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Chat Software
Chat software allows your customers to chat in real time with your customer service representatives. This increasingly popular method of service can greatly benefit your business; the following article explains how.
Functionality
For a web based business, employing chat software for your customer service is the equivalent of allowing your customers to reach a live customer service representative on the telephone. Chat software allows your representatives to interact with your Web site visitors in real time, often allowing them to interact with more than one customer at a time.
This real time customer service is very attractive to customers. It allows them to receive answers to their questions much more quickly and efficiently than filling out a form on your Web site or e-mailing your company. This may help increase sales because customers will not be checking out your competition while waiting for answers from your company. In addition, customers are likely to return to a Web site where they know they can receive live customer service.
Using customer chat software can also help reduce customer support costs. Chat software can reduce the number of telephone calls received by your company, thereby reducing your phone bill as well.
Features
The features that are offered by the various chat software manufacturers are too numerous to list in full, but here are some of the basic features from which most online businesses would benefit.
- Customizing: If you are concerned about the chat software fitting in with the look of your Web site, look for software with a customizable look and feel. For instance, many products allow you to customize the colors and fonts that will be used when chatting.
- Live traffic monitoring: This allows you to see the traffic on your Web site in real time. It also allows you to access visitor information, such as the location where they are logging on. Chat software can also track the traffic coming from search engines, and assist in choosing keywords to add to your website.
- Co-browsing: This feature allows you to assist visitors and customers in completing online forms and transactions. Through co-browsing, you can easily help customers navigate your website.
- Censoring filters: This features allows you to choose words that you would like filtered out of the chat. This is especially useful for profanity.
- Online help: On occasion, you may need online help from the company that produced your chat software. Make sure that the company from which the software was purchased offers efficient online help.
There are numerous other features that the various chat software packages offer. Once you have determined your own needs, choose the software that best fits your company.
By Robin Shreeves
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