Study unveils new benchmark for a powerful and profitable Online Chat customer service experience

To validate best practices for online sales chat, TELUS International commissioned the study using an independent consulting firm, SPOT Consulting. Sixty in-depth chat sessions were conducted with six Fortune 500 companies to analyze the qualitative metrics of an ideal online chat sales session.

Key findings

Agent skills

In order to evaluate agent skills, six key variables were identified including: average response time, expectation setting, accuracy of response, direct objective responses, conversation flow and patience. Key attributes of top-performing agents included:

• Ability to move beyond standardized procedures and scripting to personalize the consumer’s experience

• Ability to find relevant information quickly (within 30 seconds) to close sales

• Proactive problem solving with accurate solutions or seamless transfers to other departments

• Empowered agents able to offer incentives, such as expedited shipping, in order to close sales

Chat system features

Nine variables were examined including: hours of operation, chat transcripts available, typing notification, queue position, wait time, entitlement process, encryption of sensitive information, added features and system availability. Key features of the top systems included:

• Automatic data encryption to ensure secure, one-process transactions

• Customization and personalization, such as the ability to increase fonts and share hyperlinks

• Configuration and accessibility of chat systems and knowledge bases

• Real-time collaboration and internal instant messaging between agents, supervisors and subject matter experts within the contact center

• Ability to provide complete post-session chat transcripts via email

• Agents always available during hours of operation

• A seamless process with no system lags or dropped chats

Communications style

The following five variables were analyzed for benchmarking purposes: brevity and staying on point, grammar, spelling and sentence structure, voice and tone, terminology and personalization. Key differentiating factors included:

• Agents were professional and consistently applied proper grammar and punctuation

• Responses were clear and concise, often including links to explain complex issues

• Agents were engaged and personal, acting like a personal online shopper with multiple exchanges

• Content, tone and style reflected company brand values

More information can be found at www.SupportIndustry.com.