Live Chat Website App

[Gaffney Insurance]

Does anyone have a live chat app on their website? We have thought about adding this and looked at a couple of free ones to see if its worth it. Please comment if your website has a live chat, if you see an advantage of having it, and what company the app is with.

 

[lrixford]

Does anyone have a live chat app on their website? We have thought about adding this and looked at a couple of free ones to see if its worth it. Please comment if your website has a live chat, if you see an advantage of having it, and what company the app is with.

In our experience in implementing thousands of insurance agency websites with our Insurance Website Builder product, agents that chose to implement a chat option are never online. We see less than 5% availability on our clients that use chat.

Never being online causes your agency to look inattentive. An Offline button showing no one is home is worse than not having anything at all.

Chat is for organizations that provide ready support throughout the day and night. It's not off at lunch. It's not unattended during busy times (remember that people will use chat when they cant get a hold of you or wait times are long). It is not off at midnight when they are asking a question about their policy without a phone call waking up the kids.

Therefore I would only recommend chat for agencies that have a well oiled sales organization that has mastered their call operations and are ready to offer their clients a new method of communication that is on par with the phone experience.

Finally, to respond to your actual question. If you are ready to take the next step and looking for a good solution, check out...

Live Chat | Customer Support Software | Provide Support

 

[pcbinsurance]

https://www.zopim.com/ now called Zendesk Chat. Try it out.

 

[Alston]

I use https://www.purechat.com.

When I'm not available the chat icon changes into an email icon. It doesn't show "unavailable."

I recommend that you find a graphic artist who can create icons that use the colors you use on your site. The default icons are OK, but for a few bucks you can make them match your site.

Have your web person find the numbers (each color has a number) and forward them to a graphic artist.

I found someone on fiverr.com who did a decent job (see site below), although the cost was more than $5.00. I think I paid about $40 for the two icons.

I have purechat.com on this site:

https://ctmedicarehealthplans.com

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Until you have a month with over 15 chats purechat.com is free. Your limit goes away for $10 per month.

 

[Cameron Lane]

Pure Chat, capterra, Zopim, LiveAgent etc, are some good options.

 

[NSRH]

When I see a chat option, I always put in fake info, get my question answered, and move along.

When chat is not available I either dig around for the answer, or call.

If you're trying to sell something, don't use the chat option, get the customer to call.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

When I see a chat option, I always put in fake info, get my question answered, and move along.

When chat is not available I either dig around for the answer, or call.

If you're trying to sell something, don't use the chat option, get the customer to call.

I know a few agents that say chat is the best thing that they ever incorporated into their sites...to each his own.

 

[Dave020]

I've used this one off and on (the free version). It allows them to leave a message when you are not on chat. Had a couple of message leads when I did use it so, of course, I stopped

https://mylivechat.com/prices.aspx

 

[somarco]

When I see a chat option, I always put in fake info, get my question answered, and move along.

No different from doofuses that enter in fake contact information in a quote engine/quote request. Any marketer knows to expect a certain amount of visitors like this. Cut your losses early and move on.

Lrixford makes a good point. If you aren't available to respond they move on.

I get the same thing with folks that call and don't leave a message. I write a lot more business when I am in the office and able to answer on the first ring than when I am out or busy with someone else on the phone and can't pick up.

Amazed at how many people do not leave messages.

I don't waste my time with them either. Even if I missed their call by a few minutes I don't call and say "Did you just call me?".

Why bother calling them? If they won't extend the courtesy of leaving a message why should I chase them?

 

[ltruitt]

We really like the live chat option. One of the advantages is being able to reach more customers