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6% of retailers now offer a live chat service via their mobile apps

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6% of retailers now offer a live chat service via their mobile apps to boost problem-solving on-a-go, says a RetailX analysis. 

But, LiveChat Customer Service Report 2018 figures found that customers’ satisfaction with the service dropped by 2.81% in 2018, standing at 83.54%, despite more customers wanting to use a live chat solution, up by 8.29% in 2017 from 2016. This suggests that retailers must raise the bar in advancing the technology to match the ever-changing customer demand.

Szymon Klimczak, chief marketing officer at LiveChat, noted one important trend. “What makes customers the happiest is dealing with an issue in one go, no matter how long it takes,” he said.

“Tech companies have one of the longest average handle times, but because they solve most issues in one touchpoint, they lead the pack when it comes to customer satisfaction.”

Overall, peak-trading months including November and December see the highest number of live chats usage, surging by 9.8% in comparison the rest of the year.

The use of chatbots means that some customers are seeing live chat automated. Very’s app features machine learning-powered customer service. Nespresso’s customers can also get automated updates on their orders and answers to their questions via a chatbot.

Also, gaining momentum is the use of voice commerce as more shoppers use devices such as the Alexa-powered Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod to shop more efficiently.

The Alexa Voice Service has been integrated into cars made by, for example, Toyota and BMW, allowing shoppers to buy from supermarkets including Ocado and Morrisons from their car, while Tesco shoppers can use the Google device to do their shop.

This philosophy is echoed in Savvy 2018 Outlook Report, which says that already, 20% of households have a voice assistant, with 58% of this group already have used it to buy an item.

Meanwhile, Amazon customers can reorder their key brands from pet food to toilet tissue at the push of a Dash button, and the retailer has also moved beyond human ordering to Internet of Things-style technology.

Its Amazon Dash Replenishment Service enables machines such as printers and washing machines to order their own consumables, from ink to laundry liquid.

It seems likely that as retail develops, the ways that traders and retailers interact with their customers will evolve quickly, keeping pace with the demands of the now always-connected consumer.

This feature initially appeared in IRUKTop500 Brand Engagement Dimension Report 2018, produced in association with Pure360. Click here to explore the report in full.

Image credit: Fotolia

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