Mobile usage has surpassed desktop usage over the past few years, which makes sense considering the increasing usability of our phones. It's vital that you are available to your customers no matter what device they are using. When searching for free chat software, you also want to look at what kind of analytics it provides you. This helps you make better customer service decisions and informs how your users are shopping.
Live Chat App
Software today is splitting into two distinct groups: software and apps. They're incredibly similar, yet still different. While there is by no means any sort of standardized way to talk about these two groups just yet, one of the key differences is the size and shape of device you use to interact with it. For example, desktop and laptop computers mostly deal with software, while mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are more on the app end of the spectrum. When choosing a live chat app, keep these differences in mind to help you decide on the best live chat apps for your website.
It’s important for the live chat functionality on your ecommerce website to look and feel like an app if someone is viewing your site on a mobile device, while it may need to feel like software if viewed on something larger. The best live chat apps for Android, iPhone, and other devices will have a streamlined appearance that doesn't take up too much screen space. Sometimes all you need is a simple question mark to pop up in the corner of the screen that the user can tap on to start chatting. The best online live chat app for desktops can be a little larger, might pop up the entire window instead of just a question mark, and provide an onscreen messaging system that doesn't interfere with their browsing capabilities.
Live Chat Service
Depending on your needs, it may make sense for you as an ecommerce business owner to outsource your customers' questions to a live chat service that can handle your online messaging for you. This can save time and money, but can come with a few other issues to work through.
The number one benefit of using live chat service providers is cost savings. You don't need to rent and staff an entire call center on your own. You'll also be able to provide 24/7 service without sacrificing your own sleep schedule.
The number one disadvantage of this type of arrangement is that the agent will not know your products and services as well as an internal customer service team would. You may also have agents with a different primary language than most of your customer base.
When evaluating this type of service, pay attention to the live chat agent cost. Compare this cost to having your own internal team and see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Also look for a live chat answering service that can be deployed only during your own off hours. This saves money on a live chat service but still is accessible to your customers.
Chat Widget For Website
When it comes to ecommerce businesses, a chat widget for website is by far one of the most important parts of the live chat ecosystem. In fact, it is the most common experience found online today. This is actually very helpful because all we need to do as ecommerce business owners is to provide a similar experience and then our audience will already expect it, rather than having to hunt down the best way to get a hold of us.
The best part is that the cost of adding live chat to website can be as low as $0. All you have to do is search for "add chat to website free" and look for a live chat HTML code for website designers. They'll know how to implement live chat on website code and you'll be up and running in no time!
Providing this simple and easy service to your customers actually makes all the difference for them. By making yourself more easily available to answer questions and feedback, customers are more likely to have a positive experience, they end up spending more with you, and they provide excellent reviews and ratings online and to their friends and family in person.
Live Chat Website Plugin
It may seem like a big undertaking, but it’s actually incredibly simple to install live chat functionality on your website because of plugins. No matter what CMS or ecommerce platform you’re running your store on, there are many different plugins to choose from that will get you up and running quickly. You can use a Hubspot live chat, a WordPress chat plugin, or search for similar offerings on Big Commerce and Shopify.
Before you install a live chat website plugin, you want to make sure that it is compatible with the current version of your website. If you are looking at a WordPress chat plugin, it will automatically tell you if it will work on the plugin details page. With other platforms, you may have to hunt down the information or talk to your website designer to make sure the live chat website plugin that you're considering is going to work with your website.
Keep in mind that if you're looking for a live chat website plugin free, you might have to make some sacrifices in the name of cost savings. However, there are plenty of WordPress live chat plugin free that are compatible with most of today's modern websites.
Live Chat Support Jobs
Thanks to the ever growing ecommerce category, there are many live chat support jobs available today. If you’re doing really well as an ecommerce company, it might be time for you to post a job listing for either a full-time or part-time live chat agent to help you save time on chat-based tasks and focus on working on your business at a higher level.
To get started, read through a selection of live chat agent job descriptions posted on a few other websites. See what the basic requirements are of the job, the experience and education necessary to succeed, and the typical pay rate associated with such a position.
When you hire live chat agents to handle your online customer service, you free up your own time to get back to doing what you love to do, instead of handling questions and complaints. It's a win for you as well as your customers.
