{"id":7715,"date":"2021-02-25T13:07:21","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T13:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpcrunch.com\/blog\/?p=7715"},"modified":"2025-03-20T13:28:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T13:28:56","slug":"what-is-live-chat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpcrunch.com\/blog\/what-is-live-chat\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Live Chat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I can recall exactly the first time I\u2019ve been introduced to the world of instant messaging. Our classmates and I used ICQ to discuss home assignments and how annoying our teachers could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, I can\u2019t imagine a day without WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack. And those are just the messengers I use only all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real-time chats became the new norm in our everyday lives, and businesses are no exception. Clients all over the world want to have a quick and convenient way to communicate with companies. And live chat software<\/a> is a perfect supply to this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this piece, we are going to answer some of the burning questions: What is a live chat? Why is it so popular? And how can you get a live chat for your website?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Live chat definition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Live chat is a messaging app that allows customers to communicate with businesses online in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Live<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Put simply, the definition of a live chat comes down to two key concepts: \u201conline\u201d and \u201creal-time\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you have a general idea already. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve used live chat support before \u2014 to clarify some delivery issue, ask for a refund, or report a bug. It\u2019s become a great alternative to annoying call centers and slow emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, to limit their use cases to just customer service<\/a> would mean missing some great opportunities. A modern live chat is a powerful and comprehensive tool that allows you to engage customers proactively, suggest relevant self-service articles, generate leads, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that the basic live chat definition became somewhat clear, let\u2019s proceed to the part where we talk about its installation and use cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live chat use cases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, the technicalities of the matter are not complicated, so there\u2019s only one question left. What\u2019s a live chat from a business perspective?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though chats have become popular due to their undeniable convenience for customer support, companies quickly saw that the possibilities went far beyond just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 5 most popular use cases for a live chat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc81<\/strong> Live chat for customer support<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Providing customers with a convenient way to get in touch with you is the number one reason to acquire a live chat. With all the modern advanced technology, you can install it on your website or integrate it into your web application. Mobile in-app support<\/a> is becoming more and more commonly used, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, customer support<\/a> via live chat presents numerous advantages (but more on this later) while keeping your costs low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\uded2 Live chat for lead generation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By enhancing your live chat widget with proactive chat messages, pre-chat forms, and a chatbot, you can put your inbound lead generation<\/a> on autopilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how it works. When someone lands on your website, they\u2019ll see a live chat option there. Warm leads will probably contact you right away, and a pre-chat form or a chatbot will collect their contact information for further nurturing. But if they\u2019re still hesitating, a few proactive invitations should do the trick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Live<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\ud83e\udd14 Live chat for customer engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Customer churn and a decrease in customer engagement are inevitable for any business. It doesn\u2019t mean you should just sit by and watch your clients leaving your business. A live chat is a perfect channel for re-engaging people who lose interest in your business or fail to see its true value. You can also use the chat API service<\/a> and install it in your app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use it to send manual in-app messages or set up a few automated nudges that will offer something relevant at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Live<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Live chat for sales<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Adding your sales team to the live chat will allow hot leads to get in touch with it right away instead of waiting for an email response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using live chat for sales<\/a> pitches is a win-win situation for both sides. People who are already on the consideration or decision stage of their journey<\/a> will be quickly connected to a sales representative who can answer their questions on the go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why live chat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Such factors as ease of use, convenience, and the ability to communicate in real time and multitask contribute to the overall success of live chats among customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Businesses can also profit from this channel dramatically. Online chat support allows agents to maintain several conversations simultaneously and enforce their performance with various helpful features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And these are not just mere words. Each factor is a small brick that can directly bring undeniable benefits<\/a> to any business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n