On any given day, business leaders are faced with making effective business decisions. C-Level Executives make dozens of difficult choices every day that influence the direction of their companies. As President, Theodore Roosevelt said, “In any moment of decision, the best you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
So, what factors into making an effective business decision?
- Identify the problem.
- Analyze the possible solutions.
- Evaluate the possibilities that are likely to bring you closer to your goal.
- Make the decision.
This brings me to the decision to add live chat to a business’s website. This could be one of the simplest and most effective resolutions a business leader could make. Let’s break it down.
Problem: Turning our marketing dollars and spending into profits.
It’s the world in which we live. People will rarely drive across town to learn more about a business when they have the option of getting the same information regarding that business from the comforts of their own homes. Because of this, a vast majority of our marketing dollars are spent directing our audiences to our websites. However, it is also a fact that approximately 97% of those website visitors will leave the website without taking any action. This means we spend money to get them there, but it’s highly likely that almost all of them will leave without pulling the trigger. Why is this? The answer is simple. If no one is available to meet, greet, answer basic questions, and provide some direction at any business, visitors will walk back out the door they entered. It’s why we employ hosts, receptionists, and front desk personnel to accomplish this important task. Our websites are even higher-traffic entry points into our businesses. It is a fact that the majority of our business’s visitors are entering through our website doors. Why would we not have someone strategically designated to greet them when they arrive?
Solution:
Here is what we know. A visitor that has taken the time to visit our website has shown some particular interest in our product or service. They have taken time out of their day and taken the necessary steps to learn more about our business. This is someone we could consider a possible future client. We have a small window of opportunity to make an excellent first impression in which we must take advantage. Are first impressions important? This is where “live chat” becomes “the solution”. Unlike contact forms and other attempts to capture information, Live Chat, if appropriately used, is a proactive approach. It’s immediate and gives the consumer the instant attention he/she deserves.
The Goal:
The goal is simple – we need to increase conversion rates by developing a relationship between our business and our visitors. The more visitors we can engage and keep from leaving our websites, the more opportunities we create. The more opportunities we are creating, the more likely we will see our companies grow. The more growth, the more profit!
Make the Decision:
Why wait? There are complicated decisions we make every day. I can’t even begin to list all of the “Should I?” or “Should I not?” decisions. But, if your company has a website, and that website has visitors coming to it, adding a proactive approach to greet those visitors just makes sense. If you’re still wavering, consider this. If a visitor does leave your website, it would not be surprising if that same visitor became the customer of one of your competitors because they have someone meeting and greeting them with live chat when they enter their business’s website door.
In the sea of decision-making that business leaders are faced with daily, live chat is a no-brainer.
To your great success!
Bill Jennings
President and CEO/SiteStaff