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8 Factors You Should Consider Before Outsourcing Your Live Chat Support

8 Factors You Should Consider Before Outsourcing Your Live Chat Support

Agent answering queriesEvery e-commerce business owner will agree that there comes a point when the revenue grows beyond the capabilities of what the existing infrastructure can provide. You don’t want to lose a potential customer just because you’re unable to answer their queries. However, your customer representative team can only do so much before experiencing a burnout.

Therefore the next best option, beyond expanding your customer support teams, is to outsource your business’s live chatting service to engage incoming customers and answer their queries. But you must consider a few factors before outsourcing live chat support.

1) Make Sure the Chat Agents Are Experts in the Business

If the chat agents don’t have any expertise in dealing with people, then they probably won’t be able to represent your company the way you want them to. Before hiring a new service, ask them how much experience they have in providing customer support through live chat. This will provide you with insights into their capabilities. As a rule of thumb, only go for chat agents who have at least 3 years of experience.

2) Spontaneous Real Time Support

Ever started a chat session with a human, only to be left stranded for waiting periods that seem to stretch for eternity? If so, have you ever stuck around to see if the chat agent gives a reply? Me neither. If the chat agent doesn’t respond within a reasonably short period of time, then their services leave a lot to be desired. I did this my self and looked for another company that responded. The agent took so lone responding that I gave up. Rather like being put on hold on the telephone. This is also annoying and an answering service that can provide both may the answer for you ever growing business.

3) Ability to Convert Leads

It is understandable that the chat agent will have to spend a few days understanding how your business and products work. But once this on-boarding process is over, they should be able to win customers over. Why do brick and mortar businesses have greater conversion rates than their online counterparts?

It’s because the sales person can guide customers every step of the way. Your chat agent has a similar role to play – by providing customers with much needed guidance.

4) The Service Should Provide Transparent Chat Logs

The chat agent should provide you with transparent chat logs, so you can tune in at random to assess their performance and what is being said. This way you will always be aware of the discussions taking place between you and the customer. A good service will always be able to send these transcripts to you.

5) Price of the Package

Make sure that the service you are paying for is not wasting your time or overcharging you. Package pricing will at least give you peace of mind.

7) Monitoring Analytics

High-end live chat services are integrated with website analytical tools to determine how customers are navigating through the website. This information should help you put a finger on the peak times and inactive periods every day.

8) Increased Sales

The live chat agent should be able to pitch your product and service with precision and in a short period of time, to move on to the next customer. This is only possible if they have a team that can understand customer needs and provide your customers with suggestions that match their needs.

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