5 Ways to Reduce Operating Cost with Live Web Chat

If you go on just about any customer service-oriented website, you’ll see a little box pop up in the bottom corner of your web browser asking if you need help. What starts out as an automatic welcoming invitation to ask questions prompts a live chat operator to jump in with answers when you respond.

Welcome to the world of live chat software. It’s bolstering customer service rates and reducing operating costs for small companies and Fortune 500 firms alike.

In fact, Econsultancy reports live chat offers the higher customer satisfaction levels than e-mail and phone support. More directly put, live chat drives a customer satisfaction rate of 73 percent compared to 61 percent for e-mail and 44 percent for phone support. 

When you add that a reduction in operating costs, live chat is more than well worth the investment. An Aberdeen Group reports reveals companies can save as much as 50 percent on support costs with live chat versus using traditional phone support.

Here are five ways to reduce operating costs with live web chat.

1. Save the impulse buy

Live chat can resolve your would-be customer questions faster and pave the way for an immediate sale. Instead of going back and forth with email or wading through a long phone call, live chat provides an efficient and immediate way to resolve a customer’s questions and concerns to help you save the impulse buy.

2. Tap the upsell opportunity

Live chat operators offer your company the chance to explain the benefits of add-on services or complementary products that present upsell opportunities—increasing profits and directly impacting your bottom line.

3. Multitasking power

Instead of having a full-time person on your phone lines—a person who can only answer one phone at a time—you can engage that same person to answer several live chats at a time. While a customer is explaining the issue through one chat window, your operating can be assisting another customer.

4. Freelance efficiencies

Rather than trying to staff a 24/7 live chat operator, you can hire freelancers in different time zones to cover your live chat service around the clock. Or you can just cover the peak time and allow customers to leave a message that can be followed up on via e-mail at a later time.

5. Reduce callbacks

Live chat operators can help you slash customer service expenses by reducing the number of customer callbacks over the same issues. You can share links to Frequently Asked Questions in a live chat, point customers to videos or articles that the user can refer back to over and over again if they forget your instructions on the call. 

All in all, live chat operators are helping companies large and small—and all over the world—reduce operating expenses and drive profits.

Thinking about Web Chat services for your own company? Put Davinci's Live Web Chat team to work for you: answering questions, providing support, even transacting sales via your online storefront. Friendly and professional people, trained on your business. It's just one more way Davinci helps you and your audience connect. Learn more below about Davinci Web Chat or sign up today!

About Jennifer LeClaire

Jennifer LeClaire is a veteran business journalist, editor and new media entrepreneur with a strong niche in real estate and technology.