Customers are the backbone of any business. Acquiring and retaining customers is crucial to outperforming your competitors. However, traditional customer service methods, such as email and phone calls, are no longer meeting the expectations of today’s consumers. Studies have shown that the average response time to customer service requests is over 12 hours, and 62 % of companies don’t even respond to customer emails. It’s no wonder that customers are increasingly frustrated.
Conversational Commerce: Tap into Messaging Apps Your Customers Already Use
July 5, 2023
July 5, 2023
Evaluating Customer Communication Trends
In this digital age, messaging apps have become an integral part of people’s lives. Platforms like Facebook Messenger, Twitter direct messages, WhatsApp, and WeChat provide users with the convenience of asynchronous communication, speech recognition, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence (AI). People use these apps to connect with friends and family, make purchases, and stay updated on what’s happening in the world. Leveraging the popularity of these messaging apps for business purposes is known as conversational commerce.
The rise of conversational commerce is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers. In a 2020 survey, 85% of global consumers expressed their desire to message with brands, a significant increase from the previous year. Moreover, 75% of consumers reported spending more time with brands that offer messaging capabilities compared to those that don’t. It’s evident that customers are tired of traditional one-way communication methods and are seeking real-time, convenient, and personalized interactions with businesses.
Messaging apps provide several advantages over traditional channels. They allow businesses to connect with customers on their terms and schedule, offering flexibility and convenience. Encryption technology ensures the security and privacy of both communication and documents exchanged. As a result, messaging apps are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for customer service. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of customer service organizations will abandon their native apps in favor of messaging.
Enhance Customer Satisfaction by Engaging Them on Their Preferred Channels
By embracing messaging apps, businesses can delight their customers by meeting them where they already are. Two-way communication fosters stronger relationships, while the asynchronous nature of conversational commerce allows customers to engage at their convenience. For instance, a customer can easily send a quick message during a mini break to inquire about an order or schedule an appointment. They can then pick up the conversation later, finding a response with options for next steps. This seamless experience enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Boosting Your Bottom Line through Effective Messaging Strategies
Implementing messaging apps also benefits businesses. Automation can handle low-level issues, saving time and costs. Businesses can offer round-the-clock support, resolving customer queries anytime. Complex issues can be escalated to customer service agents, who can respond through text, voice chat, or rich media. Integrating messaging with other systems, such as identity authentication, CRM, fulfillment, and payment systems, further enhances the overall experience for both customers and businesses.
Conversational messaging offers a comprehensive solution across the entire customer journey. It supports lead generation, nurtures customer relationships, and improves sales conversions. By reducing the number of apps and websites customers need to interact with, businesses can streamline the buying process and reduce dropouts before making a purchasing decision. With messaging apps, businesses have the opportunity to reshape their structures and serve customers more efficiently.
In an era where reducing costs and increasing sales are top priorities for contact center leaders, messaging apps provide a promising solution. They help contact centers reduce the number of calls received while offering enhanced customer service. Businesses can track the success of their messaging efforts by integrating them into their existing marketing stack, reducing silos in the customer journey.
Conclusion
Conversational commerce through messaging apps is revolutionizing customer communication. By tapping into the messaging apps customers already use, businesses can provide convenient, personalized, and engaging experiences. Customers feel heard and valued, resulting in higher satisfaction, improved word-of-mouth referrals, and increased buying decisions. As consumers reassess their expectations and interaction preferences, businesses that embrace conversational commerce will gain a competitive advantage in crowded markets. It’s time to adapt and meet your customers where they already are—on messaging apps.
Intrigued by the potential of conversational commerce and want to see how it can benefit your business? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Book a demo session with us today and discover how messaging apps can transform your customer engagement and drive business success.
AiChat is a leading A.I-Powered Conversational Customer Experience platform designed to help brands automate business processes in customer service, marketing and commerce via popular social messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and Google Business Messages etc. We are proudly trusted by Bayer, TESCO, Marina Bay Sands, MR D.I.Y, Mondelēz, Petron, Unilever and many other enterprises and SMEs across South East Asia.
