The Federal government says you can’t afford NOT to.
Pre-COVID, many businesses sold their products and services via retail outlets, distributors, door-to-door, and at markets and events. Advertising online and in local directories and publications was the preferred marketing channel, and for the most part it was effective. During the pandemic however, businesses had to rely more on online sales, and their traditional methods of advertising were no longer as effective.
As a result, businesses began to take a closer look at their website, eCommerce shops and website chat services to connect directly with customers while they were online at the website. The Federal Government realised it’s importance too, and this is what they say about it!
Government Recommendations For Australian Businesses
Website chat services are a valuable tool for interacting with website visitors and they’ve predominantly been used to deliver online customer service. In the past two years however, webchat services have increasingly been recognised for their potential in pre-sales customer service, as well as providing support to existing customers who are visiting your website.
According to the Australian Federal Government (March, 2022):
“Live chat is no longer a “nice-to-have” feature. It’s best practice for any modern business website. For customers, having immediate access to a customer service assistant is a big plus because it gives them the opportunity to have questions answered on the spot without needing to pick up the phone or wait for an email response.”
Businesses are having to adapt by proactively meeting and greeting their prospects when they arrive at their websites. Engaging potential customers in an online chat provides them with a more personalised experience and lets them know that you are available and ready to listen when they need help.
Websites that don’t offer a warm welcome, clear and simple solutions, and a strong Call To Action will very likely lose prospects to competing businesses.
Huge Opportunity for Remote Working Virtual Assistants
Some business owners we spoke to said they can’t afford the costs associated with hosting an online webchat service and paying $800 per week for a dedicated person to monitor their chat and respond to customers – but that is NOT the case. Most good Virtual Assistants can provide online Customer Service for several clients at the same time!
A bookkeeper who is trained as a virtual assistant and the products and services of the business can have the chat running in the background while they perform other work, allowing them to keep the cost to around $200 per week.
This is a win-win solution for both the business and the bookkeeper.
A competent and capable virtual assistant will be able to:
- Provide exceptional and personalised customer service
- Understand which questions to ask
- Guide prospects to the solutions that best meet their needs
- Capture lead information for future contact
- Facilitate the next steps in the buying process
- Escalate enquiries and complaints to other team members or departments
This option allows businesses to rapidly adapt to managing their sales and service in an online environment without incurring additional costs at the expense of profits.
Website Chat For Your Virtual Assistant Website
Setting up a website chat system may at first glance seem cost-prohibitive; however, in addition to offering your services as a virtual assistant, you can use website chat to monitor visitors to your own website and engage with potential customers. When you see the information available you’ll be blown away!
In fact, some chat services are free at the basic entry level. As a sole trader you won’t need to pay the higher licence fees that apply to businesses with multiple users.
With a webchat installed on your Virtual Assistant website you will find that:
- Your prospects will appreciate the ease of access and direct contact with a professional who can provide fast answers to their questions. This puts you ahead of other virtual assistants and bookkeepers who don’t have a webchat service on their site.
- You will save time by setting up automated responses to common questions. You can even service prospects and customers 24/7 by directing them to a FAQ page or an enquiry form on your website.
- You can use the chat transcript to capture information about the customer’s needs and their contact information for future follow up.
With these advantages, you will have a much higher chance of converting website visitors to real paying clients. Use Google Analytics to monitor the duration of your website visits and the time they spend on each page. You’ll be surprised how much more time they spend on your site when you are taking a personalised approach and guiding them through your service offerings.
Run your own online business and offer Online Customer Service
The Ultimate Office Admin Virtual Assistant Online Course gives you the knowledge you need to work from home remotely providing office admin and support tasks – including online Customer Service.
Having good skills in MYOB & Xero enables you to operate a bookkeeping business from home but good customer service skills brings you even closer to your small business clients because you can help in many more ways.
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Summary
Although website chat services have been around for some time, it’s only since the start of the pandemic that businesses are recognising the value of meeting their customers and prospects half-way. A robust strategy for engaging with website visitors online allows you to capture the attention of prospects, improve client retention and get the jump on your competitors.
Consider expanding your bookkeeping service offering by becoming a virtual assistant and installing a low-cost webchat service on your website. You’ll position yourself as the expert in your field, become more visible to potential clients and industry partners, and you’ll open up new opportunities to earn more income.
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Website Chat Services Can Help Make Money For Your Xero Bookkeeping Business
In recent times customers have become more comfortable with using live chat technology. In fact they not only prefer to engage via a web chat, they expect it.
This article explains the features and benefits of the most commonly used website chat services, and how you can leverage them to attract, engage and retain clients for your Xero bookkeeping business.
