Live Chat Rated Easiest Touch Point

Live Chat has been rated as the customer service touch point that requires the least effort.

The benchmark results from eDigitalResearch revealed that consumers are most satisfied with their live chat customer service experiences, suggesting that satisfaction and customer effort go hand in hand when it comes to contacting companies.

Of the 2,000 consumers surveyed, 1 in 4 (26%) have used live chat to contact a company in the last year – 73% of whom said they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘extremely satisfied’ with the service they received via the touch point.

In an age when consumers are firmly in control, driving change and forcing brands to innovate, live chat offers customers the ability to chat to a brand representative in real time without the hassle of long delays, automated systems or dreaded ‘hold’ music.

Analysis found that live chat is used widely amongst all age groups and demographics, especially in the 21–24 and 25–35 age ranges, and therefore the findings have big implications for all brands across all sectors.

One third (30%) of those surveyed now expect to be able to use live chat to contact a brand – a figure that is only likely to increase given the channel’s high satisfaction points. Brands consequently need to ensure that they are adapting their contact centres to incorporate these emerging touch points.

The study also found that digital touch points are now rated much higher than their more traditional counterparts. Live chat, email and social media were all ranked as the top three ways to contact a brand – users of these three channels were much more satisfied than those using the phone or post for their customer service queries.

While the number of consumers turning to these channels as a first port of call when contacting a brand is currently lower than their traditional counterparts, the higher satisfaction rates suggest that they are likely to return to these channels again and again.