10 Advantages of Video Chat Customer Service in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many Americans to work from home, participate in online schooling, and generally spend a lot less time with friends and loved ones. This has caused video chat usage to skyrocket in the U.S., as many people use the platform as a more intimate way to communicate and connect with others.

In fact, 57% of Americans are currently using video chat for work or to socialize with friends, and 38% of those people report never having used video chat before the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the people using video chat say they will keep using the technology even when the coronavirus-related lockdowns are over.

When to Use Live Video Support

Video chat platforms are beneficial in a wide variety of situations, but video chat customer service is particularly important for companies operating both during and after the 2020 pandemic. Here are just a few examples of industries that lend themselves especially well to customer service video conferencing.

Law Firms

For many law firms, in-person consultations are costly, time-consuming, and sometimes impossible (as with COVID-19). But video chat allows law firms to provide face-to-face time with clients in an instant.

Banks

Likewise, many banks struggle to serve all of their customers with in-person customer service. In the past, drive-through banking and ATMs have relied on computers and audio communication to operate, but now many banks are using video chat platforms to enhance the experience and better serve customers. This provides the human element of a local bank from anywhere in the country.

Furniture Websites

Even furniture ecommerce sites are capitalizing on the benefits of video customer support, using the platform to offer one-on-one consultations with customers who have questions about buying a mattress or another significant furniture purchase. This personal attention increases customer satisfaction and loyalty, as customers get to connect with a real person and still enjoy the convenience of online shopping.

Reasons to Use Video Customer Support

There are countless reasons why an increasing number of businesses are adopting video customer support. Here are a few of the most common benefits for companies already using customer service video conferencing.

1. Resolve Issues Quickly

Customers often get frustrated by having to wait in a long queue or encounter automated messaging systems when they call a customer service line. Those frustrations vanish when customers can connect with a video chat agent within a matter of seconds. And because it’s much easier to communicate when the customer can see the agent face-to-face, issues are resolved much more quickly.

2. Create an Omnichannel Experience

Omnichannel customer service is the way of the future, and adding video chat support is an essential step in creating that seamless experience customers are looking for. When email, live chat, and other forms of customer service alone fall short, hopping on a live video call is a natural next step.

3. Reduce Customer Service Costs

Companies with a worldwide customer base spend a lot of money to offer phone support to customers across the globe, but video chat platforms allow those same businesses to freely connect with customers anywhere in the world. Video chat also helps to reduce costs by increasing efficiency and generating analytics that help you improve your business processes.

4. Increase Customer Satisfaction

Customers are usually more satisfied when they can see an agent face-to-face, which offers an irreplaceable human connection. Reduced response times and resolution times also help to boost satisfaction rates among customers.

5. Improve Online Security

It’s always a challenge for agents to verify a customer’s identity or ensure the security of their connection when they’re discussing sensitive information with a customer. But video live chat offers greater online security, allowing agents to confirm who they’re talking to and avoid identity fraud.

6. Enhance Remote Technical Support

Agents can only explain so much over the phone, through email, or via live chat. But video conferencing allows them to offer much more helpful technical support. They can actually see what the customer is doing and provide better guidance through screen sharing and other helpful tools.

7. Improve the Online Shopping Experience

The popularity of online shopping has skyrocketed over the past decade, but there are still many drawbacks that don’t compare to the in-person shopping experience. Luckily, video conferencing bridges that gap by providing the same human element customers crave while delivering the simplicity and convenience of shopping from home. Customers can ask questions and make more informed purchases with the help of live video chat.

8. Boost Customer Service Metrics

Live video chat conferencing allows agents and customers to be more engaged with one another throughout the customer service experience. This helps to boost dozens of customer service metrics, including first contact resolution, average resolution time, and other important KPIs. These data points help companies improve other aspects of their business and increase sales over time.

9. Offer Personalized Product Demos

Many of today’s ecommerce websites use video in conjunction with photos to better showcase their products. But even clicking on a video doesn’t always give customers enough information to make a confident purchasing decision. Fortunately, live video support allows companies to offer personalized product demos so they can answer specific questions and show off certain aspects of the product to help the customer decide if the product is right for them.

10. Serve a Wider Customer Base

All customers should have access to high-quality customer service, but those with disabilities may not always get the help they need when using email or phone support. Video chat conferencing bridges that gap and allows agents to better serve those who are blind, communicate via sign-language, or have other disabilities.

Is Video Chat Right for Your Business?

From higher customer satisfaction rates to the chance to get ahead of the competition, there are endless ways video chat might benefit your business. We’re really only beginning to scratch the surface of the potential video chat has to offer. So what can video chat do for your company? It might be time to find out!