Live chat has become an increasingly popular way for businesses to connect with their customers. It allows customers to receive quick and convenient support without having to make a phone call or send an email.
However, not all live chat experiences are created equal. To provide excellent live chat customer service, businesses must follow ten golden rules.
Rule 1: Be prompt
When customers reach out through live chat, they expect quick responses. According to a study by Comm100, the average wait time for a live chat response is 2 minutes and 40 seconds. However, 48% of customers will leave a website if they don’t receive a response within five minutes. To ensure promptness, live chat agents should prioritize incoming chats, respond as quickly as possible, and set realistic expectations for response times.
Rule 2: Be personable
According to a study by HubSpot, 79% of customers prefer live chat because it allows them to receive personalized and timely responses from customer service representatives. Live chat agents should take advantage of this benefit by being personable with customers.
Using the customer’s name, acknowledging their issue, and showing empathy towards their concerns can help create a friendly and personable environment. This can lead to a more positive experience for customers, increasing the likelihood of customer loyalty and repeat business.
Rule 3: Be clear
Miscommunications can happen easily through live chat, so it’s important to ensure clarity in all responses. Agents should avoid using jargon or technical terms the customer may not understand. If necessary, agents should break down complex information into smaller, more easily digestible pieces. Being clear in responses helps to avoid misunderstandings and confusion.
Rule 4: Be patient
According to a study by Zendesk, 87% of customers consider patience an essential trait for customer service representatives to possess. This is particularly important during live chat sessions, as frustrated customers require longer chat sessions to resolve their issues.
Live chat agents must remain patient and focused on the customer’s needs. By providing a calm and understanding presence, agents can help ease tensions and create a more positive experience for the customer. And that ultimately leads to higher customer satisfaction rates.
Rule 5: Be proactive
In addition to being reactive to customer inquiries, live chat agents should be proactive. By anticipating common questions or issues, agents can provide relevant information and resources to customers before they even ask. This shows customers that the business is committed to their needs and goes above and beyond to provide excellent service.
Rule 6: Be empathetic
Empathy is an essential component of excellent customer service. By putting themselves in the customer’s shoes, live chat agents can better understand customer needs. And that allows them to provide personalized solutions. Agents should listen actively and respond with compassion to show customers they understand their concerns.
Rule 7: Be knowledgeable
Live chat agents should be experts in their field to provide accurate and reliable information to customers. This requires ongoing training and education to stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes. With the necessary knowledge and skills, agents can confidently answer customer questions and provide effective solutions.
Rule 8: Be respectful
Respect is a critical component of any customer service experience. Live chat agents should treat all customers with respect and dignity, regardless of their background or the nature of their issue. This includes using appropriate language and avoiding any behavior that could be interpreted as dismissive or discriminatory.
Rule 9: Be solution-focused
The ultimate goal of live chat customer service is to help customers find solutions to their problems. Agents should focus on this goal and provide actionable steps to help customers resolve their issues. By offering solutions instead of excuses, agents can build customer trust.
Rule 10: Be grateful
Finally, live chat agents should express gratitude to customers for their business and patience. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in creating a positive experience for customers. By expressing gratitude, agents can help to build stronger relationships with customers and foster loyalty.
In summary
In conclusion, live chat is an efficient and effective way for businesses to connect with their customers. But, to provide excellent live chat customer service, businesses must follow ten golden rules.
By being prompt, personable, clear, patient, proactive, empathetic, knowledgeable, respectful, solution-focused, and grateful, live chat agents can create a positive and personalized experience for customers.
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