When I think of LiveChat technology, I think of LivePerson which has been around since back in the 1900’s (since 1995 / 13 years to be precise). And since I’m all about monitoring the online customer experience, I absolutely love what LivePerson stands for. Here’s a blurb straight from their “about” page:
“Founded in 1995, LivePerson is a provider of online engagement solutions that facilitate real-time assistance and trusted expert advice. Connecting businesses and experts with consumers seeking help on the Web, our hosted software platform creates more relevant, compelling and personalized online experiences. ”
Allow me to pull some powerful statements as they relate to customer experience:
* online engagement solutions
* facilitate real-time assistance and trusted expert advice
* connecting businesses and experts with consumers seeking help on the Web
* creates more relevant, compelling and personalized online experiences
Taking it a step further, I’ve always liked sites that serve the LiveChat option. For me, the most meaninful invitations for LiveChat come after I’ve been on a site for that “oops, she’s probably lost and needs some help” amount of time. But regardless of how it’s presented as a service option, I’ve never seen LiveChat offered outside the web…until today that is.
This morning I received an email from Kiyonna Clothing – a Sitebrand customer that designs stylish plus-size women’s apparel in sizes 10-32. And this email was different!
Yes, this morning’s email personally invited me to have a LiveChat with Kim, a style expert and personal shopper. With just one click, I could chat live with an expert and have all my fashion questions answered…just like I would expect if I walked into the store itself! To me, this is a great way to get personal in the inbox. It’s a great example of thinking differently and I love it. The email also pointed me in to the web site, but this LiveChat invite was such a refreshingly nice way of putting customers first since it truly says “Carolyn, it’s Kim and I’m here IN PERSON to help you get PERSONAL answers to your PERSONAL questions” It wasn’t an intrusive invitation and it wasn’t hard-sell. Plus, to cover all the bases, Kiyonna offered 3 ways I could connect with Kim – LiveChat, email or a toll-free phone call. Sheer brilliance I say! Scroll down to see the email in all its glory AND a startlingly different perspective on LiveChat…one that speaks to Twitter, the new kid on the block…
What do other people thing? I always find it interesting to get other people’s perspectives and for that reason, I flipped this email to a few respected colleagues. Most thought the LiveChat invite in the email was very cool, but one who happens to be very GenY said this: “It’s interesting, but I’m not really big on LiveChat. It actually seems archaic to me because it’s what I used to do online when I was 12.” She went on to say how she prefers Twitter…
While Twitter sounds interesting, I’m not sure how it could be used in a business sense? And I don’t think I’m alone! According to the Twitter value proposition:
“Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”
Since Twitter itself doesn’t even position itself to be a business tool, can anyone tell me how it could be used to help customers the way LiveChat helps customers? Please share your comments as this is spicy stuff!
15 Comments
Kelly Rusk at 16:11 on March 5, 2008
I wonder who your colleague could be? She sounds lovely and smart and very cool…
But anyway, more on Twitter…
While Twitter positions itself as a “What are you doing?” tool, it’s really not giving itself enough credit. Twitter is an innovative communications tool because it’s taking concepts around blogging, forums, chat, and IM and mobile and rolling it into a pretty remarkable tool. As well developers are out developing Twitter apps so it’s continually evolving. And for geeks like me, it’s streamlining all these tools I already use and making my life a whole lot easier.
Check out Jeremiah Owyang’s blog. In fact I’d say he’s personally responsible for some of the success twitter is seeing because he’s such an advocate. He defines it as ” a next-generation chat room that spills over to mobile devices. Why does it matter? conversations, ideas, and news often breaks there before it does on blogs, and often before traditional news. There are many influencers there (that publish on other mediums), and relationships are being formed.”
Twitter is full of influencers, which can be super beneficial if you can get these influencers talking about your brand because there’s a great trickle effect. Check out Jeremiah’s post on ‘What every Web Strategist Should know about Twitter.”
http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/09/04/web-strategy-what-the-web-strategist-should-know-about-twitter/
However, there’s also the option for brands to become the influencers… One great retail example I can think of is Choice Shirts
http://www.twitter.com/choiceshirts
They draw users in with the promise of Twitter-exclusive discounts for the online store. However, they also use it to create an informal dialogue with customers on an individual, yet public, level which is likely building loyal customers who will always come back to spend, spend spend. How’s that for customer experience? Forget about calling a pre-recorded menu — if I have a problem, I’m going to ‘tweet’ you and you’ll have to handle it gracefully and professionally since everyone’s reading! (Alternately, I can tweet about how much I love Choice Shirts, which might make for some awesome Word of Mouth…)
Of course it all depends on your target audience… Twitter is really for early adopters and Gen-Yers if you will, just like the LiveChat doesn’t appeal to me and I am not Kiyonna’s target audience.
Rebecca Muller at 11:39 on March 6, 2008
Hi Carolyn,
Sorry but I have to side with Kelly on this one. I used to have a hard time wrapping my head around Twitter and to be honest, I still think it’s in its infancy. Mainly it’s us marketing folk who are gobbling it up as a way to disseminate information and share stories/blog posts quickly with one another. So I can see how most other people don’t “get” how it can be used as a business tool. I agree I used to feel the same once upon a time.
However, I am now a Twitter convert and I think it is going to evolve into something very usable for marketing. If used properly, I think it can become a very powerful marketing tool for brands who are trying to target Gen-Yers.
Just think people start to publicly follow a brand online wanting to know what exactly “x company” (or product) is doing all the time (what stores they will be in, when a sale is going to happen etc etc). I think this one might have legs – but I admit, it’s going to take a while before we see it being used to its full potential.
- Rebecca
Carolyn Gardner at 12:18 on March 6, 2008
Excellent comments ladies…
So what I’m seeing with Twitter is an app that’s taken on a life of its own! Clearly its own developers didn’t see it doing what it’s doing…or they would position it as such.
But then it’s still in its infancy as pointed out. And being a baby, it’s still evolving into its own.
And most of all, with respect to how it can be leveraged as a business tool, it’s all about knowing your target audience. Actually what isn’t about knowing your target audience?
Next comment please??? Any more Twitter fans or prophets out there?
Shannon McKarney at 12:29 on March 6, 2008
I don’t think they fill the same need, but I think they’re appealing to different audiences.
Live chats have almost never been a tool I’ve been interested in. Then again, talking to salespeople in an actual shop is usually not something I’m interested in either. I am someone who researches things on my own. I expect the information to be available on the website (or wherever) for me to find when I look for it. Usually when I finally do go to purchase something I know what I want, and the only question I ask a sales person is “Do you have it in size _? or colour_?”
That’s why I prefer a tool like twitter. I can get information pushed to me but nobody’s necessarily expecting a dialogue or a response (although you are able to initiate one if you like); it’s just out there for you to do with what you will. You can tell people what you’re doing, what you’re announcing, where you’re going, who you’re meeting with, all very easily. And I don’t have to talk to anybody to get it.
Now, having said this, giving a live chat option is a great alternative for those who aren’t like me, for those who want to ask questions to an actual person and who don’t want to search for answers. And having that option is one way to get some of those folks who are reluctant to spend money online a little more comfortable – give them a salesperson to talk to, give them the experience they’re used to.
Rebecca Muller at 13:03 on March 6, 2008
Good point – I don’t think there’s anything that doesn’t require knowing your target audience.
I have to confess live chat does have it’s place too. Especially when you look at how TD Canada Trust has used it. For example if you fill out a form and are stuck – it could be great to get help finishing it so you don’t lose the applicant.
I think almost every tool has a place in society.
Does this mean we might find you on Twitter soon Carolyn?
Kelly Rusk at 13:54 on March 6, 2008
Shannon sounds just like me. That’s what I should have said! Haha
Also Carolyn, I found this cute little video (via Twitter, of course) explaining Twitter in common language:
http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter
Carolyn Gardner at 15:02 on March 6, 2008
As a matter a fact, I am on Twitter (as of yesterday). But I have no Twitter friends yet. Is that bad? lol
If you feel it in your heart that I could be friend, apparently you can “follow me” at http://www.twitter.com/egirl
I feel so cool now…
I wonder if I look different now? By joining Twitter, I must have knocked 10 years off!
Rebecca Muller at 15:34 on March 6, 2008
Ah.. you’ve always been cool… c’mon now. Watch out.. I’m about to follow you
Linda Bustos at 17:23 on March 6, 2008
I would love to see retailers spreading their wings and adding Twitter options for updates and customer service – even live chat. Because some people are really enjoying Twitter – and others still don’t want to bother with it. I keep trying to get into it, but for me it’s still too unreliable. The site’s often down for maintenance and it’s hard to separate signal from noise in the current interface.
Plus the 140 character limit could become VERY frustrating.
Carolyn Gardner at 19:03 on March 6, 2008
I was wondering about the 140 character limit too!
I guess Twitter’s not kidding when they say they are a service to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”
Key words being quick and simple here.
What happens if you don’t have a quick and simple question? How can Twitter help? I think customer service, at least the kind I expect, comes from LiveChat stuff.
Unconvinced on Twitter for customer service…
Bloggers Digest - 3/7/2008 - Get Elastic Ecommerce Blog at 11:18 on March 7, 2008
[...] other chat and email news, Carolyn Gardner shares an email that invites customers to chat live. I think this is a nice way to build awareness that the site offers personal chat to those that [...]
Kelly Rusk at 12:10 on March 7, 2008
See I think a customer service option is a great idea. The retailer can use it to post announcements.. (Such as “Site maintenance, Sat. from 12-2) or something. Also if you have a quick question you can twitter it AND since it stays up there it can serve as a reference point for future customers. (FAQ 2.0??)
Linda: I strongly recommend using Twhirl. I had the same prob with the web and it drove me crazy.
Nathania at 20:52 on March 11, 2008
Twitter is a great tool for retailers! Last week, @JetBlue noted that there were 2,000 customers flying into Austin and wished them all a great SXSW. The Twittersphere loved it.
I recommend following Twitter on IM or SMS and using the “track” feature. You can find people who are talking about your brand or niche. You can follow them and connect with them, answer their questions and build their trust and loyalty.
Having said that, I didn’t get Twitter at first. I had a “eureka” moment at a local networking event and started using it after then. I recommend finding the tools that work for you. But ask around. If your interactive agency or coworker “gets” Twitter, let them give it a try.
The great thing about Kiyonna was that they offered options. Every online marketing campaign should be diversified. Don’t focus only on email or only on search or only on social media. Integration is the key to success!
Nathania at 20:56 on March 11, 2008
P.S. There is a direct message feature with Twitter, which keeps messages between 2 users private.
Carolyn Gardner at 9:01 on March 12, 2008
Excellent information. And what a great initiative by @JetBlue ! I agree.
But as you say, it’s all about giving customers various ways of communicating with you. It’s overused, but as the saying goes: don’t put all your eggs in one basket.