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Web chat finally fulfilling its promise?

Posted 27-10-2011 in Latest industry news

UK businesses are finally embracing web chat as the next step in multi-channel customer contact, with 21 per cent expecting to implement the medium within the next 12 months, says analyst ContactBabel.  This means that 35 per cent of all businesses will offer the assisted service option within a year, with a further 16 per cent planning to add the service in 2013.

The research shows that web chat has been slow to take off, accounting for less than one per cent of traffic in the UK, but is poised to grow in popularity as organisations recognise the benefits the channel offers, such as the ability for one agent to support several customers simultaneously, and improved conversion rates for products sold on line.

"Considering the potential of web chat, it is very underused by UK businesses, and this enthusiasm is long overdue.  Web chat allows a customer or prospect who is using a web site to ask a question seamlessly - through the same medium - without having to move away from what they are doing,” comments the reports author Steve Morrell.