{"id":98,"date":"2017-06-21T03:50:37","date_gmt":"2017-06-21T10:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hengreamaze.wordpress.com\/2017\/06\/21\/build-a-successful-ecommerce-business-using-chat\/"},"modified":"2023-08-31T23:57:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T06:57:48","slug":"build-a-successful-ecommerce-business-using-chat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reamaze.com\/blog\/build-a-successful-ecommerce-business-using-chat\/","title":{"rendered":"Build a Successful eCommerce Business using Chat."},"content":{"rendered":"

An in-depth look at boosting engagement and conversions using chat.<\/p>\n

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Adding live chat to an online service or storefront is a growing phenomenon. Chat allows customers and potential shoppers to connect with someone at the business in question in real time and obtain help with unparalleled precision. Along with the growth of mobile and social media platforms, chat is a necessary asset in your tool belt when it comes to engaging customers and converting them to buyers.<\/p>\n

However, chat can become a liability and an unnecessary strain on your resources without a firm understanding of how it should coexist with other communications channels. To build an eCommerce brand that focuses on chatting to customers must require a systematic understanding of how chat will affect the entire customer lifecycle positively. Data from around the industry is apparent:<\/p>\n

63% <\/strong>of customers said they were more likely to return to a website that offers live chat as opposed to one that doesn\u2019t.\u200a\u2014\u200aForrester Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

44%<\/strong> of customers said that having a live chat specialist available during an online purchase<\/strong> was one of the most important features a company can offer.\u200a\u2014\u200aForrester Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The following article is broken into 6 sections.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Understanding Chat<\/li>\n
  2. Understanding Customer Needs<\/li>\n
  3. The Business Case for Chat<\/li>\n
  4. Picking a Chat Platform<\/li>\n
  5. Testing and Implementing Chat<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Understanding Chat<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Chat, sometimes known as live chat, comes in a few different formats, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The three major formats are session based chat, asynchronous chat, and proactive chat.<\/p>\n

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    Amazon.com Live Chat<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Session based chat<\/strong> is something most of us are familiar with. Many enterprise businesses use session based chat to help customers. The likes of Amazon, Comcast, and even Nike all use session based chat to solve one-on-one customer issues.<\/p>\n

    Session based chats have a few advantages and disadvantages. Because each conversation is tied to a unique session, the customer and agent must both be online and connected in order to chat to each other. This guarantees instant responses and any questions or concerns can be addressed as long as they\u2019re connected. The chat can only end if one party chooses to end the chat. Once the chat has ended, it cannot be continued. This unique advantage is also its disadvantage, however. If no agents are available to service a session based chat, customers need to wait or be forced to reach out using another method such as email or phone which defeats the initial intent of \u201clive chat\u201d. Waiting times and the unavailability of agents can be a depressing experience for customers waiting for help.<\/p>\n

    \"\"Reamaze Shoutbox serves chat conversations asynchronously.<\/span><\/em>
    \nAsynchronous chat<\/strong> was designed to get around these particular problems. With no sessions to speak of, customers and business representatives can connect with each other at any time. Apple\u2019s iMessage and Facebook\u2019s Messenger services are the best examples of asynchronous chat. If you\u2019ve used any of these services, you understand that any conversation can be in real time (just like session based chat) when both parties are available. But even when one side of the conversation isn\u2019t available, messages can still be sent, received, and continued. Asynchronous chat\u2019s advantages is its persistent nature and that fact that it can be customized to fit to the resources available to your business.<\/span><\/figure>\n
    \"\"Reamaze Cues serves proactive chat invitations.<\/em><\/em><\/figure>\n

    Proactive chat <\/strong>(sometimes known as proactive engagement) is the latest trend in chat software. It can be served both as session based chat or asynchronous chat. While session based chat and asynchronous chat need to be customer initiated, proactive chat can automatically invite customers to chat based on certain rules and conditions. This layer of functionality can achieve multiple business goals such as increasing conversion rates by offering help or discounts at just the right place, nurturing leads by capturing customer information at the right time, or serving contextual marketing content intelligently to educate customers and increasing stickiness or engagement.<\/p>\n

    Understanding Customer Needs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Implementing chat of any format can be a complex process that requires aligning multiple business areas. And a successful chat implementation isn\u2019t as simple as picking a solutions partner and checking it off your to-do list; that usually comes last. Savvy businesses understand that making chat successful requires ongoing refinement of existing business rules and workflows that will augment chat invitations, conversations, and customer experiences.<\/p>\n