Live Chat Statistics 2020: Trends and Insights Businesses Should Know

Published by Magellan Solutions at September 9, 2020

Key Live Chat Statistics 2020

In terms of mobility, live chat has become one of the main channels. This is mainly because of the continuous advancement in the technology that made people use mobile devices more often.

On a global scale, 97% of consumers said that good customer service is important in choosing a brand to trust.
Businesses started to make use of live chat support, especially in the US where 47.5% of the internet users prefer it over chatbots. They claim that chatbots provide many responses that do not exactly help solve the problem.
Live chat gained the highest customer satisfaction level from 73% to 81% compared to 61% of email and 44% for phone according to Econsultancy.
Having this channel is important as 50% of users expect to see this feature on a site.
Based on the live chat statistics 2020 of Finances Online, 67% of B2C businesses use live chat for customer support.
74% of B2C and 85% of B2B utilize it for sales. They also make use of it for marketing with 31% of B2C and 54% of B2B companies as it helps enable a more compelling conversation between a business and a consumer.

Now, if you are wondering if implementing live chat on websites is ideal, the answer is definitely YES. 91% of customers globally want real-time assistance. Up to 21% of them prefer this channel as they can multitask while receiving the needed help from the agent.

Statistics by Industry

The use of live chat is continuously becoming more prominent in various business industries all over the world. However, it seems to be growing more on websites related to retail and e-commerce. This is true especially today that the entire world is going through a crisis and almost every transaction is done through online purchases.

Its impact also reached the travel and hospitality industry faster than expected. It increased the sector’s revenue by 16 million dollars in 2019. It could have been greater this 2020 if not for the pandemic where we should avoid as much as possible the unnecessary traveling and going outside to stay safe.

Another sector benefiting the most out of live chat support is the insurance industry. In just 90 days, they can save up to 1 million dollars from call deflection.

The benefits of live chat is not limited to these business industries. It is surely extended to many more, but they are some of the major beneficiaries.

Adoption Statistics and Usage

There is a continuously rising number of live chat users, which is now at 24%. This is basically because of the waiting time. With live chat sessions, customers can get immediate response compared to social media and email.

Businesses become more aware of the possibility of getting higher numbers of returning visitors on their website when they provide a great customer experience.

Because both companies and consumers are willing to embrace live chat, it is said that by 2021, it will be the top support channel with 71% believing in its capabilities.

One of the main reasons for its fast adoption is high web traffic. It means your website has a high number of visitors. Businesses must take advantage of it by offering instant and hassle-free customer support on their website.

Live Chat Vs. Phone Support Statistics

Phone support is considered as the direct rival of live chat as they are both done in real-time. It has been one of the best mediums for years. But as time passes by, customers are becoming tired of the long queues. Because of this, many noticed the huge drop in the use of a phone answering support.

The number of people who would gladly want to chat rather than talk over the phone is increasing. The no wait time (34%), the convenience (26.9%), and the less invasive method it provides are just some of the reasons why consumers love it.

Chatters spend 60% more per transaction than non-chatters. This means that if you have phone support alone, you might be losing a lot more than you know.

A proof that consumers nowadays prefer live chat over phone support is the statistics showing that 82% of customers are satisfied with their live chat experience. It is a high customer satisfaction rate compared to other channels available.

Live Chat Customer Satisfaction Statistics

The customer satisfaction rate on live chat stood at 83.1% and is continually rising.

The Philippines at 91.71%, Thailand with 89.39%, and Australia at 87.46% are the top three countries in terms of live chat customer satisfaction.

It is proven that 62% of customers are expecting to see a live chat feature available on mobile devices. 82% of them would gladly use it, proof that this support tool is effective and helpful to consumers.

83% of consumers even said they are willing to shift providers as long as they get a better customer experience. That is because it is one of the major factors for them in choosing a brand.

In a study conducted by Software Advice, 46% of respondents said that they have used live chat once on a website. 37% have tried using it a few times for good customer service experience. And 38% of them become customers after getting help through live chat, giving you more reason to make use of it.

One of the reasons why 79% of online users admitted that they prefer live chat is because they get quick answers to their concerns.

51% of online consumers love the fact that through live chat, they can shop or do whatever they want during the conversation. It gives them more time to do other things.

46% agreed that live chat is the most efficient communication method.

63% of millennials prefer live chat than the traditional channels. This is because having a conversation with a live person is one of the best features a brand can offer.

Live chat increases the customer retention rate by 5% as it creates more satisfied customers. 73% of customers agreed that valuing their time is one of the most important things businesses should consider.

When used properly, live chat for customer service can bring you 120% ROI with payback in only 6 months.

Remember that having a live chat feature is not enough. You also need to utilize it properly by providing a fast response time and helpful support team for your consumers.

Live Chat Sales and Conversion Statistics

Live chat has the ability to create a positive impact in terms of customer loyalty, sales, and revenue as 79% of companies said.

If a company offers live chat support, 38% of consumers are more likely to trust and purchase from the brand. It is while having the possibility of 51% of customers returning.

29% of customers who have a good live chat experience would recommend the brand to their family, friends, or colleagues.

38% of buyers purchase because of their experience in the live chat itself.

Companies reported a 34% improvement in customer satisfaction rate and 2.6% in customer care costs.

A study by the AMA found that live chat can be used efficiently throughout the journey of the customer. It includes improvement in marketing awareness at 29%, early-stage sales development at 32%, and post-sales customer support at 39%.

All of the statistics mentioned above may lead to an increase in revenue and profits by 25% to 95% based on the Harvard Business School Report.

According to ICMI, the proper use of live chat may lead to a 48% increase in revenue per chat hour and a 40% increase in conversion rate.

With the help of these live chat statistics 2020, we can say that live chat support can definitely increase sales and boost conversion. Make the most out of it when you outsource live chat with one of the trusted companies in the industry.