Did you know that live chat support is increasing in popularity every year? It seems like every business is looking for ways to optimize the customer journey when it comes to must-have customer service features.
In this blog post, you'll see some interesting, some obvious, some surprising facts about live chat. Keep scrolling.
Well, Mr. Roosevelt is right, and this quote also applies to customer support. Thanks to technological developments, we can get everything we want in 24 hours, most of the time. But, unfortunately, that convenience makes waiting the torture of the 21st century.
Customers Opinion on Live Chat
Waiting for email responses or holding on the line is so outdated. Live chat allows customers to get the help they need in a matter of minutes, and they love it. Proof? Here you are:
Inc. reported in The Power Of Live Chat article that 44% of online consumers believe that live chat is an important website feature.
In addition, according to another report on live chat, 60% of younger consumers — those 18-34 —“regularly use live chat for customer service.”
About 90% of customers consider a quick reaction from support to their inquiry critical when using live chat, according to Hubspot's Customer Service Stats.
One of the reasons that half of the customers (51%) favor live chat is their ability to multitask while reaching out to a company via live chat. The Importance of Live Chat by Invesp
Surprised? We are not.
Thankfully businesses are aware of the call on live chat.
It is stated in Comm100’s 2019 Live Chat Benchmark Report that, “Facing rising demand for personalized, meaningful interactions and seamless, ‘every-channel’ experiences, organizations are rolling up their sleeves to meet and exceed customer expectations.”
If you are not in the 85%, the chances are you are on the wrong path.
42% of businesses think that consumers prefer phone support.
14% of businesses think consumers prefer email.
9% of businesses think consumers prefer social media.
Mobile Live Chat Statistics
Considering that more than half of the web traffic comes from mobile, let’s take a look at mobile live chat statistics.
Live chat engagement is higher (1.7%) on desktops than on mobiles (1.4%). Still, mobile chatters are 6.1 times more likely to convert compared to mobile non-chatters.
62% of customers expect the availability of live chat on mobile devices, and 82% would use it if available. Live Chat Statistics
According to comm100's guide to live chat article, when it comes to the initiation of live chat, about 51.68% of those were from mobile devices.
Now that we know why we need live chat and how it should be done, keep reading to see what to avoid. There are things your customers will be annoyed rather than satisfied with.
Support not being online despite live chat displaying as available.
Being disconnected during a live chat.
Effort required to start a live chat, mainly where there are pre-chat forms.
What happens if all goes wrong? Check out the statistics that show the consequences when live chat doesn’t meet the customer expectations:
38% of customers are most frustrated by poor user experience on live chat.
29% of customers find scripted, impersonal responses the most frustrating.
38% of businesses say their users find their scripted responses most frustrating.
Almost 50% of customers rate long wait times as the most frustrating part of a live chat — they don’t want to be in a queue.
19% of businesses say their customers are most frustrated by long wait times.
According to Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020, more than 70% of consumers believe that companies should collaborate on their behalf so that they don’t have to repeat information to different representatives.
In the same report, it is stated that nearly 70% of customers are irritated when their call is transferred from department to department.
Live Chat Speed vs. Quality
Businesses are working hard to get the necessary help to their customers. However, while they are rushing, they miss an essential point. Fast doesn’t always mean satisfactory.
You must be wondering why the customer satisfaction rate is lower with lower wait time. Because consumers value high-quality support more than speed, and shorter wait time affects quality in most cases.
95% say they would prefer slower support if it meant the quality of help was higher.
47% of customers haven’t had a positive live chat experience in the last month.
Live Chat-Phone Support Comparison
It makes it easy for your customers to talk to you.
Brings down customer wait times by 80%.
Appeals to customers of all ages.
Reduces your cost-per-interaction.
Let’s see the live chat and phone support comparison statistics.
Companies with chat support pay roughly 15 to 33% less than those with phone support.
In 2021, customer service using phone support dropped by 7%.
42% of customers prefer live chat over phone conversations because they don’t have to wait on hold for an agent.
Live Chat Conversion Statistics
Does excellent live chat support mean high profit? FOR SURE!
Approximately 63% of people spending $250-500 monthly online will most likely purchase from companies offering live chat.
A good customer service experience heavily impacts recommendations. Consumers who rate a company’s service as “good” are 38% more likely to recommend that company.
In Hubspot's research on acquisition, it is seen that 93% of customers will possibly make repeat purchases with companies offering excellent customer service.
Before we wrap up, let’s mention the elephant in the room. It’s evident that due to the pandemic the way businesses operate changed dramatically.
This change was initially led by changing customer behavior.
To adapt to new expectations, customer service teams revised their system. From personalizing customer experience to making customer support contactless, the pandemic has given rise to new trends in customer service.
Chatbots, live chat, and text messaging are useful and must-have features on company websites of all sizes and sectors. You can provide a better client experience, smooth customer service, boost customer happiness, and increase conversions by effectively utilizing the tool across multiple company activities.
As more businesses go online, client expectations for 24-hour fast response will continue to climb. In addition, real-time dialogues using live chat will provide new chances for your company to better understand and serve while strengthening business/customer relations.
Meet me in the comments section below and share your thoughts on live chat. Do you use it? Does it work for you? Let us know!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Live Chats Effective?
Live chat delivers 73% satisfaction, compared to 61% for email and 44% for the phone support. Thanks to live chat, not only will your customer satisfaction ratings rise, but so will your client retention.
Is There a Free Live Chat Tool?
The Best Free Live Chat Apps are
LiveAgent.
Smartsupp.
Tidio.
Chaport.
EngageBay.
What is a Chatbot?
A chatbot is a computer software replicating and processing human speech, allowing people to communicate with digital gadgets as if they were talking to a real person.
BONUS
Cart abandonment statistics show that 53% of cart abandonment is because customers aren’t able to find answers to their queries.
With present technology, chatbots can resolve queries with up to 90% accuracy. Chatbot Statistics
In an article on live chat statistics, it is seen that 74% of B2C companies and 85% of B2B companies use live chat for sales. However, only 31% of B2C companies and 54% of B2B companies use live chat for marketing purposes.
72% of customers expect the live chat agent to already know their contact details and purchase history. Live Chat Stats by thrivemyway
70% of consumers favor human agents over AI technology.
The average company received 8,423 chat messages per month in 2020.