Customer Service
Choosing Communication Apps for Your Website
A strong relationship between customers and sales reps is one of the key factors to having a successful business. Now there is a wide variety of solutions that can help you set up the first conversation between website visitors and sales reps. Some of them encourage visitors to send messages, others are intended to initiate a phone call. So it really comes down to what you’re looking for and what features are important to you. We break down the top communication apps that address your specific business goals, while providing you with endless benefits.
Live Chat
Live Chat is an online tool that enables human-to-human interaction in a chat portal; this feature is provided by companies such as Olark or HipChat. It automatically greets online visitors when they enter the website as well as engages potential clients.
Advantages
Benefits for visitors:
- For some, sending messages is psychologically easier than calling.
- The tool is useful for solving general issues that are quick to solve.
- It’s a great communication tool for when customers are visiting your site.
Benefits for the company:
- It saves time. A single operator can handle several clients at the same time.
- Customer service is easy to analyze.
- Integration into the website is fast and simple.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages for visitors:
- A quick turnaround response is not guaranteed. Operators may be busy or not at their working place.
- Handling an inquiry might take too long.
- The chance for being misunderstood for both the customer and the sales rep is increased.
Disadvantages for the company:
- Chat messages do not encourage long conversations which are often crucial for establishing strong customer relations.
- The process is slow: it is difficult to guide clients through the sales funnel quickly and help customers find the perfect solution.
- The communication app is no longer available for customers outside of working hours.
Click-to-call
Click-to-call is another app that offers a fast connection with your website visitors. This is a web-based communication means, which provides an immediate connection with sales rep in real-time by just one click. Some click-to-call providers include Tokpod and Agendize.
Advantages
Benefits for visitors:
- The calls are free for website visitors.
- Some providers offer the option of click to call on mobile.
- Calls can help to find out what customers need, especially when dealing with a long buying cycle.
Benefits for the company:
- Calls help to provide a higher conversion rate from visitors into clients.
- A wide variety of click-to-call services with different features can be found at present.
- Sales reps can qualify prospects via calls.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages for clients:
- For some people, sending messages may be easier than calling.
- Only 5% to 10% of calls via Internet are held successfully.
- Some services have a limit of the number of calls they can get through a day.
Disadvantages for the company:
- Slow Internet connection may be a barrier for closing your leads.
- Users may have not all the necessary equipment for communication.
- Employees have to be on the computer at all times, otherwise they lose calls and potential clients.
Callback in 25 seconds
Callback in 25 seconds is represented by Callmaker.net. This tool offers an automated callback to mobile phones and guarantees that it takes 25 seconds or less. The client gets real-time customer service.
Advantages
Advantages for clients:
- A customer does not wait on the line and gets a guaranteed connection with a company in 25 seconds.
- Sales reps are not limited in time to discuss the needs of a potential client therefore the customer can get first-class service.
- The phone connection is free for customers worldwide.
Advantages for the company:
- A unique call-to-action results in an increase in the number of phone calls up to 50%.
- The company can indicate several phone numbers of sales reps for receiving calls and never lose potential clients.
- Sales reps can identify wants and needs of hot leads and are more likely to close more deals.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages for clients:
- Some people feel more comfortable sending messages rather than speaking on the phone.
- The technology is innovative and new, website visitors might not be familiar with it yet.
Disadvantages for the company:
- As sales reps spend more time on each customer, the capacity on the employees will increase.
- Callmaker calls the employees even if they are not at their workplace, so they might be getting calls during off hours.
What is the best option for your business?
Each communication application is beneficial to an extent, but it depends on what you’re using them for. They are geared towards specific needs and usage. Live chats, click-to-call means and the callback in 25 seconds are created for different purposes; choose the one that best fits your business goals.
[Image courtesy of unsplash.com]
Pavel Myakov
Entrepreneur with Sales and Marketing focus
