Live customer service is a tradition businesses try to hold on to in the digital age. And for a good reason.
When it comes to conversations about technology in business, we often jump to extremes.
We examine digital solutions with a cautious mindset. Our minds jump to the doomsday of Artificial Intelligence taking over and destroying humanity. (We can thank the decades-long creation of sci-fi books and movies for that.)
The opposing image of the world without technology is equally scary.
But business technology doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing deal. In fact, connecting humanity and technology in a mindful and conscious way leads to effective business operations. Combining automated customer service solutions with human touch creates a healthy hybrid solution. It also brings efficiency and personalization to customer service.
What is Live Customer Service?
Live customer service delivers customer support in real-time. Customers don’t wait for a call-back or an email. Instead, customer support teams answer customer inquiries as they come in. From advice on products and services to tech issues and shipping updates, live customer services can bring customers solutions instantly.
Humans or Machines? Both!
Of course, humans are the number one choice as live customer service responders. Only humans possess special skills that add humanity to customer service. And that makes the customer experience memorable and creates loyal customers.
However, sometimes the sheer volume of inquiries or the limited resources of a company demand assistance. That’s when automation comes to the rescue. When implemented correctly, AI-powered live chat customer support can serve as a multi-functional tool. Together with the human customer service team, various tools bring the benefits of live customer service to businesses.
What are the Benefits of Live Customer Service?
Live customer service, regardless of the channel a customer is using, improves the customer support experience. This is true for both agents and customers. And what’s good for customers and agents is good for business. The benefits of live support are endless.
Here, we list just a few of our favorites.
Bounce Rate Reduction
When people get answers to their questions quickly, they are less likely to leave. When website visitors resolve their inquiries within minutes of being on the website, they are more likely to make a purchase. Naturally, the cart abandonment rate also lowers because having unresolved questions can cause customers to flee.
FCR Rate Increase
Endless transfers through an automated phone system or a long wait for an email inquiry frustrates customers. Live service eliminates all that. High First Contact Resolution (FCR) rates mean happier customers.
AI-powered Tools Reduce Agent Burnout
Answering the same questions, again and again, is draining. AI tools in customer service take on mundane and repetitive tasks. This frees up customer service teams to attend to more high-value tasks that require human attention. More challenging tasks reduce agent burnout and increase employee satisfaction.
Agent Productivity Boost
On a similar note, agent motivation and productivity depend on the challenges and diverse tasks their days contain. Live customer service allows agents to engage customers on a personal, human level. Staying connected to customers and helping them efficiently boosts agent satisfaction levels.
Cost Savings
Long-lingering customer inquiries take up valuable company time and resources. Quick, real-time resolutions lower costs. This is especially true if companies use automation tools to quickly process customer queries. Another option to lower customer service costs is to look into customer service outsourcing. Whatever path a company chooses, live customer service reduces overhead.
Access to Customer Feedback
Customers who get their questions answered quickly are more likely to share their feedback. Customer feedback is an invaluable tool for businesses. From customer surveys to just simply understanding the customer journey based on live interactions, feedback is gold.
Tools for Live Customer Service
Customer service chat software serves as an effective live support option. As one of the most popular customer service channels, it facilitates personalized support and instant communication. And with that, customer experience shines.
For businesses looking to implement real-time options into their communication processes, there are plenty of effective options.
Live Chat Software
When it comes to live customer service, live chat offering is a must. With a live connection to a chat agent only a button away, customers can get immediate support, especially if you’re prepared to hire internationally for round-the-clock monitoring. This eliminates long wait times of phone support. Live chat increases customer engagement and shortens response speed to customer concerns to mere seconds.
Live chat software serves as an omnichannel messaging powerhouse. With it, agents can manage several incoming chat queries and engage with multiple customer conversations. A good live chat software suite creates a true omnichannel support experience. Customers can contact the company through live chat, SMS text message, email, or social media.
Helpful features of good live chat software include a sneak peek, an extensive knowledge base, canned responses, and so much more.
LiveHelpNow Live Chat Software
Human Support at Customers' Fingertips
Read more about great benefits for your businessLive Chatbot
Whereas human-agent-powered live chat provides a smooth ride for customers to reach their inquiry resolution, live chatbot puts it on autopilot.
Chatbots serve multiple functions in live customer support communications. They can answer simple or repetitive questions. As we discussed above, that can free up customer service agents to complete other, more complex tasks. They can also serve after hours when company resources don’t allow for human support. Or, they can simply assist with directing inquiries to the right departments when a customer starts a conversation.
Related read: Tarrant County Uses Chatbot to Easy Workload
A live chatbot can help with initial contact, provide your customers with 24/7 support, capture lead information, schedule appointments, and more.
LiveHelpNow Chatbot
After hours, extra chat volume, and directional assistance
Can your agents use some help? Find out moreChatGPT-Powered Live Support
With recent innovations entering the customer service world, more AI-powered technologies become available. AI chatbot examples show that seamless interactions with AI can be as helpful to customers as a human.
AI-powered chatbots mimic written conversations or recorded speech to interpret customer inquiries. When implementing this technology, however, it’s important to ensure the high quality of the chatbot. If a chatbot doesn’t understand the customer or provides inadequate answers, the business can be at risk of losing customers.
Good chatbots use data such as transcripts, knowledge base articles, and website content effectively to provide helpful answers to customers. Even more advanced options can help agents craft better replies to customers.
LiveHelpNow ChatGPT-Powered Tools
LifeHelpNow offers free beta ChatGPT tools
See the AI power at workSMS Communications: Two-Way Texting and SMS Chatbots
Let’s face it, in modern times, everyone texts. Keeping up with the modern customer can be a challenge. Two-way SMS texting has integration capabilities with an existing business line. It connects customers with businesses right whether they are – on their phones.
Customers using mobile devices don’t have time to be stuck in a browser chat or waiting in a queue. They can take their communications with a business wherever they go. This gives customers the ability to resolve their issues anywhere. And it allows agents to provide proactive support to customers through SMS.
LiveHelpNow Text capabilities
Let your customers text you
Get into your customers phones for better service deliveryCloud Phone Services
Digital communications are great. However, sometimes a phone call proves to be the right channel to solve a problem or address an inquiry. Plus, some people just prefer phone communication.
Cloud phone systems meet customer expectations for those clients looking for voice contact methods. Good cloud phone system features include call masking, monitoring, blocking, forwarding, and recording. It also has key integrations with Slack, Salesforce, and Google Workspace. Zoom Phone has everything your team needs to effortlessly support the modern customer.
Zoom Phone + LiveHelpNow
Connect through existing devices to your customers
Learn more about Zoom Phone and LiveHelpNow partnershipBottom Line: Live Customer Service Creates Better Customer Experiences
Live customer service is where human-powered and AI-powered solutions come together in harmony. Together they offer immediate support to customers. And when customers don’t have to wait, they leave happy. They come back with more business and a happier outlook on their relationship with a business.
