In recent years, customers have turned to live chat more frequently when they have customer service needs. In 2021, customers prefer live chat over all other methods of customer service contact. Live chat has been around for decades, but technology is reaching new heights in the modern age.
Customers once had to rely on phone calls to customer services, but digital options like emailing and social media have become wildly popular. Still, out of all the possible methods customers have to get in touch with a business, live chat is the favored choice because of its convenience and effectiveness.
Customers Prefer Live Chat over Other Options
There are all kinds of reasons why people prefer to use live chat rather than other customer service contact methods. It offers more convenience and instant gratification than the other forms of contact can provide. In fact, 75 percent of customers prefer live chat over other customer service avenues.
- Live chat allows customers to multitask.
- Live chat is perfect for customers who do not like talking on the phone.
- Chat agents are not trying to sell anything so customers do not feel pressured.
Another great thing about live chat is that it is, as the term would suggest, live. Customers can converse with a live agent instead of a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence. Customers who prefer live chat do not necessarily want to avoid human interaction, so the ability to chat with a real person in a chat box is a great solution.
Live Chat Offers Quick Access to Support
The average wait time for a live chat response is two minutes. Customers in the modern age have come to expect instant gratification. Live chat can provide that quick access to customer support.
- Social media customer support varies and it is usually unreliable.
- Email contact can take several business days to elicit a response.
- Phone calls are usually relatively quick, but the time spent waiting on hold can add up.
However, customers also want quality service and are willing to sacrifice immediate chat support in favor of effective and well-thought-out solutions. Customers are willing to give live agents time to put together favorable answers rather than try their luck with AI bots. Even with this leniency, live chat sessions usually do not last longer than about 10 minutes.
Live Chat Increases Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is vital for any business. As it turns out, customers are more satisfied on average with their experiences using live chat than with contacting customer service by phone or through email.
- Statistics show live chat satisfaction is at 73%
- Email satisfaction is at 61%
- Phone satisfaction is at 44%
A customer’s experience with customer service plays a large role in their dealings with a company. So, clients who prefer to use live chat are more likely to do business with companies who offer live chat as a customer support avenue. Moreover, many customers have come to expect live chat as a default option when visiting websites.
Businesses Need a Live Chat Option
There is no denying that having a live chat option improves a business’s outlook. Businesses with live chat customer support see more conversions and increased revenue. This is because shoppers who have questions during the shopping or buying process are more likely to complete a purchase if they can quickly and easily get answers by chatting with an agent.
Businesses can tailor their live chat features to their needs.
- Localization settings are available.
- Customers can download a transcript from their chat for future reference.
- Businesses can choose a 24/7 live chat option.
Currently, businesses need to take advantage of the opportunity live chat offers. Customers of all ages use this method of customer service contact, but the majority of online businesses have yet to implement it. In the coming years, live chat is only going to increase in popularity. Businesses that value customer satisfaction will need to integrate a live chat option into their customer support plan to stay ahead.
About Endicott Call Centers
Endicott Call Centers is a national call center company with omni-channel services. We are fully equipped to help you with your business and with any particular circumstances. We draw on decades of experience to help you make the right decisions for your business.
Endicott offers full-service virtual receptionists and a wide variety of other services to help you run your business more efficiently. With Endicott, you have access to:
- Highly-trained, professional Agents & Receptionists
- Customized scripts
- Live agents 24 hours a day
- 100% US-based locations
- English & Spanish Speaking Agents
- HIPAA-compliant For Medical Support
- 24/7 Solutions for Dentists, Legal offices, eCommerce, and many other industries.
- Full access to call management and tracking tools that enable you to regularly monitor and evaluate our performance and help you manage your business effectively
Please request a quote or call 800-947-3227 to learn more about our solutions for creating exceptional customer service experiences for your clients. We’re happy to offer our insight into what your customers and employees seek from your company.