Live chat services entered the business realm in 2002 with the launch of LiveChat. This program allowed customers to communicate directly with a representative in the company through the website, no phone calls necessary. The concept was slow to gain traction among companies as it was commonly thought of as unnecessary and not worth the cost. Customers were still more accustomed to picking up the phone or going to the store to have their questions answered.

As technology has developed, so has our level of dependency on things like email and text messaging where communication is had with words typed on a screen. As the public adopted instant text communication, live chat services became more useful and popular as a result. It opens the door for multitasking; type a question over live chat, go back to what you were doing, and in minutes there is a response waiting. Eliminating having to wait on hold over the phone to have a simple question answered is the instant gratification and fast paced resolution that customers love. 

Today, over 200,000 businesses use a live chat service as part of their customer service strategy. There are hundreds of available features to shop through. Many of them offer free trial periods where you can test the features with some of your team and see if it works with your standard operating procedure and existing software platforms.

With all of the key points to consider there is much to think about. Live chat services do not replace your human customer service team. These software programs simply offer support and improved productivity as your sales and service increase.

What Customers Expect When Buying Your Boats
Live Chat - A solution to addressing those simple customer questions that don't generate sales