Help CenterLiveChat agents must place special focus on chat etiquette and product knowledge. Proficiency in these two areas is required to produce the right answers and satisfy customers.
Chat etiquette
One of the most important things to do when improving your live chat etiquette is approaching every customer in a unique and interesting way. This gives your service the feeling of a personal touch, which goes a long way in building your relations with customers.
When your answers start getting sloppy and repetitive, your customers will be quick to notice. Avoid unnecessary automation where possible and approach each new conversation fresh.
Canned responses can be useful when you need to provide an answer to a popular question. However, try not to overuse them because nobody likes talking to a robot!
Another method of improving your chat etiquette is mirroring the language of your client. If your client is OK with more casual language and uses emoticons, feel free to do the same. However, if you receive a formal question, you should answer in the same manner.
Product knowledge
Apart from knowing how to talk, you need to know what to talk about. You must know your offering inside out. Whenever you are asked a questions, provide the best possible answer. At times, you will receive a question that will catch you off guard. When it finally happens, be honest and say you don’t know something. Just be sure to consult your colleagues and find the right answer.
When talking about your offering, it is easy to slip small bits of your company jargon in. You have to remember, that this type of vocabulary may be unclear to your customers and it should be avoided.
Your speed is also crucial when answering questions from customers. Don’t make them wait! It is often better to write a couple of shorter sentences than to produce one lengthy response. It keeps the conversation going and gives you a chance to adapt when the subject is changed.
Message sneak-peek will help you immensely when answering questions. You will be able to anticipate the next question and prepare accordingly.
Care for your customers
When dealing with customers, the numbers don’t matter. Although you can chat with a lot of customers, you should focus on a few at a time. Quality before quantity!
The last thing to remember is that we are all human. If you had a bad day, take a break, drink some tea or stretch a bit. The same goes for customers. Ask them how their day went—they will appreciate it!