Live chat on the website is a window through which a visitor communicates with an operator in real time. Its value lies in capturing people who would neither call nor submit a form – the threshold for asking a question is lower. It brings the most benefit for services and higher-priced goods, where a detail needs to be resolved before a decision. The condition is a response within tens of seconds; a non-functioning chat with an hour-long wait damages the impression more than not having one at all. It is therefore recommended to display it only at times when someone is available, and outside those times to offer the option of leaving contact details or an automated assistant. Chat conversations are also a valuable source of information about what is missing on the website and what is holding customers back.
See also: AI Chatbot for Websites, Response speed to inquiries, On-site Survey.
