Pivoting Chat Boxes to Boost Online Sales

By Emily Leavitt

January 3, 2022

Pivoting Chat Boxes
When did the chat box become that annoying customer service representative that everyone furiously ignores or finds irritating? The chat box is such an amazing opportunity for retailers, especially for those who prefer to do their shopping online!  Luxury is all about the experience, and if your chat box is a bot or you just have it on your website because you know you need it….you are leaving money on the table.  
 

Back to the Basics

Luxury brands were founded by creating an in-store experience with exceptional quality in products and services.  Why are luxury brands leaving the sale on their website purely up the customer clicking around to try and maybe find what they want to purchase? Luxury brands need to pivot their chat boxes to using a live in-store sales person to drive their online sales.  Striping the luxury online experience back to the basics you need to ask the question, “how are you making the customer feel on your website? Does it feel familiar to the in store shopping experience?” 

We live in a world of instant gratification, and the technology of the chat box is a perfect tool for customers.  Traditionally, chat boxes are used for customer service, but that needs to pivot to a sales channel. In the luxury industry, using a bot just isn’t going to work.  You may want to use it for some qualifying questions, like name, and what brings them in, but overall you need a live person knowledgeable of your products and knowledgeable on how to sell through a chat box effectively.

In an article by Neil Patel,  he specifically writes about using a live salesperson, not a customer service representative or bot, to increase your online sales.  Customers are not going to remember which chat box software you used, but they will remember the interaction they had with your sales specialist, and probably tell their friends.  With an overwhelming 79% of people preferring live chat because their questions were answered more quickly, and 57% (that’s high!!) actually preferring the chat box sales channel, companies that do not have a chat box specialists are missing this opportunity. 

 

Who is Using The Chat Box?

I have only found a few large luxury brands that have pivoted their chat box to driving online sales. This market is wide open!  Very few said they have a live in-store sales specialist working the chat box sales channel.  But, I had a hard time actually getting to chat with someone, and had to go back a few times during the day which tells me they are not staffing designated and defined chat specialists.  Some luxury companies are also offering virtual appointments, which can be used for virtual in-store experiences.  However, when I tried to book a virtual appointment, I noticed all available times were available. 
 

How Conversation Couture Can Help

Conversation Couture understands that moving to an e-commerce space in the luxury retail market can seem daunting at first. Indeed, it’s challenging to maintain customer relationships and brand consistency. That is why we offer a customized training solution for existing sales associates and managers that is designed, tested and proven to drive greater sales, improve customer engagement, and sustain brand loyalty within a virtual shopping experience. Yes, it can be taught! 

Check out our Offerings and head over to our Online Learning Center to review the courses available to you now!