Customer interaction is important for any business. Imagine you are going to the store. Before you buy, you have the opportunity to ask any question related to the product. This interaction helps create a sense of trust and works as an incentive to make a purchase.
Now consider the possibility of buying in the online store. The description of the product often already contains all the information that may be of interest to the buyer. But, nevertheless, it would be more convenient for the client if he could interact with someone to get more detailed information.
Almost all e-commerce sites provide contact information: phone numbers or email addresses for feedback. But we all know that these traditional communication channels have many drawbacks. Therefore, one of the best options is to have an online chat feature.
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Recently, online chat rooms have become very popular. Having a chat function can give a business a competitive advantage over others. Everyone knows the benefits of online chat, so you should pay more attention to the disadvantages of using online chat.
Disadvantages of online chat
- Limited access from mobile devices
Many Internet users on mobile phones and tablets face the problem of poor adaptation of chat software for devices. Thus, there is a threat of losing most of the target market, as potential customers leave the site without receiving the necessary information. - Time zone issues
Customers can be located anywhere in the world and, therefore, they need round-the-clock chat support. When site visitors see a chat widget, they expect one of your representatives to be online. Therefore, if you do not have support 24/7, it can annoy and drive away many potential customers. - High obsession
There is a very thin line between obsession and benefit. Often, constantly pop-up chat windows are somewhat annoying visitors to the site. Therefore, one of the main tasks is to find a middle ground, so as not to annoy, but really to assist.
Online chats help customers provide instant information they need. This helps to increase the credibility of your company, as well as minimize the costs associated with the creation of full-fledged customer service departments.
Many of the online chat features can be automated, leading to the most effective sales prospects and conversions. Real-time automation includes everything from initiating conversations based on simple triggers and ending with the introduction of an AI-controlled chat robot to simulate chat behavior.
Automate online chat
1. Initiation of conversations based on automated triggers
It is possible to control the moment when the online chat will be presented to visitors using automatic triggers.
For example, you can automatically launch a chat window whenever a visitor:
- spends a certain amount of time in the help section;
- exploring product and pricing options;
- shows any other behavior that indicates the need for help.
2. Integration of chat with a CRM system
Synchronization of online chats on the site with the CRM-system will help to control the processing of requests, this will reduce the time to search the history with the client with whom you are talking.
3. Disabling chat, depending on the country
Typically, English-language websites attract visitors from all over the world, but this does not mean that websites will be able to cooperate with them, because often websites simply do not have the ability to provide delivery and other interactions with a given geographical area. Therefore, it will be more profitable to focus on the most important customers, disabling chat for those visitors who are not able to serve. Such automatic filters can be configured based on the location of the visitor.
4. Experiment with chat bots and hybrid chat solutions
In light of today's technology, the latest AI-based chat robots can be almost indistinguishable from live support services. Hybrid chat systems can answer simple questions and refer to more complex requests to a real service representative.
An example is the chatbot, which was the first in Russia to introduce Otkrytie Bank. The bot is integrated with user accounts and allows them to view information on personal accounts and make payments. To start communicating with the bot, you need to write him a personal message on Facebook.

Ebay has a Facebook Messenger chatbot. In the correspondence are invited to proceed to the selection of goods. To do this, you must specify the type, then the preferred style of clothing, size, color, cost, and so on. Based on the selected parameters chatbut helps to choose the right option.

However, not only the initial integration should matter when it comes to chat automation. Continuous testing should also be prioritized. Testing systems need to be carried out on a regular basis, it will help to understand the small nuances that can be easily corrected.
Automation Services
Consider some of the most popular services to automate online chat rooms:
- Chat helpdesk . The service has such features as: self-service menus, custom chat bots and automation macros, automatic personal response to the client, templates for quick answers, etc.
- LiveChat24 / 7 . Service features: automated customer support (answer sets are generated automatically), programs for real agents (search for corresponding answers by keywords), etc.
- Jivochat . Main features of the service: integration with CRM, automatic triggers, offline lead generator, quick phrase assistant, etc.
Summing up, I would like to note that the most important task is to determine the right online chat solution for the company and customers, and then find a way to automate processes to make chat more efficient. Regular testing of the system and correction of errors will help to achieve all the advantages of a chat solution, which allows site visitors to feel heard, which will lead to greater conversion for business.