Webchat for service industries

According to a Twilio study, more than 90 percent of people want to use messaging to interact with firms. 6,000 consumers from more than seven countries said they preferred it to phone.

Because of this, service industry firms should take note. Unlike grocers and manufacturers, these companies often engage in long conversations with their customer base. As such, they need tools that let them enter seamless dialogues.

The good news is that webchat for service industries are fulfilling this role. Companies from across the spectrum can benefit from chat apps that make it easy to communicate with customers in their preferred communication medium. 

Furthermore, unlike conventional phone calls, agents can manage multiple chats simultaneously. Experienced reps may be able to handle up to five conversations at once compared to the single conversation they can have over the phone, they can certainly handle three very comfortably.

In this article, we explore some examples of how specific service industries can benefit from webchat and why it is so important to them. By the end, you should have a better understanding of the advantages that live chat embedded in websites can bring.

Consulting

Consulting firms work more closely with their clients than practically any other business. In fact, the relationship can be so close that it often looks more like a partnership from the outside. Consultants perform many tasks, from helping clients improve their brand image to boosting worker productivity.

In the past, clients relied on phone and email to communicate with consultants. Typically, they would have scheduled meetings with them and then sent additional clarifying emails in between. However, today, more are getting in touch via live chat.

Prospective clients don’t always want to call consulting firms directly. But finding out precisely what they can deliver is hard to determine from a cursory examination of their web pages.

That’s where live chat can help. Leads can actively ask consultants questions about what they offer and get quick responses. They can then use this information to determine whether they are a match.

Health Care

Live chat is also invaluable for healthcare. According to research, patients would much prefer to communicate with their doctors using text than via other methods.

The benefits of this for online pharmacies are clear. Live web chat makes it easy for patients to ask questions about prescriptions and what they should do next. They can also talk to pharmacists about the over-the-counter medications they should buy to manage their symptoms.

However, other healthcare service providers may also benefit. Doctors' surgeries and cosmetic clinics, for instance, can give answers to common queries via web chat. They can also tell patients how any medical services are going to cost if they don’t list prices on their websites.

Educational Institutions

Educational institutions are another clear beneficiary of live chat solutions. Universities, schools and colleges get asked questions by both applicants and their parents every year. During peak times, phones ring continuously, and staff often find themselves answering similar questions.

Live web chat for website pages is the obvious way to reduce workload and provide students with the information they need efficiently. They simply log onto the site, type in their question, and then get a quick response, either from a human professional, or an automated chat service.

Auto Traders

Auto traders often have extensive communication with their customers because of the complexity of purchasing decisions and the paperwork involved in transferring car ownership. Leads often ask dozens of questions before they buy.

Webchat is often the ideal solution in this context, too. It’s more convenient than phone calls and significantly faster than email. It lets customers ask questions in a piecemeal fashion over time as new ideas come to them, and it makes it easier to respond and overcome their pain points.

Click4Assistance’s Live Chat solution comes with additional benefits. For instance, it permits automatic navigation, allowing reps to open pages manually in users’ browsers to help direct them in their vehicle search. It also has a facility that makes it easier to transfer important documentation, such as the logbook, V5C document, and MOT certificate.

Insurance Providers

Insurance providers are another service that relies on vibrant communication with customers. However, opportunities to engage with potential clients are rare. Customers may arrive on their website but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will take action. They may be in the process of comparing deals.

Live web chat is a great way to break the buyer cycle. Reps can actively communicate with customers the moment they arrive on your site, asking them about their needs and then telling them about how they can help. Customers can then get answers to all of their questions and find out more about pricing.

Live web chat also reduces the need for customers to make high-pressure sales calls. They can freely chat with reps about deals and explore their options.

Business-to-business insurers also stand to benefit significantly, too. It can be challenging for enterprises to learn more about pricing. But with web chat, they can start the ball rolling to find out more. Support and advice are always available.

Lastly, there are sometimes consumers who don’t actually know which insurance products they need. In this case, they can use web chat to ask reps what they should buy. For instance, business owners might not know which specific types of insurance they require for legal reasons, and which options are extras.

Travel Companies

Airlines, travel agents, and tour operators get many inquiries. Travellers want to know whether they are getting the best deals and if firms offer the types of experiences they want.

Take tour operators, for instance. Potential customers want to know how many people they can take at the same time, whether they offer bespoke tours, and how much it is going to cost. The same goes for travel agents. Holidaymakers want to know if they can cater to their needs.

Here, again, live web chat can help. You can provide travellers with all the information they need as they arrive on your site, breaking the buying cycle.