Outstanding customer service is key to every business in every industry.
Without satisfied customers, how can you possibly expect to maintain your standing in the market, let alone enjoy exponential growth? Today, the Internet gives consumers more freedom than ever before, and if your company doesn’t meet their expectations, they can find a competitor within seconds. Live chat is fast becoming a standard aspect of online customer service, and has the highest satisfaction levels of all communication methods, with 73 percent of consumers happy to use this. 61 percent prefer email, while 44 percent opt for telephone service.
While live chat is generally text-based, video chat is gaining more traction. How can your company take advantage of live streaming video to maximize client satisfaction and productivity, and what other benefits does it being?
As useful as text-based live chat is, it can be time-consuming and a little frustrating. Trying to articulate specific issues in words, especially those of a technical nature, may well be an arduous process. On top of this, waiting for an agent to connect, read your messages, and then type their own response only adds more time.
Wires can easily become crossed, leading to confusion and, ultimately, dissatisfaction.
Live video streaming, on the other hand, is a real-time face-to-face chat. Customers get to see the person they are speaking with, get to apply a face to the brand they are dealing with, and articulate their issues verbally. They can also show an example of their problem, if possible (such as a technical fault on a phone), and the agent can likewise demonstrate a solution. This is far faster, easier, and more informal.
Research shows that customers are more likely to buy from brands which offer high-quality live chat functions on their website. In a survey, 63 percent of consumers claimed they were more likely to return to a business providing live chat, and 38 percent actually bought from the company as a result of the chat itself.
With video streaming serving as a significant upgrade to standard live chat, businesses may well see a rise in sales if they give customers the real-time assistance they need during the transaction phase. For example, a potential buyer may be interested in a specific television or tablet, but be uncertain whether it includes specific features. By clicking a live chat button, customers can connect to a friendly agent to have their questions answered.
This gives brands a greater chance of securing the sale – and repeat custom.
However, it’s vital to use a high-quality service over a standard video-chat platform. Those services depending on the general Internet are prone to lag, interrupted signals, poor visuals, and dips in audio. Complete cut-offs may also end calls prematurely, particularly for international calls or in regions with poor internet connections.
Tony Zhao, CEO of video-chat company Agora.io, emphasises the importance of a high-quality connection: “Live video streaming certainly enables businesses to provide the fastest, simplest, most personable customer service, but only with the right connection. Poor video and audio quality will just frustrate clients, and if they don’t get cut-off, they may well end the call themselves.
“Customers may well choose to visit another business’s website rather than trying to make another video call, and are unlikely to return at all. Using a high-speed video streaming service with secure global connectivity shows customers you value their QoE enough to invest in the best. Agora, for example, has 65 data centers across the planet, which ensures video calls are clear and crisp by filling any gaps between dropped data packets. This ensures exceptional customer experience for businesses all over the world.”
Live video streaming can reduce business expenses. Live video chat is a faster process than text-based live chat, allowing agents to be more productive and tackle more problems in a given shift. As a result, fewer agents are actually needed, reducing call center or in-house costs in the long run.
This also reduces expenses that would normally go intro traveling for meetings between colleagues at separate branches. For example, if employees based in a New York office regularly visit their colleagues in New Jersey, the cost of gas or trains can be cut out altogether by using video conference calls instead. Obviously, trips further afield, involving flights and hotel bills, bring much more expense. These can also be replaced with video chat.
This still allows for face-to-face discussions and the use of visual materials – the only thing missing is a handshake.
By integrating an internal video chat system, employees have the power to collaborate in a quick but personable way. Rather than going to visit another floor of an office complex or trying to describe visuals over a phone call, colleagues can chat face-to-face at their computer. This makes asking questions or sharing visual information much easier.
Internal video chat also makes training easier. Rather than having to shadow a seasoned employee for a day or two, newcomers have the reassurance of being able to contact their mentor for a face-to-face chat at any time, just by clicking a button. This reduces the risk of mistakes and eliminates the need for trial and error. It also allows said mentor to focus on their own work without having someone watch over their shoulder.
Live video chat will one day be a standard customer-service option. Today, though, it still helps a business stand apart from its competitors.
By integrating live video streaming into your portfolio of customer-service options, you can provide clients with a better QoE and make yourself appear ahead of the game. Again, investing in the best service ensures you stand out – the better your customer service, the more likely clients are to trust you and return.
Video chat engages consumers on the most human level possible outside of actually speaking with them in person. Obviously, this is impossible in the online marketplace – but live video streaming is the next best thing.
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Great article, video is and will always be vital for businesses.