Best Live Chat Providers

More and more businesses are using live chat providers. Here’s what you need to know about finding the right one for your customer support team.

What is a Live Chat Provider?

Live chat providers offer a service that allows customers to message and interact with a business in real time, from a desktop computer or mobile device. Instead of having to telephone a customer service team, they can simply chat via an instant message box. This happens in real time, giving customers answers as and when they need them.

Why Should I Use a Live Chat Provider?

There are a lot of benefits that come with using a live chat service provider, which is why it’s something that a lot of growing businesses are doing. Using a live chat provider, you can provide support to your customers at all times, even out of office hours. It’s also an effective way of boosting your customer service team’s productivity, as a lot of the customer service side of things is handled by software. It’s also beneficial in terms of customer retention and onboarding, as it ensures that customers feel as though they are being taken care of and listened to. If they have a question or a problem, help is always available and a solution can be found quickly.

What are the Best Live Chat Providers?

There are a number of live chat service providers to choose from, all of which have their pros and cons. Below, we have compared some of the most popular options.

Intercom – Intercom provides a quick and easy way for support staff to interact with customers. It boasts shortcuts for common replies and excellent inbox management. However, some users feel as though the reporting features are limited.

Zendesk – Zendesk is one of the most popular live chat providers out there, and it’s easy to see why. It allows automatic responses, branded chat windows, CRM integration and chats can be exported. However, some of the most advanced features are only available as part of a premium plan.

Tawk.to – Tawk.to can be integrated with most ecommerce websites and all responses can be recorded. There are also a lot of customisable features, including multilingual options. One downside of Tawk.to is that it’s one of the more complex live chat systems to use.

Olark – Olark boasts free trials and no setup fees, making it a good live chat system for those on a limited budget. It also makes communicating with customers simple and straightforward, and there are a range of shortcuts to utilise.

HubSpot – HubSpot Live Chat can be easily integrated with HubSpot tools and contacts, but some users find that conversations are easy to miss. It works well on desktop and mobile, but the chat interface is one of the more confusing for customers.

At Profici, we understand the importance of providing customers with a good online service, and this includes having a functional website. To find out more about our website design and development services, get in touch with our helpful team.