Introduction

In today's fast-paced modern world, customers demand instant gratification and convenience in every aspect of their lives, including customer service. This is why web chat has become an increasingly important tool for businesses to communicate with their customers in real-time. In this article, we will explore the importance of having web chat on your website, the positives and negatives, and the potential implications of lost business against an entry cost of only £37 per month.

First and foremost, web chat is important because it allows dealers to provide immediate support to their customers. Unlike phone or email support, web chat enables customers to have a conversation with a member of your staff in real-time, making it more convenient and efficient. This not only enhances the customer experience but also increases the likelihood of a successful transaction. A survey conducted by (Comm100) found 51% of customers are more likely to do business with a company if they offer web chat. 

Another positive aspect of web chat is that it can improve customer satisfaction. By providing a more personalised and interactive experience, dealers can make their customers feel valued and heard. Web chat also allows for a quicker resolution of issues, which can lead to a higher level of customer satisfaction. In fact, studies have shown that customers who engage with businesses through web chat are more satisfied than those who use other channels. Web chat has a 92% customer satisfaction rate, compared to email (85%) and phone (44%) (Source: Econsultancy)

Web chat can also help dealers  gather valuable customer feedback. By interacting with customers in real-time, dealers can get a better understanding of their needs and pain points. This feedback can be used to improve products and services, as well as customer service processes. It can also help businesses identify common issues and trends, which can inform strategic decision-making. A survey conducted by (Source: eMarketer) found 79% of businesses surveyed said that implementing web chat has led to higher customer loyalty and retention.

So…what are the main benefits of dealers having webchat?

There are numerous benefits to having web chat on your website, including the following:

• Improved customer satisfaction: By providing a more personalised and interactive experience, web chat can make customers feel valued and heard, leading to higher levels of satisfaction.

• Increased sales: Customers are more likely to complete a purchase if they receive prompt and helpful assistance, which web chat can provide.

• Real-time support: Unlike phone or email support, web chat allows dealers to provide immediate support to customers in real-time, making it more convenient and efficient.

• Enhanced customer engagement: Web chat enables businesses to interact with customers on a more personal level, leading to better engagement and stronger customer relationships.

• Cost-effective: The cost of implementing a web chat feature on your website is relatively low compared to other forms of customer support, such as phone support.

• Valuable customer feedback: Web chat allows dealers  to gather valuable feedback from customers in real-time, which can be used to improve products and services.

• Competitive advantage: Offering web chat can give a competitive advantage over competitors who do not offer this feature.

• Improved customer retention: By providing better support and customer service, dealers can improve customer retention.

• Greater efficiency: Web chat can help dealers manage customer inquiries more efficiently, leading to faster response times and improved productivity.

• Flexibility: Web chat allows dealers to communicate with customers in a variety of ways, including text, audio, and video, providing greater flexibility and convenience.

While web chat offers many benefits, lets not get all carried away and assume it's a one way street...there are also some potential negatives to consider:

• Need for trained staff: Dealers need to ensure that their staff  have the necessary skills and knowledge to handle customer inquiries and provide helpful solutions, which requires training and investment in staff.

• Increased workload: With web chat, businesses are expected to respond to customer inquiries promptly, which can be challenging during busy periods and may lead to increased workload for staff.

• Limited availability: Human web chat is typically only available during working hours, which may not be convenient for customers who need support outside of those hours.

• Technical difficulties: Technical issues, such as website downtime or connectivity problems, can prevent web chat from functioning properly, leading to frustration for customers.

• Limited features: Basic web chat services may not have all the features necessary to provide comprehensive support, leading to frustration for customers who need more advanced help.

• Misunderstandings: Misunderstandings can occur when communicating through web chat, as tone and context may be more difficult to convey compared to face-to-face interactions.

• Distractions: Customers may be easily distracted by other websites or apps while waiting for a response in web chat, leading to impatience and frustration.

One of the biggest concerns is web chat that appears to be operated by humans, however quickly becomes apparent that it is a computer bot that customers are talking to. Customers will quickly switch off when they realise this is the case, which in turn produces a negative customer experience, which then can impact your dealership.

Despite these potential negatives, we believe the benefits of having web chat on your dealer website far outweigh the risks. Not having web chat on your website can potentially result in lost business. Customers who are unable to find the answers they need quickly may become frustrated and abandon their enquiry altogether. This is particularly true for younger generations who have grown up with instant access to information and expect the same level of service from businesses.

The potential implications of lost business can be significant, especially for dealers who are generally selling expensive items. The loss of one vehicle sale would far out weigh what web chat would cost that dealer for a whole year.

So, how much does it cost to implement a web chat feature on your website? 

The good news is that the cost is relatively low. Our basic webchat service starts at £37 per month and includes a multitude of features that other providers charge a hefty premium for. Check our web chat packages out here.

Misconceptions about why webchat doesnt work

There are a multitude of misconceptions why dealers think that web chat won’t work for them. We often hear the following:

Customers prefer phone or email support: While some customers may prefer phone or email support, web chat is increasingly becoming a preferred method of communication for many customers, especially younger generations who value immediacy and convenience. It is important to give your customers the medium that they are comfortable in contacting you on.

Web chat is impersonal: While traditional web chat may not have the same level of personalisation as in-person or phone conversation, our web chat overcomes this as all conversations are between you and the customer. No canned responses.

Web chat is too expensive: Our webchat starts at £37 a month or £1.21 a day (calculated over a year) If the average retained profit in a car is £500…all of a sudden it doesnt look that expensive!

Web chat is too complex to manage: If you can type a text message, you can use our web chat, it is as simple as that!

Web chat is not secure: Web chat conversations can be secured through encryption and other security measures, ensuring that customer information is protected. We use 2 factor authentication to log into our system and all messaging goes directly via sms to a customers phone.

Web chat is not effective for complex issues: While web chat may not be suitable for all issues, it can be effective for many customer inquiries and can even help to identify more complex issues that may require additional support.

In summary you have to ask yourself is it ultimately worth paying £37 a month for our Inbox webchat almost as a safety net, just in case you miss that one customer that is interested in buying a vehicle, however doesn’t like using the phone….