Web Chat (aka Chatbots) is everywhere. If you are a B2C business that has consumer inquiries coming in 24x7, then chat support is a must have (researching for a tech partner? Chat with us here). When limited information is known about the person browsing the website as a visitor, having a form or series of qualifier questions is alright and probably best. If partial, yet confirmed information is available about the visitor, then a secure and enhanced version of the chat interface can be provided.
We will start out by listing different chat use case / options.
Anonymous
Visitor persona or identification is NOT required. These are the most applicable in case of browsing catalog, services or documentation (knowledgebase). Such inquiries are mostly self-help related.
- FAQ / Support
- Pricing explorer / calculator / shipping info
- Office hours or Schedule a Call
This kind of flow will have a basic menu driven questionnaire, followed by a form or section for a specific query. The results from a knowledge-base search or API based pricing flows can be set to an appropriate Call-To-Action (CTA) based on the intent identification of the visitor.
These flows are optimal for offline interactions, submission of inquiry or requesting / rescheduling an appointment.
Public Access + Verify Identification
Visitor identification needed for a dedupe (existing lead) check. Applicable when the visitor is a high intent lead and is looking to take an action such as submit an application, check status on an order / application or request to connect with an agent for a chat. The visitor is expecting an immediate response upon submission of the intended information (form).
- New Lead Creation
- Returning User Status / Milestone
- User (lead) ticket / application identification
- User (lead) assigned agent identification
Such scenarios and use-cases often are best handled by providing the visitor with expected information needed in order to process a inquiry request and connect with an agent.
TIP - When collecting PII make sure you clearly display the company privacy, confidentiality and other related information so that the visitor understands how the data collected will be used and processed.
Secure Authenticated Portal
This use case represents when a visitor is logged into a secure area and user identification information is available. The visitor (lead) will be on an authenticated portal on your company site, using a Botsplash signed token (+ API integration) the chat widget will be able to identify the visitor without needing to request for PII information.
- Low friction experience
- Secure and Confidential
- Screen Share and / or 1x1 Video Call
This is a true digital offering for a company that is tech forward, and aims to provide the best experience for its customers. Loading a mere chat by collecting queries and contact info is outdated. Today’s times call for identifying the customer and offering them the best applicable next step(s) in the process journey.
In any financial transaction or high-value sales industry, if a customer (lead) hits a roadblock, they require immediate attention. Having an authenticated chat available at all times helps the customer feel comfortable and transact efficiently. As a result, this promotes low friction and faster progress.
Once a customer recognizes chat offering in a secure and authenticated space, they will make the effort to log in to the platform and engage at a higher rate. Every business goal is to gain more returning and repeating customers. Providing support in an authenticated space is one way of increasing logins. Doing so drives repeat business as customers are coming to you for advice and guidance.
Web Chat is a must. From Amazon to the bakery around the corner, every business website has some form of Web Chat. Why? Because customers want to message and get a response immediately. They do not want to fill out a “contact form” which is an offline process, without any expectations of when a response will be received. Connecting with a chat partner and putting a script for “Chat Here” is an easy setup, but will fall short on setting clear expectations.
It’s important to understand customer journeys and design non-generic flows for your website and / or portal. Connect with our team for a demo and deep dive into the numerous messaging strategies that we offer at Botsplash. Your customers need frictionless, seamless and non-lengthy experience, give them what they need to close with you!
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