But with more and more customer service interactions happening online, a successful chat session could mean the difference between a sale and a fail; a return customer and a lost one. It’s crucial, then, to offer the best chat experience possible.

But what makes for a winning live chat conversation? Here’s our step-by-step anatomy of a successful chat session, from start to finish.

Greetings

Online, the hand that waves at your customers is that chat button on your site. When a visitor clicks to chat with you, it’s the equivalent of a customer approaching you in-store. You need to respond with the warmth and readiness you would face to face.

So, in a successful chat session, the agent is quick to accept the chat and doesn’t keep the visitor waiting. Visitors wouldn’t be ignored in a physical shop, after all.

Once the chat is initiated, you should identify the visitor and give a personal greeting. If you don’t already have the visitor’s name from a pre-chat survey form, then ask for it. Using someone’s name is a fast way to start building that all-important personal connection. It signals to the customer that they’re being listened to directly, and your responses will seem more genuine. Using a name gives the chat session a friendly face from the start.

In fact, the more personalised you can make the chat, the better. It tells the customer: ‘I know you and you matter to the company’, which would help anyone feel important.

Breaking the ice

Avoid launching straight into business. Be friendly. A massive part of what makes a chat session successful is the relationship established. In fact, according to research, almost 70% of customers leave if they think you don’t care. So, show them that you do.

For a successful chat session, first say hello, and ask for the customer’s name before discussing business. If the chat starts with a customer complaint,  you should apologise first and look to solve the issue second. Customers like it when their concerns are validated, and when companies accept responsibility if something has gone wrong.

The human touch

Attentive service is the most important part of a successful chat session, and the human touch is important when it comes to customer service.

The human touch comes through by showing empathy. If the customer is upset, you should react accordingly. An empathetic voice can be achieved with apologies, and the avoidance of using too many canned responses, which can make you seem disinterested or robotic to the customer.

If in doubt, always ask questions. Never make assumptions with your customers. If details end up in crossed wires, customers can end up feeling irritated and not listened to. This can be avoided by asking and clarifying any confusing issues. It’s simple but essential stuff.

Plus, asking questions will make the customer feel included, and shows that their experience is valued. In turn, this adds to those personal relationships that encourage loyalty.

Finding solutions

The aim of a successful live chat session is being able to demonstrate active, efficient service. The customer can’t see what you’re doing, but they want to know that you are taking them seriously and trying to help them. Unfortunately, leaving customers in the dark can also leave them unhappy.

In a successful chat session, you should avoid saying ‘no’ as much as possible. Instead, look for solutions or workarounds for tricky issues. If you get stuck or are struggling, you can ask colleagues for help or ask the customer for more information.

Whenever you do anything to help your customer, you should always let your customer know what you’re doing. Remember that they cannot see your efforts, and don’t know if you’re sat ignoring them or actively working on their query.

The customer will be happy to wait a little longer if you explain what you’re doing, and assure them along the way. In other words, put in the effort and show it, and your customers will appreciate it.

Taking your leave

The back of the live chat session is the end. You’ve gotten this far successfully, but the wrong sign-off could still derail the chat. Make sure that the customer feels supported, rather than given the cold shoulder.

Successful chat endings come from agents that avoid abrupt goodbyes. Signing off suddenly signals to the customer that you don’t want to talk with them. This signal can cause upset or annoyance, even if the rest of the chat was successful. Sudden sign-offs are often considered rude, and will leave a bad taste in the customer’s mouth. When ending the chat, always confirm that the customer is happy.  Thank them, and invite them to chat again whenever the need arises. By doing these three things, it’s impossible for the end of the chat to be sudden. Remember: showing gratitude to a customer is the backbone of a good customer relationship.

Successful chat conversations leave customers happy with your service and welcome to return and chat again. They involve ensuring active, attentive support in every step of the chat journey.

Adapted from: Whoson.com

1. Introduce yourself by name

Names add a much needed human touch to a distant, electronic interaction. Let the customer know you’re a real person – not a bot.

2. Use a typing indicator

That way, the customer knows you’re there and responding in real-time – rather than being left wondering whether you’re still actively engaged in the chat.

3. Avoid using CAPS

(They make it look like you’re SHOUTING.) Needless to say, your customers don’t want to be shouted at.

4. Embrace the emoji

People understand emojis. As well as adding clarity, they also show your human, friendly side.

5. Don’t neglect grammar

You can be sociable without being sloppy. It’s important to keep live chats as personable as possible, but don’t forget to be professional, too.

6. Check chat history

Return customers don’t want to reintroduce and repeat themselves time and again. So, check chat history to ensure you have their details to hand.

7. Keep a consistent chat tone

For a streamlined customer journey, the tone of voice used in chat sessions should match the tone you use on your website, social channels, emails, and all your branded materials.

8. Respond within 60 seconds

Customers use live chat for its immediacy. If you’re not responding within the minute mark, you’re giving your customers a false promise.

9. Avoid jokes or sarcasm

Humour often gets lost in translation during chat sessions – the participants don’t know each other and don’t have visual cues to rely on.

10. Be engaging

Chat is ultimately just that: chat. So, treat this less like a formal pitch or training session and more like a two-way conversation.

11. Keep the customer informed

If you need 2 minutes to find out some information – let the customer know that there’ll be a slight wait. It’s courteous and prevents frustration.

12. Give the user a heads-up

If you’re sending a file or a link, let them know precisely what you’re doing beforehand. With so much online malware, customers won’t appreciate anything unexpected.

13. Give people time to respond

Don’t be a “machine gun” messenger. Sending multiple questions to a user before they’ve had to answer feels like an interrogation – not a chat.

14. Manage your status

Dealing with 5-6 chats at once? Set your status to ‘busy’. At lunch? Set it to ‘away’. You don’t want to be receiving chats that you can’t respond to.

15. Close with something sincere and specific

End the chat on a high by thanking the visitor for their time and making them feel appreciated. Happy customers are loyal customers.

In fact, the difference between great customer support and a sour service experience can be as small as the difference between ‘why didn’t you try’ and ‘have you tried’. Some innocent-seeming phrases are inflammatory, and fan the flames of customer irritation.

So, what common customer support sentences are better left unsaid? We outline the top ten things you should never say in a live chat conversation.

1.    It’s not my/our fault

Translation: It’s your fault/ I don’t have to help you fix this problem.

Who cares whose fault it is? The customer certainly doesn’t.

• ✕ We aren’t responsible for…
• ✕ It’s not our fault that…
• ✓ I’m sorry that happened. Let me see if there’s anything we can do to help.

It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, it matters that your customer isn’t happy. If you and your company aren’t to blame, you can still be sorry that the customer has been upset. So, in a live chat conversation, be sure to apologise no matter the cause of the issue. Always try to help find a solution for the customer to use.

2.    I’m sorry, but…

Translation: I’m not actually sorry.

‘I’m sorry, but’ isn’t an apology, it’s a rationalisation. In any conversation, ‘I’m sorry, but’ is a disingenuous apology. In a live chat conversation, it also demonstrates a reluctance to accept the problem the customer has approached you with.

• ✕ I’m sorry, but…
• ✓ I’m sorry to hear that. Usually…

When something has gone wrong, it doesn’t matter why. How you fix it matters. So, apologise sincerely, and explain that it’s not a normal occurrence. You show that you’ve accepted that the problem shouldn’t have happened, and that you are genuinely sorry it’s upset the customer.

3.    Calm down

Translation: I don’t understand your feelings/you’re overreacting/I won’t help you unless you stop feeling upset.

How many times has someone told you to calm down when you’re emotional? Did it work? Telling an upset person to calm down demonstrates a lack of understanding or empathy on your part, and it only agitates people further.

• ✕ Calm down and I’ll do my best to help you.
• ✕ Please calm down so that I can help you.
• ✓ I understand, I’m sorry that’s happened. Let me see what I can do to help.

In a live chat conversation, calm customers by showing them you are listening to their concerns. Let them know that you understand why they’re upset, apologise, and show compassion. Showing empathy to an upset customer is far more effective at helping them calm down than suggesting you don’t understand or care about their feelings.

4.    That’s against our policy

Translation: I’m not going to help you, you shouldn’t have bothered contacting us.

Okay, it’s true, the thing the customer has asked for isn’t allowed according to your policy. But saying this to a chatting customer is dismissive of their concerns, making for a bad experience. Instead, explain your policy, and why that policy exists. Then try to offer a solution or compromise that IS possible.

• ✕ That’s against our policy.
• ✕ Our policy prevents us from…
• ✓ Unfortunately, in order to offer the best… we have to/are not able to under our policy… however, we can…

People are more patient when they understand what you’re doing. In a live chat conversation, you can do this by offering alternate solutions. Walking through options lets the customer know you aren’t dismissing the issue. Showing that you are actively interested in solving the problem appeases customers – even if you can’t provide the solution they specifically wanted.

5.    It’s not my job/problem

Translation: You’ve wasted your time coming to me, I won’t be any help, I don’t care about your problems.

In a live chat conversation, telling a customer that dealing with their issue isn’t part of your job is another way to be dismissive.

• ✕ It’s not my problem that…
• ✕ That has nothing to do with this company.
• ✓ That sounds like a pain, let’s see if we can solve this problem, and take some of the stress off you.
• ✓ I can understand why you’re upset. Let me try to help with this problem, and make it one less worry.

Customers aren’t always going to be solely focused on the problem with your company, other things will be making the problem worse. When they start complaining about other problems and issues outside of your department, show empathy, and keep your attention on the things you can help with.

6.    Why didn’t you just…

Translation: You’re stupid for not trying this thing, why couldn’t you work it out yourself, this isn’t a real problem.

With this kind of fault-finding tone, you’re trivialising the customer’s problem and suggesting they’re wasting your time. A disparaging approach implies that your help shouldn’t even be needed, not to mention being incredibly rude to the customer in need.

• ✕ Why didn’t you just…
• ✓ That’s a real problem, have you tried…?

By instead asking whether the customer has already tried something, you’re not implying that they’re incapable of common sense or working things out themselves. You won’t insult the customer, and you’re offering a potential fix straight away.

7.    I don’t know

Translation: I’m incompetent and won’t be any help to you.

Customers have started a live chat conversation with you for help and support. Telling them you don’t know the answer to their query is neither helpful nor supportive. It presents you as disinterested in the chat, and incompetent at your role to boot.

• ✕ I don’t know.
• ✓ I’m not sure, I’ll check for you.
• ✓ That’s a good question, let me find out for you.

No one is expected to know everything, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find out. So instead of dismissing the live chat conversation with an indifferent ‘, I don’t know’, be active in finding an answer, and keep the customer aware of what you’re doing.

8.    Them/they

Translation: I’m not part of the company you’re trying to reach, I’m not a credible contact for customer support of this business.

In a live chat conversation, you are representing your company. Telling a customer you’ll pass on their feedback or concerns to ‘them’ alienates you from the company. This is confusing and inconsistent to the customer, hurts your credibility, and suggests that the business isn’t really listening.

• ✕ I will pass your feedback on to them.
• ✕ They will always do their best to help you.
• ✓ We appreciate your feedback.
• ✓ We will make sure your problem is solved.

Instead, be sure to use ‘we’. Present yourself as the voice of the company, don’t distance yourself from it.

9.    I already answered that

Translation: You’re wasting my time, I don’t want to talk to you anymore, you’re annoying me.

Maybe a customer is repeating a question you just answered or hasn’t understood something you’ve said. But pointing out that you’ve already answered the question can easily come across as condescending, impatient, and downright rude. (Particularly in a live chat conversation, when you can’t rely on tonal cues.)

• ✕ I already said…
• ✕ As I’ve already explained…
• ✓ The information above should help guide you through the solution.

Even better is to explain a fix or answer in another way, without referencing your previous messages. People are different and understand things differently. If a customer hasn’t understood you, explaining in a different way could clear up the confusion, without patronising the customer or making them feel dismissed.

10.  Nothing at all…

Translation: No one is here to help or support you, we don’t care about your problems.

One of the worst things you can say in a live chat conversation is nothing at all. If a customer has tried to reach out to you, you must meet them halfway. Not responding to chats at all tells chatting customers that you aren’t listening to them; that you don’t care.

Avoiding the live chat conversation clash

Want to avoid clashing with customers in a live chat conversation? Ditch these ten flammable phrases and avoid any customer service (mis)fires.

Source: Whoson.com

It’s a lesson that all live chat operators would do well to learn: how you close a session counts. Say too little and you snub the customer; say too much and you annoy them. With that in mind, here are 3 simple steps to saying goodbye successfully via your live chat session.

 1. Be attentive

Has the customer got all the information they needed from the chat? Have you provided them with enough detail? Is there anything else you can help with? If you’re not asking, you might be leaving the customer with unmet needs.

So, as the chat winds down, always check if there’s any other way you can be of service. Not only is it the polite thing to do, but it also shows that you care about customer satisfaction and are willing to go the extra mile.
Example: “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”

2. Be appreciative

A live chat user has taken time out of their day to talk to you. They’ve had to spend time explaining their issue or getting answers to their questions – time they could have spent shopping with another provider. You need to acknowledge that.

After you’ve asked if there’s anything else you can help with, always thank the chatter for contacting you. It’s a small thing that means a lot.
Example: “Thanks for getting in touch today – I appreciate your time.”

3. Be open

Ideally, you’ve resolved the user’s issue within the live chat session. That doesn’t mean that you should shut the door on communication, though.

You should always encourage customers to get in touch with you again if they have any questions or problems – this shouldn’t be a permanent goodbye. Close the chat warmly and remind the customer that you’re always available to help. That way, you’ll leave conversations open for the future.

Example: “Please don’t hesitate to use our live chat service again in future – we’re always here to help.  I hope to hear from you soon.”

It’s simple stuff, but it works. If you’re a live chat agent closing a session, remember to say goodbye the good way.

Source: whoson.com