DEMAND within the automotive sector is growing – enquiry volumes were up 66% YOY following Lockdown 2.0. Leasing brokers are working to deal with enquires, grow their pipeline and maintain an increasingly digital presence in the face of ever-changing Covid-19 restrictions.
Many are turning to live chat to provide web visitors with real-time messaging and offer a user-friendly alternative to the phone – in turn improving customer experience, capturing website enquiries and boosting online leads both efficiently and effectively.
Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, Head of Automotive Sector at leading communications provider Moneypenny, works closely with brokers to improve business agility and enhance digital presence. Here, she explains how live chat can transform customer service and the sales pipeline.
Website concierge
When trying to juggle working from home and life admin, people need to access information as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Live chat performs as a helpful website concierge to cut out the noise of a busy, content-heavy site and direct visitors directly to the pages they need.
Live chat technology generates six times more website engagement and encourages visitors who wouldn’t otherwise take the time to email or call, to engage with you. A well-timed “are you looking for a particular model?” pop-up offers immediate, helpful support that saves visitors time, reduces the risk of them getting distracted or frustrated if they can’t find what they want and taking valuable potential business elsewhere.
Tailored messaging
One of the major benefits of live chat is the ability to tailor chat messaging to suit sections of a website. Agents can start proactive conversations with personalised auto-prompts such as “would you like more details on our finance options?” or “are you looking for a business or personal lease?”.
This boosts consumer confidence and is proven to increase engagement too. 35% of chats result in a new enquiry, so making every effort to appear relevant and accessible is key to maximising the potential of this technology.
Be available around the clock
With the pandemic changing many peoples’ working hours and routines, being available around the clock is essential to maintain a positive brand image. The ability to capture and handle enquiries in the evening and at the weekend – when people typically look for new cars – can transform a website’s ROI – 37% of our chats occur outside the 9-5, a figure that has increased since lockdown began. Live chat can be managed 24/7/365, to ensure that every opportunity is captured and give brokers a chance to get ahead of competitors by capturing data first.
Live FAQs
Live chat can also be used as a live, interactive FAQ tool and its instant nature is what has made it so popular. Customers appreciate the opportunity to ask quick questions, right there and then, whilst browsing online. By creating a list of common queries relevant to different parts of the website, leasing companies can pre-empt where a visitor might need help and offer relevant, direct support based on the content they’re viewing.
Preparing FAQ scripts for live chat agents also means they can have answers at the ready which enables them to be more time efficient – therefore able to answer more chats and to give customers what they want super quickly.
Build relationships
Leasing a car is a considered arrangement rather than an impulse decision and we know it can take several visits before people feel ready to commit. Brokers can use live chat to welcome return visitors back to the website with a bespoke message, which offers a more personal, friendly service and could be the catalyst for converting a prospect into a customer.
At a time when consumers need reassurance, it’s important to remember that people buy from people. Humanising your live chat service is a crucial step to best represent your business and avoid appearing like a chatbot. You can easily do this through the tone of your live chat responses, by adding photos of live chat agents and using their names so customers can connect with the person behind the screen.
Those within the automotive sector are known for their sales patter and live chat helps to give websites an element of the showroom experience – we can’t give out a warm handshake and a big smile at the moment, but we can use live chat to give the same feeling.
In today’s digital society, people expect a wide variety of channels through which they can communicate. Live chat provides an instant and easy way to get in touch and triages enquiries to keep volume away from the phones. The solution also stores important details securely, allowing for a more informed and seamless follow-up.
Live chat’s reporting metrics offer in-depth analysis of performance and integrate with Google Analytics. Areas monitored include chat volumes, agent response rates, chat durations and survey feedback – all of which arms leasing brokers with the information required to offer the best possible digital experience.
As well as being a quick and easy experience for customers, live chat is simple to set up and can be running within minutes. What’s more, chat data is logged and can be managed through the online portal or from the app on a smartphone.
For brokers keen to protect their customer experience, convert more leads and bring brand values to life, live chat is an important communications channel.
