Increase your e-business conversions with instant messaging

Just ten years ago, instant messaging was simply intended to replace SMS as a private conversation tool. Today, it is emerging as a powerful conversion factor for e-tailers and businesses. In addition to reinventing the customer relationship, instant messaging brings that human touch that can be missing in online shops. The numbers don't lie. E-commerce sites with instant messaging convert far more potential customers than other means. That's why.

Instant messaging and e-commerce: a winning duo

The challenges of instant messaging and conversion.

According to Bigcommerce figures, the average conversion rate of an e-commerce site is between 1 and 2%. In other words, companies can expect two orders per 100 visitors. This may be considered disappointing for a physical store, but the standards are different in e-commerce:

• With the same visibility, an e-commerce site will receive many more visitors than a physical sales outlet.

• By definition, e-commerce sites are not geographically constrained. They can be consulted by users from anywhere in the city, country or world.

Physical shops convert more for two main reasons:

• Prospects are better because customers have made the effort to travel.

• Customers can count on the advice and support of a salesperson.

For e-commerce, the qualification of prospects can be improved through a targeted SEO strategy. For the "human" touch, customers can count on instant messaging.

Instant messaging for an interactive e-commerce site.

Beyond its objective benefits for customer relations, instant messaging is above all the only "human" factor present in e-commerce sites. It is very likely that the only possible communication channels for your online shop are :

• A contact page with a form, which many will perceive as a bottle thrown into the sea.
• A postal address receiving mail … an anachronistic (or rather parachronistic) means of communication, especially on an e-commerce site.
• A telephone number, with all the known drawbacks: music on hold, cost for the customer and the company, network infrastructure, etc.

As you can see, instant messaging is the only real-time conversation tool on your e-commerce site. It is also the customer relations solution that is most deeply rooted in the habits of Internet users. Who use it several times a day.

Instant messaging to boost your e-commerce sales

Before addressing the crucial issue of customer experience, it should be remembered that retaining e-commerce customers is, by far, the best way of driving growth. According to a study by Bain & Company, a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25-95%. Because customers can reach you quickly and easily, they will be more likely to repeat their shopping experience.

Basically, instant messaging will become the pillar of how you manage your customer relationships. It will have a direct impact on customer loyalty. Moreover, since "customer retention costs up to five times less than converting new prospects" (see the loyalty effect), instant messaging makes all the difference!

The benefits of instant messaging for e-commerce sites.

It improves the user experience of your e-commerce site.

For the same offer, the main differentiating factor between e-commerce sites is the user experience. In a physical store, the customer can ask the salesperson for shoe size, a jumper in a certain color, the return policy, or a preview of the new collection. On an e-commerce site, this service can be provided by a user-friendly homepage or an FAQ page.

However, it is instant messaging that offers the closest service provided by the salesperson. For the customer, this experience through instant messaging can even prove to be more pleasant than face-to-face contact. Indeed, customers remain free to go about their business while waiting for a response from the salesperson.

It put customers at ease.

On an e-commerce site, instant messaging will allow you to manage the requests of several customers simultaneously. This will save time and resources without compromising the quality of customer service.

Instant messaging is also an asset for telephone support :

• Customers are never "on hold". They can go about their business while waiting for a response.
• The payment process is shorter and therefore more satisfying.
• You can send a catalogue, a link or a quote via instant messaging during the conversation with the caller.
• By being spared long waits and the resulting frustration, customers are in the best possible mood to shop.

Improve your online customer service

Being reachable 24/7 gives e-commerce sites a major advantage in maximizing sales, especially when targeting an international customer base. With a properly configured instant messaging system, you will maximize this advantage and receive better feedback. This is because you will be able to answer your customers' most frequently asked questions outside of office hours.. There are two options for doing this:

• You can set up automatic "hold" or "no-show" messages to indicate that the customer request has been taken into account and will be processed as soon as possible.
• You can opt for more or less advanced chatbots to guide your customers and help them make their purchase.

Instant messaging will radically change your e-commerce website. By integrating WhatsApp Business API, Facebook Messenger, Live Chat, Apple Business Chat, and Google Business Messages into your e-commerce website, you will get the most out of your business. Not sure if you can keep up? Don't panic. ChayAll.co.uk offers you a solution that centralizes all your instant messaging into one streamlined, user-friendly interface!