Livechat allows an instant relationship with your customers or prospects. In addition to facilitating contact, it can provide a quick and customized answer. However, if it is used at the wrong time, it can turn out to a bad effect. How to use chat to create a good customer relationship?

Why use a livechat solution ?

According to a Furst Person study, 70% of internet users finalize their purchase if the brand website offers online chat. The main goal is to advise and reassure visitors during the booking process. Concretely encourage them to finalize their booking. It is a very popular communication channel for travelers. According to Econsultancy, 79% of consumers say they prefer chat functions, because they don’t have to wait.

The live chat allows a humanized exchange, in a world where technology takes a very important part. Creating a good relationship trhough this instant messaging can transform a prospect into a customer, and build loyalty. This is what can differentiate an hotelier from an other.

1) Pay attention to the timing  

Timing is an important aspect for creating a good customer relationship and ensuring that the contacted person is at ease. It is important not to be too intrusive. The customer may feel forced to go through with their booking and abandoning their basket.

Let him know you are there for him if he has any questions or hesitations. Give him the opportunity to start the conversation by himself, with « Click-to-chat ». This can be declined on several different widgets according to your tastes and needs: pop-ups, small bubble at the bottom of the screen or a chat window which appears; and the customer will just have to click on it to start chatting with you.

Equally important: Response timing. Yes, you must respond instantly, but not too quickly. The client may believe that your answers are generalized and that he is talking to a robot, in addition to being too intrusive.

You should know that a customer stays on average 2min30 on a website. To be effective, it would be necessary to respond within 30 seconds following the first message.

2. Humanize your conversations  

This is rule # 1 of livechat. We advise you to use short and simple sentences and to take a less formal tone while remaining professional (answer as you would like to be answered).

For instance, you can use emoticons. It is ideal for correcting the lack of body and vocal language. They match perfectly into a professional environment if they are used correctly and with moderation. A smiley at the start of a chat is a good way to create a positive and friendly atmosphere.

Also ask your advisers to use a first name, not a pseudonym. It will be easier for the visitor to talk directly to you.

3. Adapt your speech according to the traveler

It is very important to adapt your speech to each visitor.

The speech fora hesitant prospect will not be the same as the one used with a self-confident traveler. It will be necessary to reassure and personalize your answers to the hesitant client as much as possible, to convince him to finalize his booking

We advise you to wait for an exchange of a few messages to see the visitor’s behaves before adapting your speech. For instance, if the person you are chatting with uses casual language (short sentences and lots of emoticons) follow him. However, if he talks more formally, adopt a more reserved style yourself.

4. Customize your exchanges by using the customer experience

To be efficient, it is important to personalized your answers. You can use the information that the customer entered in the booking engine to better understand his expectations and offer him the best product.

Your sales representatives can also be trained on all the hotel services to advise and inform the prospect. This will contribute to a good customer relationship.

5. Ask for travelers’ opinions

At the end of the discussion, you can ask the visitor if he was satisfied with the exchange he had with you. It is important to give them the opportunity to give their opinion and leave recommendations. This will allow you to know your points for improvement and measure customer satisfaction. You can simply send a link to a survey.

Live chat is a good way for hoteliers to create a 3.0 customer relationship. The key is to know how to use it. Never forget to put yourself in the shoes of the client and to engage a personalized discussion, while remaining professional.