Plummeting sales are usually the result of bad customer service. By ignoring basic etiquettes of communication on your live chat customer care, chat agents can unwittingly put off customers. Unhappy customers can lead to negative publicity for your business and bad reviews. Avoid trouble when you follow our tips for live chat etiquette guidelines.
Etiquettes For Live Chat Customer Care.
Don’t Make Them Wait
Live chat customer care is known for providing assistance instantly. In other words, the faster the customer queries are resolved, the better your customer support quality will be. According to a study, almost 70% of customers expect their issues to be resolved in 5 minutes, and 50% of people abandon chats if their issues are not resolved within that time.
As a rule of thumb, you should practice responding to customer queries within 2 minutes at most. This is easier to do in live chats as opposed to on-call ones since your agents will be face to face with customers. Facial expressions are key when it comes to figuring out what they need. With our live chat software features you can give better service.
Introduce Yourself Politely
Unlike impersonal chat bots, live chat support software sessions give you the unique opportunity to create a rapport with customers. However, an abrupt start can put a damper on the entire exchange. By introducing yourself politely, you can personalize the chat session. This will put customers at ease and more willing to provide the information you need to resolve their issues.
Just a simple ‘Hi, (customer name) my name is Sam. How can I help you today?’ can go a long way in breaking the ice. Besides assuring the customer that you care, the tone you use can put them in a calmer state of mind. The result will be faster resolutions and a positive business reputation.
Do Not Depend On Canned Responses
Canned responses work if the customer query is easy to resolve. However, in case you get a complex one, these do nothing but put off clients. That is not to say that they should not be used at all. However, to improve customer care during live chats especially, you need to put a creative spin on them. Provide the same information but without sounding rehearsed. Styling it differently according to the type of client you chat with can help you come up with unique answers.
The only time canned responses work is when customers are searching for instructions or procedures. In live chats, you can miss something if those steps aren’t memorized. These are situations where such responses are appreciated. In other cases, they might make you seem uninterested and detached.
Practice Empathy
Angry and frustrated customers are inevitable in customer care. Basic etiquettes dictate that rather than confronting them, you should try and diffuse the situation as diplomatically as possible. This includes apologizing for their inconvenience even if you are not in the wrong.
Customer service agents should be willing to empathize with customers and this is particularly important during live chat support software sessions. Allow them to cool down first before suggesting solutions that can resolve their issue. More often than not, the solution will be far simpler than you realize.
Once that is done, end on a high note. Ask them if they need help with anything else, thank them for their time and sign off with a smile.
Work With the Best
HelpOnClick is here to help you with all aspects of your chat software — from simple, easy easy live chat to tips and advice. For all your live chat customer care needs, choose HelpOnClick today!
