We live in an age of constant connection. Because of the prevalence of technology like smartphones and Wi-Fi, people expect their text messages to be answered promptly, their Uber or Lyft ride to show up on-time, and their meal to arrive at their front door within a projected window. In other words, consumers expect quicker and quicker responses from the businesses they use and visit on a regular basis.
But how quickly do customers expect a response? A recent study indicated that 82% of consumers consider an “immediate response” to their marketing, sales, and customer service concerns to be important or very important.¹ Furthermore, the majority of consumers define an immediate response as one that arrives within 10 minutes.
So, businesses are faced with a formidable challenge. They need to be able to connect with customers on their own terms, whether by phone, text, email, or online. They also should be responding to clients and potential clients as quickly as possible, which means within ten minutes in some cases.
At Weave, our team has developed a response to this challenge. This blog post will guide you through our thought process in developing a solution for responding quickly to your customers that goes beyond calling or a simple web chat. Our solution lets your clients communicate when and how it’s most convenient to them, and allows you to quickly respond to their questions, comments, and requests.
Channels for responding to customers
In today’s world of business communication, you need to be able to respond to customers using a wide variety of methods. What’s more, it’s essential that these various channels be connected by an integrated communication platform. The basis of this consolidation is typically a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system, which links your calls with texts, emails, and other customer communication.
Beyond consolidating your communication to improve response times, it’s also important that your business establish an online presence. Having a strong online presence lets you respond not only to existing clients, but to potential ones. Online reviews and social media accounts should be part of your strategy, but we’re going to focus on your most important marketing tool: your company website.
1. Website marketing
Why is your website your most important marketing tool? Well, it’s often people’s first exposure to your brand and messaging. If your logo looks funny or your website is unorganized, it makes a bad first impression on potential customers. That’s why it’s absolutely worth it to hire a professional web developer to optimize your site.
Increasingly, websites are also the place where prospective clients first interact with you. A good website tool can pave the way to more leads and more conversions. The right tool is a forum that allows you to engage those looking at your site, helps you book appointments, and provides your future customers with quick responses to their queries.
Weave's Smart Technology Can Help you Improve Customer Service
I look at the ROI Weave gives me and the choice to use them is easy. The value of 2 new {clients} a month pays for their fee - and “Missed call Texting” keeps that {client} in my office! The use of their “Quick Fill List” is so efficient for my staff and holes in the schedule are filled- keeping revenue up and {clients} happy!”.~Weave Customer| David Edwards DPM
Schedule Demo2. Scheduling appointments
Your website communication shouldn’t be limited to a chat, as many websites are. It should also put power into your customers’ hands by offering them the ability to schedule appointments online. In fact, more than half of Millennials and Gen Xers say they would switch providers for the ability to book appointments online.²
Nowadays, people can shop for virtually anything online. They also want to be able to schedule anything online. So, an optimal website would include both a website for answering questions, but also would empower customers to set up appointments and get confirmation from your business that the time they selected works.
3. Text messaging
Due to pandemic events, working from home is more prevalent than ever. Business owners have chosen to have some or all of their employees work offsite. Employees can’t always manage to bring their desktop or laptop with them.
That’s why a text option is an essential website tool. Traditional website chats tend to handcuff customers and employees to a website. Instead, make the website a jumping off point for longer conversations by offering the ability to chat via SMS messages that are convenient for staff and clients alike.
4. Weave Web Assistant
Recognizing the demand for a website tool that offers both scheduling and texting options, our team has created Weave’s new Web Assistant tool. It’s designed to give businesses and their customers convenient 24/7 access. This level of accessibility enables businesses to respond to their customers quicker than ever.
Web Assistant provides your business with flexible formats. Choose a side widget, a web page portal, or both. Regardless of which format you select, implementation is easy. You or one of your administrators either uses a code snippet to activate the Web Assistant widget, takes the URL we provide for the web page portal, or both. Once Web Assistant is active, you get updates automatically.
A Quick Glance at Weave Web Assistant
5. Appointment Request
We built the Appointment Request feature to allow customers to take action and schedule their appointments (with your approval, of course). Clients share which time slots would work best for them, then submit that availability for your office staff’s approval.
Once times are submitted, your team has the ability to either confirm a time or suggest an alternative. Customize texts to notify customers as soon as you receive and confirm requests. This type of responsiveness is key to building your client base and improving the overall customer experience.
6. Text Connect
If your conversations with customers are stuck on your website, it’s more difficult to meet expectations and respond quickly to questions and concerns. Customers hate being tied down by a call queue or having to continuously check the tab with your website for updates.
The Text Connect feature of Web Assistant makes communication easy. Customers start a conversation by submitting their contact information and a message through your website, then go about their day as they normally would with any other text conversation.
From there, clients can choose to begin a text conversation with your team. You and your staff will receive these messages in the Weave app, just like they would with any other SMS message. It’s noteworthy that Text Connect also offers your team flexibility in their response time, unlike phones, and lets them text with customers through the mobile app if they’re working from home.
Respond to customers with Web Assistant
Today’s consumers want businesses to respond to them as quickly as possible. Improving response times on your business’s website is instrumental to optimizing the customer journey, increasing conversations, and adding revenue to your business. Weave’s Web Assistant tool gives businesses a dynamic website tool that’s bolstered by the Appointment Request and Text Connect features.
To discover more about Web Assistant, contact us today for a free demo.
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