Online website consultant: why you need it, how to choose and integrate it

One of the main advantages of online shopping is the ability to buy anything without having to visit the outlet in person. But it's not always possible for a customer to choose the right product on their own.

This is where online consultants for websites come in. This tool allows a person to get expert advice and make an informed choice, and businesses can solve a number of tasks with the help of online consultants. Let's learn more about all this below.

Online consultant: what is it?

To define it, an online consultant is software that allows your customer to get the information they need about a product or service online.

Online consultants can be either managers and technical support staff or customized chatbots. Bots are usually used to ensure that people receive at least some kind of response around the clock, and leave their contacts if the bot's capabilities are not enough to resolve the issue.

In other words, an online consultant allows your online store to be in touch with existing or potential customers 24/7.

This format is really convenient because:

• It is usually easier for a user to write to an online consultant than to search for the necessary information on the website, even if it is there.

• A person does not have to search for an email address on the website, write a letter and wait for a response by refreshing their inbox.

• No need to call or wait for a manager to call back. And in general, it is not always convenient for a person who, for example, works in an office to talk during the working day.

• You can expect a personalized service because information from previous conversations is stored in the chat, so the manager understands the customer's needs and has basic information about them.

• If a customer has standard questions, a bot can provide answers. It does this almost instantly, which people like.

For your understanding: online consultants are an effective tool for increasing sales, the popularity of which is constantly growing. The statistics look like this:

• 52% of customers prefer companies that offer chat assistance;

• 46% of customers prefer live chat compared to 29% who prefer email and 16% who like to communicate on social networks;

• 75% of people prefer live chat to any other channel of communication with a company;

• 63% of millennials prefer to receive answers to their customer support queries via live chat;

• the level of satisfaction with live chat is 85% compared to 82% with email and 91% with telephone service.

According to the study, the chatbot market is growing steadily, and this trend will continue:

Therefore, it is worth integrating an online consultant into your business now.

Criteria for choosing online consultants

First of all, you need to clarify whether the software you choose has a trial period. It usually lasts from 7 to 14 days. During this time, you can decide whether you are satisfied with the tool.

Other important criteria for choosing an online consultant include the following.

1. The complexity of the software and its scalability. When a company has a large staff of operators, it is logical to choose a solution that allows many people to be in touch at the same time. If you are just starting to develop your business, it is not always advisable to pay for functionality that you do not use.

2. A set of functions.Some people use chat by itself, so the most primitive option is enough. Others need it to be part of a virtual telephony platform that also includes analytics and reporting tools. In this case, it's worth purchasing a comprehensive solution from a single software vendor.

You should also consider whether you need, for example, template responses, tags to categorize chats, etc.

A rational option is to choose advanced software, but at a minimum price. Over time, you will be able to expand the functionality without changing the software.

3. Estimate the cost. Sometimes the software can be really high-quality and worth the money, but the company does not yet have the momentum to invest large sums in the service.

4. Availability of integrations you need. This is important because sometimes the software that suits you both in terms of functionality and cost is not compatible, for example, with your website's content management system. It's better to find out about this before you pay for the yearly fee.

5. Check out the reviews. There are many services where users share their experience of using programs and services. For example, Capterra. After reading about the real pros and cons of the software, it will be easier to make a choice.

6. Talk to technical support. This is a very important point, because sometimes there are failures and technical difficulties. You need a qualified person to quickly explain how to fix a problem.

Top 4 consultant programs

The following services are among the most popular.

LiveChat

This is a convenient platform that allows you to create an online consultant widget and use it on several websites. Customers like that this software allows them to:

• create template answers to frequently asked questions and save them;

• categorize chats using tags and share them with other consultants;

• use quick answers, share screenshots, catalogs, etc.

Capterra has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on over 1600 reviews.

There is a free 14-day trial version.

Intercom

The peculiarity of this platform is that it uses artificial intelligence, chatbots, and various automations. It is very convenient because:

• all chats from different channels are stored in one place;

• you can return to the conversation whenever the client wants to, because the information in the chat is saved;

• you can use tags;

• chat can be picked up by several operators.

The rating on Capterra is 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 1000 reviews.

There is a free test version for 14 days.

Brevo

The online consultant is one of the products of this developer. It can be used both on PCs and mobile devices. If you wish, you can customize the widget to match the style of your website.

Several operators have access to the chat here, and you can also save notes and the history of conversations.

The rating on Capterra is 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 1800 reviews.

There is a completely free version.

HelpCrunch

This product allows you to optimize the process of communicating with customers across multiple channels. Chats, emails, social networks, and instant messengers are connected to a common mailbox to make it easier for managers to respond to requests quickly.

Chats can be assigned to operators, notes can be left for colleagues, and detailed information about the user with whom the dialog is conducted can be viewed at any time.

The rating on Capterra is 4.8 out of 5 based on more than 180 reviews.

There is a free test version for 14 days.

How to install an online live chatbot on your website

Depending on the service you choose, the installation procedure may differ. But in general, the principle is as follows.

Usually, you need to copy this code and then install it in the content management system of your website on all the pages where the chat window should appear. This should be done before the </body> tag.

Important! After installing the code, refresh the page. After that, the changes will appear on the website. And you will make the settings in the program that you have previously installed on your device.

Thus, an online consultant is an effective tool for increasing customer loyalty and sales. You can use our tips above to choose the software that is perfect for you and integrate it. If you have any doubts, we will be happy to answer all your questions about installing an online assistant on your website. You can contact us here.