For years, Apple, REI, Disney, and many other industry-leading companies have been using online chat to achieve superior customer experiences and increase sales effectiveness. Research shows that visitors who chat are 7.5 times more likely to complete a purchase than visitors who don’t chat. Chat also leads to greater customer satisfaction and more frequent repeat business. But, is it right for residential service companies?
The theory behind chat is fairly simple — make it easier for potential customers to communicate with your company, interact with a greater number of potential customers, and schedule more service calls. Though the theory of chat for your company is simple, the practice of chatting professionally is difficult to execute. So, is it worth implementing in your company? What are the costs and the benefits of chat? Should you manage chat in-house or outsource the management of chat? What’s a budget-conscious way to get started?