it offers customers. It allows users to easily ask questions and get resolutions quickly, all while agents are providing valuable support and sales opportunities to increase business.
