Live Chat & Your Web Site.
I had a great conversation with a client the other day, he was told his web site should have calls to actions as we develop his web site. We are pretty tuned in with that concept, BUT, he insisted that we utilize the live chat tool. I’m sure you have all seen it, its the interactive click here to chat with a rep or leave a message if the attendant is not available.
Here’s my view on the live chat… If you are 100% going to guarantee that someone (one of your employees) will be answering the live chat questions consistently, then absolutely, it’s a great tool for your web site and for your prospects and existing customers. BUT, all to often, people pay for the software, get it installed on their web site and forget about it. Now, a web visitor sees the live chat attendant NEVER available. It leaves an impression: it screams, we don’t really care to connect with you right now because we are too busy.
4 Comments
I can agree with this. I check out lots of realtor websites and when I see “live chat” and then the red button saying no one is online they instantly loose credibility in my eyes.
However, for my personal site I have considered including a live chat and am dabbling with what service to use ONLY if I can have it live 24/7 on my mobile phone. Do you know of a product that will do that? I may not physically be at my computer but with my blackberry I’m signed on to the instant messanger or what have you. Does skype work that way? I’ve been on their website, it’s pretty, but I haven’t quite figured out what they do other than have pretty pictures.
- Sarah
I can agree with this. I check out lots of realtor websites and when I see “live chat” and then the red button saying no one is online they instantly loose credibility in my eyes.
However, for my personal site I have considered including a live chat and am dabbling with what service to use ONLY if I can have it live 24/7 on my mobile phone. Do you know of a product that will do that? I may not physically be at my computer but with my blackberry I’m signed on to the instant messanger or what have you. Does skype work that way? I’ve been on their website, it’s pretty, but I haven’t quite figured out what they do other than have pretty pictures.
- Sarah
I have seen some live chat scripts that will display the live chat link if there is in fact an operator online and available to talk at that time. That seems to be the best of both worlds because you are guaranteed to get someone if the link is there.
I have seen some live chat scripts that will display the live chat link if there is in fact an operator online and available to talk at that time. That seems to be the best of both worlds because you are guaranteed to get someone if the link is there.