Live chat seems to be in limbo with it appearing on some, but not all websites. Having both merits and downsides can help lead to conversions.

In the past, live chat features on websites were a revelation of sorts. Being able to chat with (alleged) another person to address all of your queries in real-time was seen as a great way to attract visitor interaction on websites. This coincided with instant messaging platforms such as MSN Messenger being popular and the early days of social media also becoming popular. But as this was new to its time, the system was not perfect and some chat responses would be automated from bots or result in broken English from outsourced call centers being used to chat. Yet when implemented correctly (as they can be and have been as of late), live chat widgets on your website can help you to make sales.

Positives

Live chat can give your website visitors that final push into making a conversion on your website. If a visitor has a specific question about a product and this is holding them back from adding it to their basket, the ability to have this question answered instantly can provide the clarification they need to make that sale. If you want to measure how much interaction visitors are having with your live chat, most of the software comes with reports and analytics to this effect. You could also run a promotion by giving users of your live chat a unique discount code for use on your website. In this age of instant information, live chat allows your website visitors to have their needs fulfilled in real-time.

Negatives

There are of course some downsides to living chat. Those who access your website outside of office hours, they may be given the option to leave a message for you. With this, you are opening up a landslide of potential messages into your inbox which you would feel obliged to answer. Live chat can also be a drain on websites speeds depending on your particular needs of the widget and it does also not always render well on the limited screen size of mobile devices which can result in a clunky interface and usability. Some live chat options only allow for one chat window/conversation to be open at once meaning that others may have to wait in a queue, therefore, increasing their chances to get tired of waiting and leaving your website.

When implemented correctly and when tailored to the needs and suitability of your business, live chat can be the final push that your website visitors need to convert into paying customers. 

Our favourite live chat to use is LiveChat. It’s ideal for any eCommerce company and will help you engage fully with every visitor to your site. We love using LiveChat on our website as it helps us improve customer satisfaction, enhance sales and it allows us to deliver real time support to our potential clients. 

We here at Ireland Website Design can implement custom live chat options into your website to drive sales to your business. Contact us today to reach your online aims and goals.