Live Chat

Introduction To Live Chat

Live chat functionality on a website allows visitors to participate in an instant message chat with a support or sales representative. Visitors can initiate the chat themselves by clicking the appropriate link, or the chat box can be automated to open with a customized invitation depending on actions the visitor has taken. This is in the  same category as the live chat feature available for company pages on Facebook. In the past, companies relied heavily on lead generation forms to collect visitor information. Live chat allows for a more proactive approach, with a real person offering assistance and extending an invitation. This makes it an ideal tool for customer support and lead generation. With mobile technology you can be available for your visitors 24/7 as you manage chat conversations directly from your phone.

Live Chat In Calgary

Live chat as a lead generation tool for small businesses in Calgary is still in the early phases of the technological life-cycle. Innovators and early-adopters have experimented with a live chat feature on their websites with mixed results. As a stand-alone feature it can feel underwhelming, but when integrated with an actual lead generation campaign it can yield three times more leads than an online form, which is the most commonly used alternative. The full benefit of live chat is realized when companies are able to respond in real time to potential customers. What we often see is the appearance of a live chat that returns an “away from office” message in a poor attempt to collect the visitor’s information for a response at some later time. These are the cases where live chat is less effective.

Live chat applications can be monitored passively from a mobile device, but it is still rare for a small business to have someone available 24/7. Companies that value 24/7 availability often use services like ours to monitor the live chat feature on their behalf. In these cases we respond to basic inquiries and collect visitor information or connect them direcly with the appropriate sales or support representatives.

Our Approach To Live Chat

In most  cases we will suggest using live chat as part of an active lead generation campaign. It is a small addition that makes a big difference for conversion rate optimization. To have a positive experience with live chat it is critical to have a proper campaign set up. We will help define a target audience, generate traffic to a strategic landing page, and set up qualifying questions to ensure that each lead is handled properly. The benefit of live chat for potential customers is diminished with time. We will work with you to create communication channels that facilitate immediate responses and prompt follow-up to any inquiries or service requests.

Live chat can be used for more than lead generation alone, and if you are using it at all we will help you achieve the maximum benefit. We can create different setups to facilitate different interactions with various stakeholders. You may want to enhace your value by offering after-sale or post-service support. We can integrate your live chat with most customer relationship management applications. Each industry brings new possabile application for live chat technology. Talk to us today about yours!