Top 10 Tips to Improve Web Chat

1. Provide agents a clear structure for Web Chat responses
   Offer agents clear processes for opening chats/building rapport, dealing with the customer query and then clearly closing every chat. Also, have a clear process for handing over to other channels.
   Include appropriate words and phrases that agents can use which are in line with the company’s tone of voice and brand.
2. Avoid Jargon
   Use plain English rather than technical terminology in responses. Don’t assume your customers will understand the terms you use internally.
3. Create some standard responses
   But use sparingly, people still want to speak to people. Gather your teams and compile some common questions they are asked frequently and create suggested answers.
4. • Make your webchat button/window easy to find but not too distracting
   • Prioritise certain pages which you think will require webchat more frequently/urgently, such as payment pages
   • Provide agents with the ‘breadcrumb’ or page from which the customer requested chat Accessibility when needed
     Enable agents to continue rather than restart the conversation, by doing the following three things:
5. Don’t let a customer wonder what is happening
   Show ‘agent typing’ message or ‘…’ to indicate that an agent has received the message and is responding. If the customer is waiting for too long they are likely to find another route, reducing customer satisfaction.
6. Clear Web Chat hours
   Make it very clear when your web chat service will be online. When it is out of hours, offer customers an email address or a ‘callback’ as an alternative.
7. Use skills-based routing to connect the most appropriate agent
   Each conversation will require a knowledgeable agent, but some of your agents may be better at certain tasks than others.
   For example, some may know more about secure payments, while others will understand your returns policy inside out.
   Send the right interaction to the right agent for a better customer and agent experience.
8. Collect feedback from customers
   Use post-chat surveys within your webchat widget or email surveys to find out how successful your web chat service is. Use this feedback to inform your plan for improvement.
9. Decide upon a limit of how many multiple chats an agent can work on at one time
   While it is suggested that agents are able to handle multiple chats, this depends on the complexity of interactions they handle.
   Assess the mental energy and impact that any mistake might have on the customer. Then consider the maximum limit.
   In complex environments, you may find 1 or 2 is a realistic limit. We suggest no more than 3 web chats at any one time. This means that agents aren’t overstretched and reduces the risk of responding to the wrong chat with the wrong information
10. Use real-time dashboards
    Highlight time waiting so supervisors can dynamically allocate resource to media types, moving agents between calls, chats or emails as workloads change.
    One final necessity is security. Be secure with your data or you could come unstuck. Keep any sensitive information out of web chat as details are frequently held in chat logs and transcripts.
    Ensure that your agents are able to ‘slide’ seamlessly between channels. When they keep the customer informed every step of the way it reduces any frustration customers may feel at the switch.

Our Training Professional: https://www.salestrainingint.com/our-team/sylva-jolliffe/

Webchat Training