Deciding to implement live customer chat on your business website can be a dramatic transformation that greatly impacts customer experience. Since there is an initial cost of installing a live customer chat, it makes sense to determine whether your website truly needs the function. By exploring the pros and cons of live customer chat, you can decide whether it is right for your business.

Pro: Immediate Access for Customers

A definite benefit of live customer chat is that customers, as well as potential customers, can get immediate access to your staff. If they have a question about a product or an issue with a service, they can get in touch right away and know that their queries are important.

Con: May Feel Impersonal to Some Users

Some individuals, particularly senior citizens, prefer to receive customer service help over the phone. Therefore, live customer chat might feel impersonal or even robotic to some users. Thankfully, choosing the right tone can go a long way in helping individuals feel they are getting personalized attention through live customer chat.

Pro: Efficient Use of Employee Time

A definite advantage of live customer chat is how it saves time for employees. Rather than being committed to a single phone call for an indefinite amount of time, staff can manage multiple chat conversations at once.

Con: May Not Work on Mobile Platforms

Some live chat functions don’t work properly on mobile platforms. Since an increasing number of customers rely on smartphones rather than desktop computers or laptops, this could be a problem. However, it is always possible to adjust the chat function so that it performs better on a range of mobile platforms.

Pro: Live Customer Chat is Affordable for Businesses

Compared to customer service in person or on the phone, live customer chat typically comes out as the least expensive option for businesses. While customer satisfaction should be the priority, most businesses appreciate that the best option also happens to be the most affordable.

Con: Time Zone Issues

The Internet operates 24/7, so users on your website could need customer service at any time of day or night. As a result, you may need to address time zones and accessibility to determine whether you can deliver around-the-clock service. If not, you could disappoint some customers who need help outside of your traditional business hours.

Pro: Improves Brand Image

Ultimately, live customer chat is a smart move because it can do so much for your brand image. In today’s digital age, modern companies simply need to have a live customer chat function in order to appear relevant and in-touch. You will also appear accessible and truly interested in the needs of clients and potential customers, which can do a lot for your company’s reputation.

While there are both pros and cons to live customer chat, the pros clearly dominate, showcasing the benefits and appeal of installing live customer chat on your company website.

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