A common discussion within dealerships is whether or not Live Chat is a good idea or a bad idea. There are reasons why Live Chat may not be a ideal for your dealership, but with proper management and a steady process, the benefits of Live Chat can greatly outweigh any drawbacks.

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• A big misconceptions is the idea that Live Chat creates an unauthentic experience for the customer. In fact, it does quite the opposite. Many potential customers shop online and have questions during the process. It has become a deterrence to people to have to stop browsing, look up a dealerships phone number, and attempt to call them. Live Chat allows instant access to a knowledgeable representative. When a representative engages the customer in a welcoming and personable manner, it creates an instant and personable connection between the dealership and the customer.

• The issue of availability is a concern when considering Live Chat. As a dealer, the best way to overcome this issue is to define hours of operation. Make it known to your customers what days and hours that your Live Chat will be available. This allows for transparency and reasonable expectations. Once established, be sure to respond immediately as it can damage the user's experience if the established availability seems untrue.
  
  
• Last but not least, Live Chat is a good idea because it gives you an advantage over your competition. When customers browsing your website see that you have the option for Live Chat and your competition does not, it differentiates your dealership from then next and puts your dealership on a higher level than your competitors. Make sure to be prompt and concise in the Live Chat process or you can risk it backfiring if your dealership’s Live Chat is not managed properly.

Important Tip: Steer clear of Automated Chat programs. They tend to be extremely vague and discouraging to potential customers. When people come in looking for quick answers, that is when Live Chat works best. Customers appreciate and trust answers from people. Robots often fall short in this area. Read more about the Downfalls of Automated Chat Systems here.

--Live Chat is an extremely delicate tool that can be used to benefit your dealership, but if not properly executed, it can reflect poorly on your online presence. It is important to be personable, available, and prompt when running Live Chat. Having a robotic, delayed approach can reverse all the positive effects Live Chat provides. If done correctly, the benefits of Live Chat greatly exceed any potential drawbacks.    

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