Introduction
Chat is making a comeback. The rise of chat-based customer service has been happening for years, but it's only recently that brands have started to understand the power of this medium. In fact, 1 in 4 customers reach out using chat and 60% say they would rather use it than call or email a company if they have a question or issue with a product or service.
Chat-based customer service is at an all-time high
Chat is the fastest-growing customer service channel. According to a 2018 study by Jumptap and Chatbotx, chat is used by customers to solve problems, get answers, and interact with brands. It's also used by them to get information and support from companies. In fact, 93% of consumers look into their product or service before buying it!
In addition to providing quick solutions for customers' queries, chatbots can help businesses increase sales through personalization features like predictive analytics (e.g., recommending products based on past purchases), as well as social media recommendations.
1 in 4 customers reaches out using chat
Chat is the fastest-growing way to reach out to brands, and it's also a great way to provide customer support 24/7. When you have a chatbot or agent available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there's no better way to engage with your customers than by communicating directly with them through text messages or voice calls.
The world is shifting to chat-based customer service
Chat is the most popular form of communication for brands, with customers preferring it to other forms of communication. It's fast, convenient, and easy for customers to access and use--and when you provide awesome chat support in your brand's language (which we'll get into below), you can help them feel like they're talking directly with an actual person rather than an automated bot that doesn't understand what they're saying.
Customers want to talk to brands
Customers want to be able to talk to brands in a way that is convenient for them, and they also want the conversation to be fast and easy. Chatbots are one of the best ways for businesses to address these needs by providing customers with an easy way of contacting customer service representatives directly from their mobile devices or computers.
Chatbots are not just for tech-savvy customers
Customer service Chatbots are not just for tech-savvy customers. They can also be used to answer basic questions, and even complex ones that a human might not be able to answer. For example, you may have someone asking you about your product or service on Twitter or Facebook Messenger. If this is the case, then it's time for chatbots!
If you're looking at bringing in new customers through social media advertising campaigns (which we suggest), then using a chatbot will help increase engagement between you and your potential customers.
AI-based chatbots can improve customer service significantly.
AI chatbots are a great way to increase the speed of your customer service and reduce costs. They can answer many more questions than humans, which means that you don't need as many people on your team answering calls or emails. This also means you have more time to focus on other parts of your business such as marketing and sales, or even training new employees!
Instantaneous responses: One of the main benefits of AI-based chatbots is their ability to provide instantaneous responses to customer inquiries. Chatbots can handle routine inquiries and FAQs in real-time, without customers having to wait on hold or for a human agent to become available. This can reduce customer frustration and improve their overall experience with the company.
24/7 availability: Another major benefit of chatbots is their ability to provide 24/7 support. Customers can interact with chatbots at any time, which is particularly important for businesses that operate globally or outside traditional business hours. This round-the-clock availability can improve customer satisfaction and reduce support costs by minimizing the need for human agents to work around the clock.
Personalization: AI-powered chatbots can use data such as browsing history, previous purchases, and location to provide personalized recommendations and solutions to customers. This level of personalization can help businesses build stronger relationships with customers and increase brand loyalty.
Improved efficiency: Chatbots can handle routine inquiries and FAQs, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues. This can improve the efficiency of customer support and reduce response times, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
Scalability: Chatbots can handle a large volume of customer inquiries simultaneously, making them a scalable solution for businesses that experience a high volume of customer support requests. This scalability can help businesses keep up with customer demand and avoid overwhelming their support teams during peak periods.
Conclusion
Chat-based customer service is at an all-time high, and it’s no wonder why. There are many benefits to using chat: it’s fast, easy, and sometimes even cheaper than phone calls. It also offers a way for you to provide more personalized service with fewer resources—which can really pay off in the long run if they make customers feel valued as individuals instead of just numbers on a spreadsheet.