The online consultation service connected to an online store website increases sales volume. Real-time dialogue is much more effective than telephone communication or email correspondence. Online chats are used by more than 80% of customers under the age of 40. Let's give some useful tips for increasing the conversion rate of the service.
Correct processing of user behavior
The dialogue with the website user should not be annoying. It is unlikely that anyone will like an invitation to communicate that is persistently repeated when trying to go to another page, switch tabs, or just during long inactivity. Rudely popping up pop-up windows and interactive consultants are more likely to cause a negative reaction: the client is unlikely to want to continue the interaction.
An important rule: the invitation to dialogue should be relevant to the content. This means that it should look different on different pages of the website. For example, when viewing detailed product specifications, you can offer an online consultation with a specialist, and if the client is interested in delivery methods, you can build an interactive map of locations. If the visitor refused help, it is unlikely that the same service should be offered again.
A script dialogue is not suitable for processing online requests. That is, a real person, not a bot, should respond and answer questions. At the same time, elementary rules of business communication have not been canceled:
- The response to a user's request should follow within a few seconds. If all operators are busy in chats, it is unlikely that new visitors should be offered to enter into communication.
- It is better to invite a user to dialogue who has had time to get acquainted with the content of the page. Give them time to read and understand, and then offer to ask questions. There are no universal recommendations here, but according to statistics, the client should spend at least 30 seconds on the page to "ripen" for communication.
- If a user refused communication, repeating the invitation is simply impolite.
The customer wants to get benefits, not ads
Standard impersonal appeals like "Here you can get an answer to any question" do not contribute to activating user interest: if a person went to the site, they are trying to solve a specific problem, and a conversation with a consultant "about everything" is not of value to them.
Try to put yourself in the customer's shoes. What specific questions may worry them? For example, when viewing a category of a catalog, you can draw their attention to discounts and offer advice on optimal operational characteristics. When studying a product in detail, suggest picking out possible options from other brands. This way, the customer will see the real benefits of communication and will be more willing to agree to a dialogue with the operator.
If the site uses promotional banners, the ideal scenario may look like this: offer a selection of necessary goods or services, tell about possible discounts and benefits. When a client comes from an external resource's advertisement, explain the essence of the offer in more detail. Don't try to sell everything at once: the user needs specifics, that's what they came for.
Online consultant – a business management tool
When integrating an online chat with a CRM system, the history of correspondence with the client will be saved. This will allow different operators to view the log of requests, personalize requests and offers, and provide individual conditions.
The user's behavior history on the site is also of interest for marketing analysis. You can obtain all this data from standard SEO metrics: the specific request the client came with, the pages of the site they viewed, their geolocation, and user device. The more you know about the client, the faster and more efficiently you can help them solve the problem.
An instant reaction to a message is also a useful lifehack for maintaining interest. Technically, the functionality is implemented very simply: in real-time mode, the operator can see exactly what message the user is typing. Answering a question that has not yet been asked is the art of the highest order, but there is nothing difficult about it.
Rule 4. Save the visitor's time
If you're online, don't ask the user to fill out a feedback form - respect their time. Conduct a dialogue, without forcing them to fill out feedback form fields.
At our company: if the operator is online, the website visitor does not need to leave their phone number or email. They can write to the operator right away.
Time is money
Online chat involves real-time communication, just like a phone call. If you can't process the request right away, the point of online consultation is lost. In this case, be honest with the user, explain that operators are busy, apologize, and offer to fill out a feedback form with a promise to contact them as soon as possible. Be prepared that the lack of prompt response will significantly reduce conversion rates.
To improve the situation, the chat for online consultations can be connected only during working hours or only for a specific audience. The latter option requires complex targeting settings, but shows high efficiency.
Minimal effort to achieve the goal
For online consultation or order placement, do not require the user to provide excessive data. For example, if you asked to specify a mobile phone number, there is no need to ask for an email. The question about date of birth is beyond the pale of propriety. Requests to specify the location and the source of information about the company are redundant: take this information from metrics and don't force the user to fill out a form. Complex and confusing forms are discouraging: visitors don't want to fill them out, and they leave the site without placing an order.
To configure the online consultant properly, it is enough to immerse yourself in the user's world and try to bring them benefits. Deep integration with business processes will help to turn the customer into a regular one. JivoSite software really increases the volume of effective sales.