The efficiency of these systems is used by a range of small businesses, from restaurants and retail stores to cleaning services. Owners of these businesses realize that 38% of their customers make purchases through live chat. In addition, analysts predict that the market will grow by 87% over the next 12-18 months.
In spite of LiveAgent's quality, businesses need to refine their chat messaging and train live chat agents on how to engage customers. Listed below are 4 key tips for writing a professional chat message.
1. Make a good first impression!
It is important to make a good first impression in business, even in chat services. Showing professionalism and courtesy from the start is essential. A warm and welcoming greeting is the perfect way to get things started.
Technology has left businesses with no excuse, even if multiple chat windows are open. For a quick and friendly greeting, chat agents should use canned responses. A canned response can always be adapted to the situation by an agent, even with a canned response
An example of a greeting
Making a good first impression and personalizing a conversation starts with addressing the customer by name. Use canned greetings if the information is not available:
- Hello, thank you for stopping by. How can I help you?
- Greetings! I am [NAME]. Do you need any assistance today?
- Thanks for contacting our live chat support. Can I have your name?
- We are glad you are visiting [COMPANY] and we appreciate your interest. What can we do to help you?
2. Ensure that you keep the conversation simple, polite, and positive
In chat messaging, simplicity is key. A common mistake chat agents make is assuming the customer has extensive knowledge of the product or service. When chatting, they use technical terms (jargon).
Put things in the simplest language or explain and define terms when using them unless the customer uses them first. The same applies to client questions.
Keeping messages short is an effective way to keep things simple. The customer can ask a question or make an additional statement (see previous section). Understanding this point will improve your customer experience greatly.
Positivity is the key
By framing statements and questions, agents can achieve positivity in chat conversations. Avoid using negative words in their messaging such as 'won't' and 'can't'.
- “Your account cannot be accessed unless you update your password.” - Incorrect.
- It is possible for me to access your account, but we will need to change the password. May I explain the steps to you? ” – Correct
3. Provide empathy and apologies
Customers' emotional intelligence (EQ) is at the core of customer service.
In this interview, UpFlip talks with Spruce Cleaning, a company that grew very quickly by applying this principle. According to them, the customer experience is everything. A positive attitude is our way of reaching out to our customers every day."
Developing EQ in chat is an art. To make customers feel understood and validated, agents should mirror emotional signals.
To ensure agents reach a higher level of empathy, here are some phrases to help them:
- I see! What a challenge.
- It is understandable that you are frustrated.
- I am sorry to hear that.
Apologize sincerely
A sincere apology is difficult to convey via chat, but it is necessary to gain a customer's empathy and validate their frustration. There is no magic wand to wave that translates “I'm really sorry! However, chat agents can take steps to convey the message.
- Clarify and repeat the issue.
- Recognize your error.
- Your feelings should be validated.
- Address all aspects of the situation.
- Describe how the problem will be resolved in the future.
An apology encompasses more than saying "I'm sorry." It involves a sincere admission, resolving the issue, and promising better behavior in the future. Empathy is essential for professional business chats.
4. Proactively respond (but in a professional manner) to inquiries
It is not always the customers who initiate conversations. Reach out and identify why a customer is browsing the website by being proactive. The fact that someone is there even if they do not respond is positive.
Nevertheless, proactive business messaging is the most effective way to engage customers. The purpose of this is to show customers you care about their concerns and want to address them. You can proactively engage your customers by sending the following messages:
- Your frequent visits to our site do not appear to be resulting in a purchase. Is there anything I can do to help you decide?
- Quite a few pages have been visited by you! Would we be able to assist you in any way?
- Have you reviewed your shopping cart lately? Are you ready to check out, or would you like us to assist you?
- Do you have any interest in learning about the special discounted price on the products/services you are interested in?
Professionalism and speed should be blended
Chat services are preferred by customers because they are quicker than other communication methods. Making customers feel important means responding quickly and professionally, taking into account their history.
Each response is a canned message that helps a customer service agent better understand an issue or their background. In a concise format, they're similar to emails commonly used for automated email marketing.
In summary
If businesses are equipped to engage their visitors, live chat can convert visitors into customers. The ability to write professional business chat messages will enable chat agents to meet and exceed the expectations of customers quickly and effectively.
Creating instant connections with proactive software is easy with LiveAgent's live chat services. Through automated routing options, site visitors connect with an agent who can assist them professionally.
