Look up behavior traits of a Jack Russell Terrier. Any canine website will state something like “the energetic Jack Russell needs lots of exercise, is vocal, has the urge to jump & explore which results in a tendency to wander.” Unfortunately, I’m not discussing puppies in this post but rather how those traits can be used as a solid metaphor for some web experiences these days. Think of a time when you had an experience on a website where a screen-pop or chatbot behaved a little too much like a Jack Russell Terrier. It probably wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences, was it?
Last week on one of the great #CustServ chats, we had a little fun discussing some less-than-stellar chatbot/screen-pop scenarios we’ve encountered (scroll down to see some of the Twitter excerpts). That chat set me in motion to further document my thoughts on implementing chat as a part of the customer web journey and experience. Many Customer Experience professionals suggest that that overbearing chat requests can actually deter your customers away from utilizing self-service or pleasantly browsing. You might also hear experts stating that chat functionality can increase website conversion by double-digits. So, which approach is correct?
Both.
Proactive chat in the Contact Center/ Customer Experience space is undoubtedly an essential customer care channel. Regardless of whether your organization is B2C or B2B; the powerful use cases for chat functionality are continuing to stack by the hour. In any channel, there are certainly best practices for implementing and leveraging chat pops so that they are there when the customer needs them, but not annoying or abrasive. I always advise that the most important best practice for chat is to ensure that it triggers at an appropriate time and rate. It is important that the chat pop gives the site visitor an suitable amount of time (or clicks) before asking how they are doing.
Like most things in Customer Experience, this is not going to be a one size fits all. A few solid examples that I like to use as reference all happen to be in the automotive industry: Chevrolet, Nissan and Kia. All three of them leverage chat (and bots/AI) a little differently, but they all leverage it in a way that is absolutely there when you need it, easy to find, and not in the least bit overly assertive. I pointed out the chat escalation point on each site with a neon green arrow and provided a screenshot of the initial greeting.
What I like most about the Chevrolet chat icon is that it is easy to find (placed in an assuming spot) but never in the way. They require a quick drop down and gather the regular info to get you on your way.
Nissan places their live chat link right in their main menu. You might have to search the page briefly to find it, but it has a sleek appearance and the data collection is quick.
Kia has their chatbot, Kian, hovering on the lower left corner of the site. Kian is rather robust and easy to navigate but it also does not hesitate to offer up the ability to escalate to a live agent should Kian not be meeting your needs.
Take a tip from these automotive players and ensure that your chat is within reach, but never overbearing. To revert back to the dog references, chat should be more like a Labrador Retriever than a Jack Russell Terrier. Until next time, enjoy these Tweets (specifically check out the hilarious GIF that Mike from Sprinklr created)!
@MarshaCollier – It’s funny that you say that because I always say you should never be the Jack Russell Terrier of help escalation points. 😂 Make it easy but don’t be annoying #custserv
— Becky (Lisson) Roemen (@BeckyRoemen) May 30, 2018
@MarshaCollier you are totally on to something. It will be the cash cow of conference swag! #custservpic.twitter.com/yraMc0O9O7
— Becky (Lisson) Roemen (@BeckyRoemen) May 30, 2018
Never looked at #CX that way––until now! Love it Becky 😂 -Mike pic.twitter.com/0Ij5q0odIp
— Sprinklr (@Sprinklr) May 31, 2018
Cheers,
Becky
Tin Cans & String 