Change, Book, Upgrade, and Buy Easily with Chat

“Communication is at the heart of human interaction, and it can make or break a business. Being able to communicate effectively with customers can lead to increased sales, repeat business, and referrals. On the other hand, not being able to can quickly lead to decreased sales, frustrated customers, and negative word of mouth.” - Entrepreneur 

Communicating with customers from afar has gone beyond basic phone calls and email – the arrival of chat has facilitated many customer-related services such as retail purchases, travel bookings, hotel bookings, airline ticket changes, and more. Chat services through WhatsApp Business API, SMS API, and others are easing the pressure on staff and increasing the speed with which business can be conducted and retail purchases finalized. It’s simple, quick, and effective. Here are some of the ways chat is benefitting various industries.

Which industries can use chat for business and how?

While chat is used quite extensively for retail purchases, the innovative features of the software available means that it can be used to drive business in a number of ways across several industries. Here’s a look at some of the practical uses of chat via WhatsApp Business API for business. 

1. Travel and hospitality industries

The world is finally opening up again after years of lockdown and isolation, with the travel spirit awakened in many across the globe. The tourism and hospitality industries should be primed to take advantage of these keen travellers by facilitating the booking, upgrading, and changing of tours and accommodation through chat. By providing live chat support, travel agencies can improve the customer journey by accommodating a range of bookings and reservations across a number of time zones.

How can chat help?

• Using WhatsApp or even chatbots, travelers are able to pre-book everything from accommodation and tours through to live shows and more.

• The travel and tourism operators can also communicate with guests through the chat software, to gather feedback and check up on their stay and experience.

• Those in the hospitality industry can engage with customers, answering all queries related to the accommodation, surrounding activities and eateries, travel arrangements, as well as the services provided.

• There are many upselling opportunities as the chat software allows those in travel and hospitality to retrieve past information about the guests, tailoring their marketing solutions. They can also improve their chances through complementary services and products.

2. Property industry

It might not be immediately apparent, but live chat and chatbot software are incredibly beneficial for the real estate or property industries, making them much more transparent and accessible. Using these innovative communication tools, real estate agents are able to reach a much broader market and share potential properties with interested clients.

How can chat help?

• Real estate agents can share and recommend specific properties to clients, tailoring them the clients’ interests – region, price, and other features.

• Through chat, potential clients can schedule appointments with agents, as well as getting as much information about the potential properties.

• Clients can share relevant documentation directly to the agent through chat, minimizing wasted time on clients who aren’t able to secure properties.

• Chat on websites and comparison platforms mean that agents can engage in active lead generation.

3.  Automobile industry

Car sales can be a tricky business – there are so many options available across a range of models and prices. From new through to second-hand vehicles, those selling cars will need to engage constantly with customers to secure the sale. The direct engagement with a representative is what it often takes to secure a sale, which is why chat is so beneficial to the automobile industry.

How can chat help?

• Using chat, automobile representatives are able to provide customers with their range of car options, without the need to bring them into the showroom.

• Representatives are able to assist many customers at once, increasing the chance of securing more sales.

• Any questions related to the cars for sale can be dealt with quickly through chat. This puts customers’ fears at ease, increasing the likelihood of a sale. 

4. Healthcare industry

The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are becoming more and more competitive, with patients much more reluctant to make an appointment without thorough research. The misinformation related to healthcare – as witnessed during the pandemic – has also prompted the need for more direct communication between patients and healthcare providers, which is where WhatsApp Business API is so useful.

How can chat help?

• Chat can be added to the website of a hospital, clinic, or physician as a way to provide answers to all patient queries ahead of time.

• Physicians can use chat to advise patients on healthcare, as symptoms can be shared through this software.

• Follow-up appointments can be booked, and referrals made via chat.

• Patients can share information on their recovery, with doctors advising on whether another appointment is needed.

• For the pharmaceutical industry, prescriptions can be shared via chat for ease of reference. 

5. Retail industry 

“There is no doubt that e-purchase has taken the experience of shopping to a whole new level. It comes with a level of comfort mingled with satisfaction. In my experience, it is far preferable to click through an e-commerce site than to pay a physical visit to a store of bricks.” - Forbes

eCommerce is a massive industry, growing exponentially over the past few years with forced lockdowns. Many retailers were forced to shift to this online space, meaning that competition suddenly spiked across the board. One way to get those retail purchases is through integration of chat on the website.

How can chat help?

• Using real-time chat, business owners can connect directly with suppliers, couriers, stakeholders, and customers.

• Frequently asked questions about products and services can be addressed, 24/7, via the chat app.

• Chat can be used for lead generation, tailoring product suggestions for each customer based on the purchase history.

• Chat with reports and analysis features will allow business owners to analyze employee performance.

• Customer feedback through chat can be used to improve the service offerings.

Get started with business chat

It’s clear that chat in the form of WhatsApp Business API is able to assist businesses across various industries by drastically enhancing the customer journey. It improves communication, enhances the customer experience, and secures customer loyalty. Find out how Clickatell can turn customer interest into actual retail purchases with chat today.