5 minute read |

How to use website chat software correctly

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Customer Service

When people read about how they can use website chat software to help build awareness of the customer and convince for browsers to make a sale, they often think that they can use any information they gain during a website chat during future conversations. However, there is a fine line between using the website chat software to help increase sales by knowing your customers and using it as a tool that will make your customers feel as if they are being stalked. Obviously, you want to balance the two opposites because the wrong side of the line and you could end up losing customers instead of gaining sales once you start to use your website chat.

One of the most important things to consider before you start to train your agents to use the website chat software is the reason why many people enjoy shopping online: the anonymity. Now, the aim of the website chat is to bring them out of this cosy shell somewhat by offering them interaction at your website that will encourage them to make purchase. At the same time, a proper website chat will help build their confidence in your company and build loyalty with a positive experience likely meaning that they will return again if they have a future need for a product from your site.

However, the danger in saving information on each customer such as previous website chat sessions and using it when you chat with a customer during a separate session is that the customer may begin to feel uncomfortable instead of safe. Even though website chat software allows you to save all chat sessions it is best to use these as a guide to chatting with clients but not as a basis for chatting during a website chat because direct facts will make the customer uncomfortable.

For instance, if you note that in the last website chat logged on the website chat software that a customer was interested in dog collars on a pet website and noted that their pet is named Bruno and is a beagle you may be tempted to ask them how Bruno is doing. However, online this type of personal fact will often leave a browser feeling violated and even encourage them to never return to your website. Instead, an agent should be trained to read this information and retain the fact they have a medium dog perhaps mentioning in a website chat that your business now has new collars available for medium dog breeds.

The bottom line is that while it may be tempting to use all of the information that your website chat software can offer you, there is a fine line between what is permissible. The idea is to keep a customer comfortable and satisfied during a website chat, but never threatened. With this in mind, the golden rule is that if it can be classified as a personal fact it should stay out of your conversation, but you can use it to direct the consumer in the right path or to make similar suggestions.

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