In an increasingly on-demand world with a need for instant gratification, live chat has almost become the norm on websites. According to SuperOffice, "41% of customers expect live chat on your website."

One reason to have a chat feature on your website is ease of communication. Consumers like to communicate on their own terms. Some may prefer a phone call or email, but increasingly, consumers like using chat. If a customer can't get a quick response from a brand, their loyalty is likely to dwindle. Imagine wanting to ask a simple question, but having to pick up the phone and wait on hold for 20 minutes. Most users would hang up and head to a competitor's website. 

Allowing users to interact easily while staying on your website also has engagement benefits. While interacting on the chat, users can surf around and click links you provide. This keeps the customer on your website and increases purchase potential. 

It's important to note that if you do have a chat feature, you must use it properly. That means quick response times. Don't have a chat box you can't maintain. Think about staffing your customer service team with people specifically designated to answer questions via chat. Much like listening to hold music, waiting for a chat message to be answered can get annoying and often causes the customer to hang up or, in this case, close out of the chat. 

The other key aspect of using chat on your website is being able to effectively answer the questions that are asked. Be sure your team is equipped with the tools to deal with all the questions that could be thrown at them. Giving your customers high-value engagement via chat is essential.