There are many options for those interested in implementing live chat. In this overview, I am going to talk about handling chat internally for both small companies with owners/operators responding to chats, and for large organizations who have internal call centers. I will also discuss outsourcing Live Chat for medium to large companies.
What is Live Chat?
Live chat is a text-based chat similar to instant messaging (MSN, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk etc.) Having live chat, a system that allows instant interaction with the company will help convince visitors to the website to become customers. Live chat has been shown to increase conversions and reduce drop-offs since customers get their direct questions answered immediately.
Solution: Small – GTalk Talkback Badge
Currently available for a free download off of Google, anyone can download the GTalk Talkback badge. This allows users to contact owners of businesses and chat to them right away while they are at their desks. The advantage of this approach is that it is free, and it is easy to install. The disadvantage is that if the business owner is away from their desk, the service is not available. You can see ours on the contact page.
Large: Inhouse Live Chat
Another option is to manage the chat internally. There are many applications on the market to do this, one of the largest of which is Talisma. The advantage of doing chats internally is that you keep all of the knowledge that you gain from the chats internal. Ideally, this model works for organizations with existing call centers. I have worked with companies who have implemented this where the call center reps would respond to chats between calls. Some packages offer “proactive chats” (shown in the screenshot to the left). For example, if a user spends a lot of time on one page, you can assume that they are lost or don’t know next steps. The proactive chat then allows the rep to get the user back on the right track. These applications offer robust reporting and monitoring packages as well.
Medium-Large: Outsource Chat
Outsource chat is another option to create a chat experience for users. Call centers are becoming contact centers, as they add e-mail and chat response to their services. A good example of a contact center that offers chat is 24-7 Intouch based in Saskatchewan, Canada. They have over 600 clients, many of which are Fortune 1000 organizations, who trust them with their contact centers. Companies like 24-7 Intouch have a turn-key process, allowing you to provide a script consisting of FAQs. They can also create an interface to your existing contact database. In my experience, the implementation of an outsource solution is less lengthy compared to an in-house program.
Feedback Loop
Having the chat application on your site can teach you a lot about the buying process. As you look at chats, you can see what on your site confounds the user, what is missing and what can be more obvious. For now, organizations with chat will have a competitive advantage. But with all of the great chat options out there, I am certain that it will soon be everywhere!
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