The UX Behind Customer Support Chat Boxes By Tory Darling, ​Codal Inc
______________________________________________________ One of the latest trends in the technology scene is the incorporation of conversational interfaces, also known as customer support chat boxes. This type of technological implementation allows the ​mobile app design company​ to add a human element to the experience of the user, in which the user has the ability to directly ask for immediate assistance. Although since the purpose of this technology is improve the overall experience of website, the experience of the chat box itself needs to be of top quality. Having a conversational interface that does not have a direct focus on the user will result in a frustrated customer. Providing a More Meaningful Experience The commonly held perception of customer support on a website is one that is associated with high frustration and long waiting times. Chat boxes are beginning to change this perception, offering immediate and effective support to the users, if implemented correctly. The immediacy is key in customer support chat boxes. You may have a very thorough Q/A sheet on your website, but if it takes time to read through to find the answer, it is not effective. Focus on the UX: Understanding the User When you are designing the chat box itself and the content of what is included, having a full understanding of who your user is and what they will potentially will ask is key. This data and insight can be generated from extensive usability testing, user research, historical queries of customer support, and commonly asked queries on chat boxes. Since this is a process that can require extensive work, hiring a UX design agency might be the best route to take. Personalization is Key Adding personalization to your overall website or mobile application is always a good practice, but specifically chat boxes need to have that personalized touch since that is the essence of their purpose.
Some of the ways you can add personalization in the chat box is addressing the user by name, referencing past behavior or purchases they have done, or even just having a specific answer to their query. Some key stats according to Mojn to keep in mind about personalization is that 75% of consumers are delighted when merchants personalize their messages and 61% of those prefer personalized offers, even it means a loss of privacy. Provide Additional Help to The User If the chat box is not a sufficient tool for the specific query of the user, it is important to address that and provide an alternate course of action for the user. For example, if the question is very specific to the user, providing an email or telephone number of a customer support individual would be a good alternative for the user. Although a better strategy, if there is the resources for this, is to have an actual human expert on staff that can jump on the chat box if the conversational interface is not sufficient. This seamless transition will only improve the user’s experience and loyalty to the site. Conclusion The UX of a customer support chat box is one of the most critical components that will result in the overall success and effectiveness of the feature. Especially for websites and mobile applications with high traffic and customer queries, hiring an expert UX design company to do the testing, research, and design of the conversational interface is critical. Looking for more insight on UX design services? Are you wanting to develop an app and you need to know the cost to develop an app is? Visit Codal’s blog, or come talk to us here! We’d love to hear from you.
Codal Inc App Development & UX Design Agency www.codal.com