February 2, 2018
Live chat is the new buzzword in the marketing world that has helped businesses take customer service to an altogether new level today. It’s become imperative to provide personalised support for your customers not only in the real world but also in the virtual one. More and more websites are going that extra mile to connect with visitors on their site and helping resolve their questions instantly. This kind of pro-active communication can only be achieved through live chat – a proven trend that has enhanced lead generation and is successfully driving those all-important conversions.
In order to address one of the most frequently asked questions to Commversion, we bring you a comparison of the features of the three most popular live chat software – LiveChat, Intercom and Zendesk
Comparing the top three live chat software
1. LiveChat – This is perhaps one of the most popular and user-friendly solution – both for your website visitors and for the agents helping them. It makes its presence felt in the form of a conveniently placed chat widget at the bottom of the web page that greets customers as soon as they visit your site. This helps to engage with them first – akin to breaking the ice – and setting up a platform for further communication.
LiveChat at a glance:
- Customisable chat interface – it consists of 3 main elements – a web-based chat window, control panel and operator application
- Ability to integrate all conversations on a single dashboard even when you are using LiveChat on more than one site.
- Access to a repository of chat history
- Ability to request and manage a customer’s desktop using Remote Desktop functionality
- Ability to integrate LiveChat software with your current CRM system
- Includes pre and post chat surveys
Key features of LiveChat
LiveChat allows you to track visitors in real time and get an insight into what they are doing. So if they are about to abandon an order, the agent can offer to help out in an attempt to change their mind. Agents can even see what visitors are typing before they send it so it gives them a chance to frame replies faster.
LiveChat is also able to generate prompt and accurate reports for each of your helpdesk agent and analyse their metrics – chat invitations, number of chats, time spent with each visitor and even the average speed of answer and queue waiting time. It comes with a complete Google Analytics integration that tracks the web pages your customers came from.
Price
The Basic plans start at $16/seat/month billed annually or $19/seat/month billed monthly.
Regular plans – $33/seat/month billed annually or $39/seat/month billed monthly
Separate rates are also available for team plans, Enterprise and Enterprise+ plans.
2. Intercom – caters to those who are looking to make live chat a part of a wider CRM strategy. Like other live chat plugin options, Intercom allows you to track users so you can reach out and get instant feedback. It stores data about your users –like where they came from, the number of times they have visited your site, their time zone and their operating system.
Intercom at a glance
- End-to-end CRM system
- A single collaborative inbox in which you can view, manage and respond to conversations
- Automatically assigns conversations to the correct team/teammate
- Uses triggers to connect with already engaged visitors
- Possibility to export data from Intercom and import user data from MailChimp, CSV and Mixpanel into your Intercom account
Key features of Intercom
It provides targeted messages to visitors based on their behaviour on the website thus increasing the probability of converting them into leads and customers.
Although the Intercom live chat software allows you to track custom data and events, the latter is only recorded when a visitor begins a conversation and becomes a lead.
The Intercom messenger can be customised and made available to select users only. You can also add a link to your product in the messenger and create a custom launcher for your iOS and Android apps.
Price
Lite Plan – $49/month
Standard Plan – $79/month
3. Zendesk Chat – This in an easily installable live chat software The chat boxes are among the smartest that you can find that are as sophisticated as they are customisable. The dashboard lets you respond to visitor messages, providing you with a view of the metrics, helping track chat history and learn about customer preferences.
Zendesk at a glance
- Offers help desk solutions for a wide range of businesses – small scale to large
- Great looking customizable interface with minimal restrictions for free users
- Chat history – 14 days with free plans and unlimited for premium ones
- Accessible from desktop or mobile device – suitable even for freelance setups
- Open API enabling seamless integration into your business
- Multi-brand support with linked accounts
Key features of Zendesk
The software is among the easiest to install and can handle thousands of tickets every day. It has the ability to integrate all your support channels such as email, web, chat, phone and social media. It can also be used to 24/7 online service portals, extensive knowledge bases, FAQ searches and online communities. This can free agent time and provide customers resources to find solutions themselves.
Zendesk also offers analysis and detailed reports that benchmark customer satisfaction, track team performance against targets and even give an insight into competitors’ ratings.
Price
Essential Plan – $5/agent/month
Team Plan – $19/agent/month
Professional – $49/agent/month
Enterprise – $99/agent/month
Elite – $199/agent/month
Go ahead and empower your website with the immense advantages that live chat can bring – a personal touch to guide visitors, to win their trust and take them to the next level in the buyer’s journey. At CommVersion we have the most sophisticated technology to offer you 24-hour Live Chat so you never lose out on opportunities to engage with your audience and convert them into potential leads and customers. We have a great success rate of converting as much as 50% of all Live chats into qualified leads and you only need to pay when you receive a qualified lead from us.
So if you want to avoid the hassle of installing live chat and handling it in-house and you would rather focus on your business instead – click here to connect with CommVersion and sit back while we generate leads and open the doors to creating greater opportunities for your business!