Businesses that are at the forefront of customer service are now closer to customers than ever before. This is thanks to the rise in video chat for customer service needs. Video chat has the potential to deliver exceptional customer service experiences, resulting in more brand engagement and loyalty.
Virtual support center hubs are growing in number to connect more with customers and provide a better level of service. Video chat features offer businesses the opportunity to resolve customer service queries and problems more efficiently than traditional call center software solutions and internet phone services.
Since 2020, there’s been a whopping 300 percent growth in the number of customers who choose video chat as their favored channel to talk to businesses. It’s clear to see customers are open to communicating via video call, so if your customer service department isn't currently offering this line of communication, it’s probably time to start considering it.
Here are some pointers on how to do it, along with:
- The benefits of video chat for the customer experience
- How to implement video chat into your business
- How to get the most out of video chat features
- Video chat in different industries
Benefits of Video Chat
Personal Touch
First and foremost, video chat offers that personal touch to customers by adding a face to your business. Communicating with a real person delivers the vital trust factor, meaning that your customers are more likely to become and remain loyal brand advocates, especially if your video chat solutions offer quicker resolutions than phone calls or emails.
Reduced Business Costs
Virtual contact centers are undoubtedly less expensive than physical office locations for delivering face-to-face customer service. When customer service is excellent, you’re likely to retain their business as you’re boosting the customer support experience. Video chats allow your business to provide exceptional customer service from absolutely anywhere.
Increased Online Sales
For ecommerce businesses, product experts engaging in live chat with customers can increase the chance of sales. When customers are well informed about product benefits and features, the likelihood that they will make purchase decisions increases. Video chat facilitates easy body language readability that can influence cross-selling and up-selling opportunities for further sales. When you can demonstrate product benefits over video, sales are more liable to happen.
Video chat provides immediate help to customers without the need for multiple touchpoints, which can be a frustrating experience. Customer service agents that communicate via video chat are more likely to improve their first contact resolution. All these actions lead to more brand engagement and a loyal following.
Higher Satisfaction Rates
Customer service agents that communicate to customers on video chat remain focused and present for their call. Therefore, the chances of higher satisfaction levels are higher due to customers feeling that their views are being listened to accurately. In situations of high stress when customers need to be calmed down, video chats are the best way to go as they alleviate the frustration of calls or chat features.
Understanding customers’ pain points during their interactions with your business can be achieved through customer journey map software. For instance, you may find that customers are experiencing problems with finding the information that they need. This particular touchpoint can be addressed with automation features and in contact center communications.
Personalized Experiences
For businesses looking to offer ecommerce personalization customer experiences, video chat delivers. The medium of video provides a near-identical experience of being in a brick-and-mortar shop. Customers can receive personalized recommendations and advice from an agent on any device and from anywhere.
Some CPaaS solutions offer screen share capabilities, enhancing the customer support experience with visual cues and information. This scenario works particularly well with customer support agents that handle technical service requests and support tickets.
Tech Integration
Companies that provide large-scale and small office phone systems can integrate CRMs with video chat features to provide a seamless customer experience. Customer service agents that know their customers’ order or service history via the CRM or customer support tools provide reassurance that their concerns will be efficiently resolved. Customers don’t like to repeat themselves to multiple agents, so an understanding of their history is paramount for exceptional customer service.
The use of AI technology is useful to proactively offer video chat as an option for customer service inquiries. For example, a customer browses your website’s FAQ section for answers on how to install a new device. If they didn’t find the information they require after a few tries, it would be great customer service if your website automatically offered a live video chat to solve their problem.
Increased Productivity
"When customer service agents resolve customer queries more quickly, they free up time to handle more calls and, as a result, become more productive." says Joey Sasson, VP of Sales & Logistics for Moving APT.
The more productive customer service agents are, the more revenue is optimized - resulting in a more successful business.
Improved Customer Engagement
Speaking face-to-face with customers enables agents to ascertain their needs accurately. It’s a common fact that text messages and emails can be easily misconstrued and lead to miscommunications. Video chats offer the opportunity for customer service agents to clearly understand the situation quickly.
How To Implement Video Chat
Whether you decide to outsource customer service video chats or take care of them in-house, let’s explore the best way to implement video chat into your existing customer support offering.
If you already have a contact center established, it’s best to integrate video chat features with your systems in place. One benefit of this is that all your business’s branding and messaging remain consistent. Bear in mind that customers need to be able to access your video chat features from any device or browser of their choosing.
An omnichannel communications approach is a winner for customer service. For example, customers that initiate a live chat with an agent can simply be transferred to video calls to quickly resolve their queries.
Get The Most From Video Chat Features
To ensure you’re getting the best ROI from video chat, check out these tips to allow your customer support agents to provide the best value possible:
Optimal Times for Video Chat
Understanding when the best situations call for a customer video chat is key to using this channel effectively. Other communication methods at your business’s disposal, such as live web chat, phone, text, and email, might be better suited in some circumstances.
However, opportunities to upsell or explain the benefits of products your business provides are probably best demonstrated via video chat. Customers are used to the benefits of digital explainer videos to learn about new products, which is why video chats are so well received.
Body Language
Make sure you train your customer service reps in the art of positive body language, especially eye contact. Key tips are to look directly into the camera rather than the customer and to sit up straight. Good lighting and plain backdrops are great, too. These simple hints help the agent remain attentive on the call and reassure the customer on the other end that they are being heard.
Equipment Quality
Take steps to ensure your video calling software is up to standard to offer the best sound quality. Your customers will be turned off at sub-standard sound quality, so a good business phone package, headset, microphone, and consistent broadband are the bare minimum.
Video Chat in Different Industries
Regardless of the industry, top-quality customer service is always a priority. Let’s explore how different industries implement video chat services to enhance their customers’ experiences.
Healthcare
The shift to virtual healthcare appointments has established a new normal for patients. Online appointments make it more convenient for both patients and healthcare professionals to connect when necessary. Simple medication requests work perfectly via video calling software and make space for face-to-face appointments with more complex medical issues.
Legal and Financial
Legal appointments are handled with ease via video chat and can be configured for security and privacy settings per client. Financial advisors also go down this route to meet virtually to discuss details - saving both the clients and professionals valuable time.
Software and Technical Support
Although this industry is not new to video chat, it comes into its own for software product demos and training requirements. Agents that use clear and calm instructions paired with screen sharing abilities offer valuable support to customers.
Insurance
Real-time insurance claims can be made through live chat. This enables clients to explain the incident both verbally and visually using video tools and video calling features, allowing no room for inaccurate details or errors in insurance claims. Faster claims resolution increases customer satisfaction and business efficiency.
The Future of Customer Service
Delivering great customer service is no longer optional to keep up with the fierce competition. Providing video chat as a means of communication favored by customers keeps your business ahead of the game. Businesses that adopt a multichannel communications strategy are best positioned to win business now and in the future. Connect with your customers in a way that increases satisfaction, improves your business’s efficiency, and grows revenue.
Is your business ready to embrace the future of video chat?
About The Author
Richard Conn is the Senior Director for Demand Generation at 8x8, a leading communication platform with integrated contact center, voice, video, and chat functionality that offers virtual phone systems for communication solutions. Richard is an analytical & results-driven digital marketing leader with a track record of achieving major ROI improvements in fast-paced, competitive B2B environments. He has written for Brightpearl and Affise. Here is his LinkedIn.
