As technology is evolving, consumers are also getting curious, and organizations are making efforts to solve all their queries as soon as possible by answering their questions quickly through live chat. All departments of an organization will need it, be it sales or marketing teams, to convert their potential customers into clients.

Live chat software will allow your business to engage with users in real-time through messaging. It makes your business more approachable; even first-time visitors can reach you and clarify their queries regarding returns, refunds, and other order-related questions. The live chat software market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% during 2021–2026.

Factors we should consider before buying the live chat software

How easily can it be deployed?

It is important to know that live chat software can be deployed in both ways, on-premises and cloud services. If you have strict operational requirements, you can go for on-premises deployment. Else, go for easy cloud deployment, which is also a faster way to implement live chat.

Integrations

It is essential that your live chat software integrates with existing ERP because nobody wishes to change their entire IT set up just for one software. Hence always look up whether your software is compatible with existing IT infrastructure or not.

Interface

The interface must be user-friendly, not just for the end-user but also on the agent’s side. It should be eye-catching and must provide all the information. Users must be able to easily run the chatting session. The purpose of the software is to get work done quicker; hence, the interface must be simple.

Reporting & Analytics

The software comes with some level of reporting and analytics, but depending upon your business, it is important to first check what level of analysis software could perform. For e.g., an in-built rating system will help you improve your existing process.

The benefits that live chat software will provide are:

Instant Answers

You can instantly resolve customer queries. The overall customers’ first response time is under 3 minutes for most of the businesses across all industries.

Constant continuous conversation

Unlike email and phone conversations, the best live chat software preserves past chat history so that the context stays intact. The thread remains accessible to both agents as well as end-user as soon as they reopen the chat. The software will also let end-users add images, videos, or GIFs.

Personalization

Very similar to instant messaging apps, live chat conservations are more comfortable as it breaks down the wall between business and customers. It lets users interact in their own way and does not impose strict rules on how to communicate. It can be personalized according to consumer convenience

Affordable

Live chat software is an affordable solution for businesses of all kinds and sizes; hence, setting up a live chat for your application or website is an easy way to communicate without heavy IT setup; this software is like a plug-and-play tool.

Enhanced customer care

Since users can very much add their personalized communication techniques for enquiring, it makes the user comfortable and let them communicate without any hesitation. End-users look forward to such features; hence, the live chat feature within any application or website enhances the customer experience. The software provides a cohesive customer experience irrespective of which stage of purchase they are in.

Removes language barriers

For international business, it is very important for the software to be multi-lingual, and it should be able to translate back and forth in real-time, making it easier for the consumer to communicate without hesitation.

Low Cost

It is a proven fact that live chat is a better and more efficient way to communicate than telephone service channels. According to reports, a live chat session is almost 20–30% cheaper than telephone sessions.

Quick connections Unlike traditional phone call waiting or going through IVRs, a live chat system will offer you a quicker way to interact. It eliminates the unknown stretch of time for an email response and offers an instant connection to a real person

About 360Quadrants

360Quadrants is the largest marketplace looking to disrupt USD 3.7 trillion of technology spend and is the only rating platform for vendors in the technology space. The platform provides users access to unbiased information that helps them make qualified business decisions. The platform facilitates deeper insights using direct engagement with 650+ industry experts and analysts and allows buyers to discuss their requirements with 7,500 vendors. Companies get to win ideal new customers, customize their quadrants, decide key parameters, and position themselves strategically in niche spaces to be consumed by giants and startups alike. Experts get to grow their brand and increase their thought leadership. The platform targets the building of a social network that links industry experts with companies worldwide.

360Quadrants will also be launching quadrants in fields like Learning Management System, SEO Software, and Payroll Software.