How Live Chat Can Remove Points of High Friction

We've always maintained a customer-centric approach to developing our software. That's why we're spearheading the use of live chat for digital customer service.

We've listened to what our customers want, and it couldn't be clearer: live chat will make customers happier and more engaged, leading to higher revenues and long-term loyalty. Simply put, live chat is indispensable for customer service because it removes the most frustrating elements of company-to-customer communication.

Mark Hillary of the CX Files recently interviewed me about an omnichannel experience and putting the customer first. By having a digital first mindset, contact centers can seamlessly talk to customers across platforms, so the customer gets answers quickly on the channel of their choice.

5 key customer frustrations

To recognize how live chat can remove points of friction for customers, it's important to know what annoys customers most. We've done the research and here's what we've found.

1) Wasting time by reentering details

The single biggest customer complaint is clear: customers hate having to waste time reentering personal details every time they contact a brand or switch channels.

How live chat can fix it: When live chat is combined with CRM, there's no need for the customer to reenter their information. The agent knows exactly who the customer is and has details of previous contacts the moment they open the live chat window.

2) Not getting an answer on the first contact

While many brands concentrate on keeping first response time (FRT) as low as possible, it's more beneficial for customers to ensure that their query is solved the first time they contact the brand. Customers don't mind waiting a little longer for a response, if that response comes with a solution.

How live chat can fix it: Live chat is a results-based communication channel that ensures instant contact and instant solutions. The contact center agent won't close the chat window until the problem is solved, so each contact leads to a resolution.

3) Not being able to speak to a human

It might be surprising, given the increasing automation of just about every element of life, but most customers would rather talk to a human than a robot for customer service issues. That means brands must be more careful about what they automate, and they need to make sure real people are available to communicate with customers.

How live chat can fix it: Live chat is powered by humans helped by call center software. With real agents on the other side of the chat window, customers know they're getting assistance from an actual person.

4) Being forced into a channel

If a customer contacts a brand on Twitter, they expect a response on Twitter. Forcing customers to channel hop to get a solution is high on the list of friction points. By the same token, if a customer has a question while browsing the website they don't want to be forced onto email or social media to get in touch.

How live chat can fix it: Live chat works in conjunction with the brand's website. Agents find customers wherever they are, and the communication takes place there. No need to switch channels, just get straight to business.

5) Impersonal service and communication

Customers want personalized service that's tailored to them, and they want it combined with the speed and efficiency of digital technologies. Customers don't want to be treated like a number and they don't want cookie-cutter communication. Brands must keep it real.

How live chat can fix it: Live chat is personalized because it takes place between the customer and the agent in real time. The only way to get more tailored is to have a face-to-face conversation.

Why annoyed customers = lower revenues

These days, as customers demand speed and efficiency combined with personalized service, it's important to connect with customers emotionally. You can start by not annoying them. Here are some telling stats:

• 89% of customers have stopped doing business with a brand after a poor customer service experience
• 72% of customers expect a response on social media in less than 1 hour
• Customers are more likely to switch to a competitor if they have a service-related problem rather than a cost-related problem

Live chat addresses all these issues, leading to higher revenues and increased customer loyalty.

The bottom line

Live chat is one of the fastest and most personal customer service channels, and when offered as part of a call center software solution it also gives you access to the customer's profile through CRM. The live chat conversation will appear seamlessly in the agent's workflow at the speed of now. That's proactive service that also saves time.

Interested? Just get in touch to learn more about what our digital customer service software can do for you. And to see other ways the digital age is changing customer expectation, check out our webinar, Digital – First Customer Service: The Future is Here Today.