6 Reasons Why Live Chat is the Best Customer Retention Strategy

Around 73% of customers find live chat the most satisfactory form of communication with a company.

Customer retention is achieved through customer satisfaction which depends on two things; the quality of your product and the level of customer support you offer. The reason is simple: people trust you more when you give them excellent support.

In this mobile-first world, customer support has evolved to digital platforms with Live Chat leading the way. Here’s why businesses should implement Live Chat online or Live Chat WhatsApp as a way to enhance digital customer experience (CX).

What Is Live Chat?

Live Chat is an online communication tool that allows you to engage with your customers with the power of real-time messaging and connection. With live chat, customers can type a message into your chatbot and your customer support team can provide them with immediate feedback. This form of online chat is an excellent alternative to phone calls and emails with studies showing that 79% of customers prefer Live Chat over any other communication platform.

6 Reasons Businesses Choose Live Chat for Support

Customers choose Live Chat over social media, email, and telephone help when it comes to CX and customer support channel choices. Here are 6 reasons why this is the leading customer support – and retention – platform.

1. Live Chat Offers Customers Quicker Response Time

Customers prefer Live Chat because they get immediate responses to any queries or concerns and a faster resolution time. In this age of instant gratification, customers will not wait around for companies to respond, which is why Live Chat is key to customer retention. The convenience and quickness of this solution is what keeps customers happy and always coming back; because they know that you are there for them, anytime, all the time.

2. Live Chat Reduces Repetition for Your Customers

When providing exceptional Live Chat customer care, agents can interact with customers while simultaneously evaluating customer information on file. This information could include the notes from past conversations with customer service. Some systems even allow an agent to share a screen directly with the customer, as well as providing useful links and screenshots to help them better comprehend a set of instructions during a Live Chat WhatsApp or online conversation. This way, customers are not having to repeat their queries constantly, and frustrated with several live agents as they are being transferred to different calls, as the support team is quickly up to speed. This removes all the hassle of phone support, hold times, and repetitiveness! 

3. Live Chat Is What Your Customers Want

Live Chat has numerous advantages for businesses of all sizes and across all industries – primarily because Live Chat assists with customer retention. Customers want to know that they can get help quickly if they need it, which is why easy access to support is critical to customer retention and satisfaction. While email and phone have traditionally been the quickest ways for organizations to provide customer help, Live Chat support is swiftly catching up. With Live Chat on WhatsApp or online, responses are near instantaneous, made in real-time leaving little to no waiting period for the end-consumers, and it is the customer experience that customers expect and deserve: 69% of shoppers in the US demand live chat features! 

4. Lower Business Costs, Higher ROI

Live chat costs companies 15-33% less compared to phone support.

Introducing live chat to your digital customer service strategy reduces operational costs by replacing customer service interactions with the help of automation. Live Chat alleviates stress from call centers and allows your agents to handle a higher volume of customers by being more agile, going digital, and supported by live chat’s automation. Live Chat is proven to significantly reduce your internal costs compared to phone support, while also increasing productivity and customer engagement and retention. What a deal!

5. Live Chat Enables You to Offer 24/7 Support

If complete coverage is necessary – and possible – for your business operations, you can provide 24/7 Live Chat support to your customers. If you extend instant availability to encompass the entire day, customers will have little reason to complain about their questions being ignored. Even if you do not have employees available 24 hours a day, self-service support options - such as a knowledge base with product content - are always accessible. You can also redirect customers to your knowledge base, FAQ, or other documentation if Live Chat is ever unavailable. Often customers are quite happy to find the answers themselves if they are guided to the correct site. This way, customers feel taken care of, regardless of when they need help. 

6. Live Chat Nurtures Customer Loyalty

Because customers favor companies that provide Live Chat support, they’re more likely to continue doing business with them. Customers increasingly want brands to respect their time and respond to complaints and questions in a straightforward, seamless manner. Live Chat gives you the platform to showcase your dedication to offering an unmatched customer experience. With real-time assistance, customers receive what they want, when they want it.  The result is loyal, satisfied customers who keep coming back for more.

Get Started with Clickatell Live Chat

It's time for you to enjoy these benefits by implementing advanced messaging and put Live Chat on your website. Clickatell’s Chat Self-Service provides instant customer support on your customers' favorite chat channels at any time, from any location. Chat with a Clickatell expert today to learn more about your Live Chat options and how we can help your business achieve customer retention, higher engagement, and increased sales!