When buying any service on-line I always look to see if they have a live chat service.
I like to ask questions BEFORE purchasing.
I like to know I can have technical support AFTER purchasing.
And most of all when I do have questions, I want to have the ability to get them answered immediately.
Having a live chat service can sometimes persuade to buy. It helps alleviate the uncertainly of doing business with a company or someone I don’t know.
Many visitors come to my site, see my business blogging services and then email me with questions.
I wonder how many have questions but don’t bother emailing me and just move on?
Quite a lot I would imagine.
So I thought…perhaps it’s a service I should install.
So I have.
You may have seen it.
In the bottom right hand corner you can click on the image and chat with me instantly (assuming I am on-line).
The service I am using is called Zopim and prices range from free upwards. I’m using the free service.
It was easy to install and you can set up sound alerts to inform you when someone asks a question.
Yesterday, I was on the phone (via Skype) with a client and suddenly the alert sound was ringing in my ear.
(I forgot to turn off Zopim and make me appear offline!)
“Ohh…my first contact!” I thought
“Hi…can you help me?” asked the visitor.
I was on the phone to my client so couldn’t respond.
60 seconds later.
“OY…Bitch…you gonna help me?”
60 seconds later.
“Dick Nuts”
Dick Nuts!
This person wanted help (or did they?) and I didn’t respond within seconds…so I get abuse!
I banned them from ever ‘chatting’ with me again. You can easily do that with Zopim.
Other chats have been much more pleasant.
No sales yet or ‘conversions’ but I’ve only had the facility installed for a few days.
But I like it. I would do business with me!
What do you think?
Do you think this facility helps towards overcoming the fear of doing business with someone you don’t know?
Please share your views in the comments below.
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Andrew is a website builder and helps small businesses with their on-line presence…so they can grow their customer list and increase sales. That’s it! That’s what we do each and every day.
Andrew I saw this on your site the other day and it looks so cool! Thanks for the review.
Thanks, Amy.
I hope some ‘serious’ visitors use it!
Andrew
I have a live chat box on my site, and it works wonders..people can ask me anything then and now..I will say just this year it has made me about an extra $2k just for being online when someone needs help..
“Black Seo Guy “Signing Off”
An extra $2k in a few months…means it is worth adding. I hope mine makes such a difference.
Andrew
Hello Andrew, I think only experience will tell if online chatting will get your more clients for your blog building business. There are to many variables, traffic source, your particular market segment etc. I am sure you will be interviewing your prospects and clients about whether online chat was important to them. Keep us posted!
Kai
I think you are right…time will tell if it makes a difference.
Andrew
Hi Adrew, I do agree it is important to shows the prospect that we are online or not.
However, instead of using tools like ZOPIM, why not you simply use the status bar of much well-known chat services like Yahoo Messenger and Skype?
I believe it will be better in terms of system and experience.
Helmi,
I believe Zopim has far more functionality than Skype/Yahoo.
Within the Zopim dashboard there is a huge amount of stats of what visiotrs have been doing while visiting your site. That can help see patterns for viewing behaviour.
Andrew
One of the reasons I’ve stuck with and promoted Hostgator all these years is their ever-helpful live chat service, very very cool.
Unfortunately you have already run into the one reason I never recommend such a service for a one-man-show…..I don’t really believe it can be done successfully, without a dedicated chatter or two behind it.
ONE possible solution – have clear set times for you to be online, and BE THERE during those times…..AND…if it has the feature saying, “operator is currently chatting with another”; something like that.
Wile that person might have been a little high-strung, sorry, 2 minutes with no explanation would have ticked me off too.
Dennis
I agree with you about liking the service when you can talk to someone.
There are going to be times when I’m not here or don’t see the incoming message but unless I try…I will never know if it is of benefit.
Andrew
Agreed. Just sayin’, I see his point to the rant.
FYI: I comment on almost every post you write, as well as come back to reply to replies. I don’t know exactly when you installed it, but I have yet to see you “online”.
Dennis
I have been out and about for the past few days…so not on-line too often.
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
When someone seeks advice or information, getting down to a personal level is always a good thing.
This looks like a great little tool for planting seeds.
Thanks, Randy.
I can only try these things and share my experiences.
In a couple of months, I will know if it makes any difference…and I’ll shared the outcome.
Andrew
Corinne
Can someone visiting your site contact you via Skype?
Andrew
You can add a Skype button to your site that changes with your status, online, offline, etc. It’s a link too so when they click on it it opens their Skype and calls you.
I sues to have it until too many problematic calls, I was never called the names you were but a lot of people were rude and abusive. So email it is!
Yeah, I don’t think I would add a Skype link. For some reason I feel that is for personal clients/friends only.
Andrew
One of the first things I check on when I am researching new product is the strength of their customer support. I’ll try out all the options and see if I can find bugs and/or questions and then use their support options to see how responsive the service is to my needs.
If I don’t get good responses, then I won’t use the service. So in that sense, a good customer support will help get customers who are already considering a purchase of your service.
I agree with your appoach Richard. I do love the ‘live chat’ service of many of the services I use.
It makes that extra difference.
Andrew
Hi Andrew
Will be interesting to hear how it goes. It appears to be another string in the bow of your already great service that you offer.
I communicate via Skype but that is usually with other bloggers. This service for customers sounds like it could be a good idea.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia
I use Skype with clients and people I know.
This new service is aimed at prospective clients and I shall keep you posted.
Andrew
People are sometimes skeptical about what they see online. That’s why it’s important to always provide contact information and a physical location address on every page. This takes it one step further. People appreciate a personal connection.
Nick,
I don’t have that sort of information on every page. I do have my contact details on my About page.
Perhaps it is something for me to think about a bit more.
Thanks for getting me to think!
Andrew
I am sure you will be interviewing your prospects and clients about whether online chat was important to them. Keep us posted!
I shall do, Kim.
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
While my business is still too new to have customers yet (still building products and traffic to my blog), as a customer on other sites, when I see live chat I stay away from it like a live adder, and I really don’t know why except that I’m leery of the automated chat responders.
I’ve had a couple of questionable experiences with those, so I’m alway skeptical when I see, “We have live chat customer support!” Okay, I think, so they have a bot programmed to recognize keywords.
This option, however, would get my attention because I know (from reading your blog for a while now) that it’s you I’m talking to. That adds a level of quality I’d be willing to suspend my skepticism for.
Delena
Delena
I understand exactly what you say. I don’t like those BOT live chat services…I have never found them useful.
I’m hoping people don;t think this new service is like that! Time will tell.
Andrew