Customers nowadays value convenience on the go, loving brands that match their expectations and similarly abandoning those that do not. Companies are therefore challenged to optimize their services in a way that not only attracts new customers but also retains current ones who may easily switch to a savvier competitor. Of all the support channels available to customers, the one that increasingly stands out for its convenience and efficiency is live chat. A Forrester report found that 63% of customers are more likely to return to a website offering live chat over a website that does not, while an eDigital Customer Service Benchmark study found that 79% of customers prefer the channel for its immediate service. When it comes to sales, live chat software is equally critical: Forrester cites that 44% of customers believe having a live chat option available during online purchases is a critical feature for a brand’s website, while further studies have shown that 77% of customers won’t even make a purchase if no live chat option is available. How is live chat software critical to the contact center?Live chat software enhances the customer experience. Live chat creates a more personalized customer experience by giving customers a chance to speak with a real person at exactly the times support is needed most. For example, geolocation features of live chat software can let agents know the perfect time to offer chat pop-ups to customers in-store, as a proactive live chat solution can examine customer behavior and provide web analytics to help brands deliver prompt live chat invitations to the right customers at the right times. Customers can easily find the support they need and complete purchases more quickly with greater confidence and satisfaction. Video chat in particular is especially effective for a face-to-face experience that resembles in-person support. The timeliness and proactive approach of live chat can therefore make the customer experience smooth, efficient, and positive overall.Sales are supercharged with live chat. With live chat software, customer browsing more easily turns into sales conversions. When customers are researching a product or in the middle of making a purchase, they may need assistance or more information to complete the purchase. An American Express survey found that 78% of consumers have abandoned a transaction or failed to make an intended purchase because of a poor service experience. Live chat is therefore critical when customers are in the middle of a transaction and need support to finalize a purchase, as having access to an agent can mean the difference between making or abandoning a purchase and even preventing or resolving payment errors. A proactive live chat solution further gives customers the option of choosing their preferred chat method with the choice of easily switching to another channel if desired, using easy click-to-call, click-to-chat, and click-to-video features. As consumers tend to abandon websites after an average of only three clicks, proactive live chat captures the attention of current and potential customers to greatly increase conversion rates. Vocalcom live chat software can resolve customer issues seven times faster than on other channels, with a 30% increase of average order value and 91% customer satisfaction rate post-chat. Contact centers are also set to cut costs, as live chat software is easy and quick to implement, with greatly decreased handling costs. Agents are able to communicate with multiple customers at once, enabling greater agent efficiency, a decrease in average handling time, and a reduced number of costly inbound calls.Live chat software is ideal for providing timely, seamless customer service and driving sales while giving customers support just when they need it the most. Learn about Vocalcom live chat software for accelerating sales and customer satisfaction.