Does live chat increase conversions?

With the speed and quality of a business’ customer service response more important than ever in the digital age, many companies are now using on-page live chat software as an additional solution. These systems can help to ease customer service backlogs and benefit from being both instant and easy to manage. By implementing a live chat support system on their website, businesses all over the world are making it possible for an agent to respond to a number of different enquiries simultaneously.

However, while these systems are used by websites from a vast array of different sectors and industries, does having a live chat system in your website directly lead to an increase in conversions? In this blog, we look at the impact of live chat on your website and whether it actually works in enhancing the customer experience.

Research into the reaction of customers after using a live chat support system has presented mixed results, but for the most part, it appeared to improve their experience and help with using the website’s services.

Does it really work?

From studies into live chat, the results suggested that:

Customers are more likely to buy through the website –

In a study by the American Marketing Association, 50.4 percent of people said they’d used live chat in 2009, with the figure growing to 65.5 percent by 2012. Feedback from the people involved in the study indicated that they were three times more likely to buy a product because of live chat and that this was primarily down to the direct and effective nature of the system.

Customers are more likely to be loyal to the same website –

Any website will be hoping to secure loyalty from their visitors, and the survey conducted by eDigitalResearch indicated that 73 percent of people asked were highly satisfied by live chat and would go back to the same website in the future. A similar study by eMarketer found that 65 percent of people were more likely to return to the same website after using live chat.

The number of people using it is increasing –

American consumers were asked by e-tailing Group whether they use live chat to interact with the websites they visit. At first, 54 percent said they did, but this figure grew to 59 percent the following year. The people in the study were also questioned over to what extent their queries were answered and how efficient the service was, with results detailing 77 percent of people marking their experience as satisfactory and immediate, and 52 percent stating that live chat as a method of communication was ‘excellent and effortless’.

Customers found it helpful and easy to use –

An ATG Global Consumer Trend Study presented resounding results in favour of live chat, with 90 percent of people stating that it was helpful for shopping online.

Additionally, data analytics and consumer intelligence company J.D. Power looked into the customer reaction of using live chat. Their findings suggested that 42 percent preferred live chat for getting solutions to questions and problems in relation to online shopping.

Why is live chat important?

Traditional methods of communicating with visitors to your website such as via phone or email continue to be relevant and useful in the modern world, and many people still use these methods out of personal preference. However, live chat has appealed to those who are more comfortable communicating online and it has plenty of perks, both from the perspective of the website and its visitors.

As a business, your website needs to be informative to facilitate the needs of those visiting it. Live chat support provides the opportunity to offer insight to anyone visiting the website in regards to any question they may have, which in turn could lead to more sales and conversions from customers. It also cuts costs by having fewer people responding to messages via more traditional methods, as well as being instant to customer queries.

As a visitor, consumer or customer, you want to be given as much information as possible, as it will guide you in choosing specific services or products. You may consider getting in touch via email or a social media account, but the quickest form of communication would be via live chat. As the studies above suggest, many customers are more in favour of using live chat, especially if it’s with a human operator. This enables quick communication and the ability to speak directly to live chat agents about specific topics, only making it easier to use.

If you’re interested in using a live chat support system for your website or want more information on how CallCare can help your business, contact our team at 0370 218 6029.

Posted by Gemma Harding

As Head of Client Services, Gemma is an expert in the customer service industry. With over 20 years of experience in the call handling process she will guide your organisation to an improved customer service strategy. Hobbies include all thing equestrian.

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