The Rising Dominance of Chat in MSP Support

It’s rare to browse the internet for any length of time nowadays and not be met with a pop-up chatbot asking if you need assistance of any kind. In fact, many users have come to expect this type of assistance, especially when dealing with online services or products. Recent studies suggest that chat support has a customer satisfaction rate of over 85%. Given this statistic, it is no wonder that Chatbots have begun to easily outshine traditional support mediums, such as email or phone. Let’s examine the rising dominance of chat in the Managed Service Provider industry and how it can be beneficial for your business.

What Is Live Chat and How Does It Work?

We’ve all seen the pop-up windows in the bottom right-hand corner of our screens, conveniently asking if we need help when we browse the internet. For some, it is a nuisance, while others find the ease of use a game-changer for support and service. For those unfamiliar, Live Chat is a real-time customer service tool that enables customers to message a company directly through its website or app using a pop-up chat widget. This customer support channel is quickly gaining traction because it offers instant connectivity and real-time problem-solving, which are crucial in today’s fast-paced digital environment. Live Chat works when a visitor lands on a site and a chat widget is ready to go. Once the app has been installed, a live chatbot or agent greets the visitor. All that person has to do is type a message and hit send. Some widgets are proactive as well, popping up with a friendly “Need help?” message to initiate the live chat conversation before the customer even asks.

Key Drivers of Chat Dominance

In this world of instant gratification and the desire to know answers to questions immediately, Live Chat (either with an agent connected to the business or through the use of a Chatbot) meets the insatiable needs of consumers to get the resolution to a problem instantly, without searching the website or waiting to speak to an agent over the phone. Live Chat meets the customer where they are, in a convenient and easy-to-use format that leverages the speed of messaging and the advanced technology of artificial intelligence. Over the past few years, there has been a distinct shift in user preference to this form of communication.

Benefits For Businesses Using Live Chat

Several advantages of using Live Chat on your business website include improved customer satisfaction, increased sales, enhanced operational efficiency, and valuable business data and insights. One of the most significant benefits of incorporating Live Chat software into your business website is the enhanced customer satisfaction level. Customers feel like their needs are being met instantly in a format they have become accustomed to — chatting. It is convenient, immediate and ironically mimics talking to an actual human online. Many businesses report an increase in sales and the ability to offer suggestions for other services or products through the chat. Research from Forrester indicates that it can cost anywhere from $12 for a call to a representative, versus $5 for a web chat, making it about 17% cheaper. Live Chat data is also a treasure trove of information about what your customers are curious about and which products are in the highest demand. The feedback gathered through live chat can help identify and solve problems more effectively. Does your business website offer Live Chat? For more information about this and other Managed Service options, please contact our team at Spectra Networks.