What Is Live Chat Software and Should You Use It

What Is Live Chat Software and Should You Use It

TLDR: Using live chat software like CHIIRP for your company can promote a stronger customer service experience, build customer loyalty, and most importantly can help land more leads and increase revenue for your company!

Bloop!….

Have you ever heard that sound before, accompanied by a floating message indicator on the bottom right corner of a website? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!

In software development industries we call this live chat software! But what is live chat software, how does it work, and should you use it?

Live chat software is customer instant messaging software that allows customers to speak directly with your team through a pop-up chat window on your company’s website.

Some advanced live chat programs will even convert website visitors into SMS subscribers. For example, when a visitor chats on the website with the CHIIRP SiteChat widget, it automatically responds via SMS, ensuring you don’t lose contact with your customers when they leave your website!

How does live chat software work?

Luckily enough, live chat software is easy to use, and install! Depending on your needs and the type of chat software you select, you may have to allocate time or a position to responding to consumers.

For example, some live chat softwares utilize a login portal outside of your website that you use to chat back to potential customers who have opted in to chat with you from your website.

Other programs like CHIIRP offer automated systems that, as mentioned above, can convert chats into live text messages so that you can respond directly from your phone or an application

This eliminates the need to be logged into outside portals, or tied to a desktop computer to answer customer inquiries!

In most cases, installing live chat software is as simple as appending a code to your website’s header or body section!

How Live Chat Software Benefits Your Business and Your Customers

Some different ways live chat options on your website can benefit your customers include:

  • Better Customer Engagement
  • Faster Customer Support
  • Stronger Customer Relationship

Companies that choose to use live chat software on their website report:

  • Higher conversions
  • Increased sales
  • Stronger relationships with their customers
  • Higher customer satisfaction

Tips and Best Practices When Using Chiirp Chat Software

There’s nothing worse than customers using chat software and never getting a reply.

Let’s talk about best practices and how to increase your conversions through utilizing live chat software with your customers!

When setting up your chat software we suggest:

  • Place your live chat button in a prominent place in the bottom corner of your website – the standard location that customers will expect is the bottom right corner of your website.
  • Create a guide for common questions and the most appropriate replies in a bank for your customer service representatives to use quickly and easily
  • Integrate your chat software with your CRM to provide seamless transitions
  • Pre-determine when your team will be available to answer through the chat software and turn off chat or set up a message to tell customers when your team will get back to them
  • Include real images of your team in an icon for a personalized touch
  • Train your team and provide examples and non-examples of the types of responses and tone that you’d like them to use with your customers
  • Set up an automated back-up plan that reaches out to customers after a set amount of time if your team misses a chat or it’s been a while since they responded

While using your chat software with your customers we suggest:

  • Respond within 60 seconds – customers value immediate responses
  • Introduce yourself by name to make the interactions more personal
  • Pay attention to spelling and grammar to keep it professional
  • Stick to the basics – short succinct answers and necessary questions only to value your customer’s busy schedule and keep them engaged
  • Check your chat history to catch up with the past conversations and avoid forcing customers to explain situations again
  • Choose your words carefully – be positive and engaging, while avoiding sarcasm and jokes which can be misinterpreted through text.

The Verdict On Live Chat Software

While there are many ways to market your business and services, live chat software is excellent for small businesses ready to utilize more efficient and effective communication tools and provide a better customer service experience!

If you’re not using live chat software, we recommend looking into finding a CRM like CHIIRP that you trust.

With every new customer or potential lead comes the opportunity to help them with solutions you provide while also growing your company over time. Live chat software helps ensure just that!

People Also Ask About Live Chat Software

What Can Be Recorded By Live Chat Software?

Chat history, message attachments, reporting analytics (chat durations, current page sessions) and more can be recorded by chat software.

In addition, depending on the level of automation available by your live chat software, it may also record any chat flows that you have set up through auto-response and data collection campaigns.

Is Live Chat Software Utilized By Real People Or Bots?

Live chat is utilized by real people to answer inquiries, as well as by bots and automated responders for generalized questions pertaining to a consumer’s need.

In most scenarios, live chat software may start out with automated responses but give you the option to speak to a live representative depending on your level of needs.

What type of businesses use live chats?

Live chats are used by the following businesses: home services, ecommerce, doctors offices, online tech support, SaaS and more!

Most businesses will benefit from having a live chat on their website and being readily available to talk to their prospecting clients.