Chat Support Challenges 2018

Chat support is a form of communication between customers and the representatives. In this, both parties should be present at the same time to engage in the conversation. Chat support has many forms- from traditional means to modern ones allowing the consumers to interact through short synchronous messages. Most of the organizations try to communicate through multiple platforms. In this way, they have various methods to discuss the prospects’ issues.

It is the basic need of every brand that offers the best customer experience. With the use of integrated chat, it effectively decreases the response time of common queries. It is very easy to manage multiple chats using various ways of chat support.

Although we have a variety of modes of communication, a company should learn about these types. How is each type different? What are the possible strategies to implement these chat support? How often should we use these ways for promotion and marketing of our products and services? These all are the questions that answers can be achieved when we learn the basic difference between the main types of customer support. Here are types of chat support that forms the base of customer support for every organization.

1.1. Chat Support

The first mode of communication is a chat support. Presently, most of the organizations have live chat support on their website. It is an efficient way to connect with your visitors in real-time and resolve their concerns. It boosts the personal interaction by removing the wait for calls and emails. After implementing the chat widget on the website, many companies have experienced an increase in sales as well as customer satisfaction. With chat support, you can analyze chats, agents’ performance and can monitor visitors’ experience.

1.2. Phone Support

Unlike live chat support, phone support is a traditional means of communication. In this, a client can get an immediate response. Most of the web hosting and internet users prefer phone support. It helps the consumers to discuss every matter in real-time like technical support, billing/return, upgrading and higher class service packages. Phone support is considered the most reliable and fastest way for information or help.

1.3. Email Support

Email support is the third basic way to interact with clients, resolve their queries, do promotions and tackle the challenges related to products or services. It is an asynchronous communication where both parties don’t require to be present at the same time. Although email support is widely used, it is not as convenient as a phone or chat support. However, it provides the benefit of ongoing thread ensuring optimal agency efficiency.

Chat support is becoming a vital part of the customer service. For this purpose, we have to fully aware of the pros and of the chat support.

2.1. Pros

• Instant Access: Providing the immediate attention, chat support has lessened the risk of customers’ loss.
• Personalized Communication: Chat service ensures more human touch to the communication instead of emails. Agents can provide maximum support to the clients.
• Time and Cost Efficiency: Unlike phone and email support, chat support provide real-time solutions without any delay. Meanwhile, use of live chat software is cost effective and doesn’t require heavy installation.

2.2. Cons

• Misaligned Time Zone: As live chat support gives 24/7 service, sometimes, it is very tricky to manage the time around the globe. However, email support helps here that doesn’t bound to the time zone.
• Difficulty in Using Live Chat Service: At some points, it is difficult to use live chat software for the new users who are habitual of email and phone support. For this purpose, web-based chat support is better that doesn’t need any installation.

In chat support, consumers demand a quick response. This requires the proper management of customers’ expectations. To make the clients happy, all the representatives should be proactive, responsible, give the timely response and are fully engaged with the visitors. By following some tactics, a brand can exceed the customers’ expectation and will like the business.

3.1. Avoiding Common Mistakes

The most important part of the chat support strategy is to avoid common mistakes. Firstly, asking for too much information before starting the chat can irritate the visitor. Secondly, demanding for the installation of any new software when a client already needs a technical support, can waste his time. These are the faults that can affect the potential customers.

Thirdly, the best way to minimize this inconvenience is to interact with customers without any data. This will be the good step from the clients’ perspective. If any necessary details are required, ask it at the end of the conversation. Lastly, If you refer to browser-based software, it will save the visitor from poor user experience and frustration. 

3.2. Refrain from too much automation

Excess use of support automation can affect the chat support. Sometimes, it is impossible for the automated devices to provide the satisfactory answer for the deeper issue. It can’t be the alternative to an experienced customer service agent.

To avoid this situation, you can gather all the queries that answer can easily be given by a robot. You should give all the complex issues to the experienced agents. In this way, they can handle the concern according to the situation and can avoid the business from embarrassment. Furthermore, it will save the clients’ time who are irritated by the integrated systems that ask to choose from a list of options. Meanwhile, representatives can satisfy such angry prospects with a fast response.

3.3. Sticking to 24/7 Services (avoid missing peak chat times)

In the chat support, neglecting the peak hours can make the customers’ disappointed. An organization can gather data from the past few years, analyze the rush hours and choose the time for agents, if you are unable to give 24/7 schedule. The geographic location of the majority of buyers,  national events and holidays should also be considered. This strategy will let you provide the customer support in any circumstances regardless of the peak hours or any holiday.

3.4. Chat agents can save the day

The quality of chat agents really matters than their quantity. Consider a situation in which a client need live chat support but a dialog box shows the unavailability of representatives. This will result in a customer’s loss as well as it can leave the negative feedback for the company. This problem can be solved when you invest in your business. When your team is fully trained in handling customers, maximizing tools and have the multitasking capabilities, they can easily save your day.