In the competitive climate that prevails on the internet nowadays, no company can afford to have potential clients waiting for 17 hours to receive a response to a simple email.
Let’s see how live chat cuts that time to just over two minutes and saves your hard-earned leads from going to the competition.
Top Live Chat Statistics: Editor’s Choice
- Around 79% of customers said they prefer live chat because of the immediate response.
- 46% of customers consider live chat the most efficient means of communication with businesses.
- 63% of buyers that used live chat services say they are more likely to return to the website because of it.
- 51% of consumers want 24/7 live chat availability.
- Around 79% of businesses claim that offering live chat customer service boosts sales and revenue.
- Having questions answered live on the website is crucial for 44% of consumers.
- Live chat is expected to save 2.5 billion customer service hours to companies and consumers.
Live Chat Benchmark Report for a More Responsive Business in 2022
Listed below are the latest available figures highlighting just how crucial implementing live chat is to your customer experience strategy.
1. At least 81% of all customer interactions are done through live chats.
Especially in recent years, automated tools have become the norm in every business. In fact, it’s crucial for any company to incorporate chatbots and AI in their marketing strategy.
In particular, younger generations are keen on using live chat on a website. According to statistics, over 80% of customers interacted with companies through live chats in 2020. Unlike emails and phone calls, live chats are immediate and less time-consuming for both businesses and consumers.
2. On average, the ideal response time is between 6 and 15 seconds.
It’s not a secret that customers love quick responses—and live chats do the job quite efficiently. In fact, a live chat shouldn’t exceed 7 seconds of response time, according to the benchmark.
In total, consumers can solve their issues in about 10–15 minutes by using the live chat service. In comparison, users generally wait hours or even days for an email response to their inquiry. Even social media responses are not as immediate as live chats.
3. The percentage of customers using live chat during the pandemic has grown by 25%.
In the same period, phone customer support increased by 34%. With this in mind, live chat statistics for 2022 show that businesses have decided to adapt to the COVID-19 trends.
When adding a new channel to their customer support strategy, 27% of companies opted for live chat vs. 30% choosing phone support. Although live chats provide 24/7 support and agents can help multiple customers simultaneously, many users still prefer phone calls.
4. Around 79% of customers prefer live chat because of the immediate response.
According to the most recent statistics on live chat, the second most popular reason is that users can multitask while live chatting, which 51% of the respondents noted. Another 29% believe they get more accurate information than through email correspondence.
5. 46% of customers consider live chat the most efficient means of communication with businesses.
There are plenty of reasons why people prefer live chat customer service over any other communication channel.
Some live chat performance benchmarks indicate that it provides answers faster, while others find it convenient that they can do other tasks while solving that particular problem at the same time.
6. Before the pandemic, 74.5% of chats were conducted on mobile devices.
In that period, the figure has seen an increase of 82% from the previous year. However, this statistic slightly differs from industry to industry. For example, the recreation industry registered 76.5% of live chats used from mobile.
Mobile live chat trends indicate the non-stop growth of mobile usage and underline the need for thorough mobile optimization.
7. 35% of businesses believe their customers prefer live chat.
Despite the multiple benefits of live chat, phone conversions are still king. Companies think that a good 42% of consumers still prefer calling customer service operators. However, live chat is a close second, with over 30% of them using this communication channel. As online chat statistics show, this is mainly the case with younger audiences.
On the other hand, 14% of customers use email communication, and only 9% opt for social media interactions.
8. The average live chat duration registered in 2020 was 657 seconds, which translates to 10 minutes and 57 seconds.
While the duration of live chat has certainly decreased in recent years, the figure reached an all-time low in 2019. These chat statistics confirmed that the average live chat conversion was only 557 seconds long.
However, many experts imply that more extended communication leads to higher customer satisfaction.
9. The average number of daily chats per agent in the US is 16.8.
Not to mention, the US has a total of 68.5 million chats from all businesses. American businesses are usually available for 10 hours and 55 minutes in live chat per day. The average response time is 47 seconds, and the chat duration is 10 minutes and 38 seconds.
10. The average number of daily chats per agent in the UK is 11.2.
According to live chat statistics for 2022, the UK reported a total of 13.8 million chats. In addition, British companies are available for 9 hours and 54 minutes, and the average first response occurs after 53 seconds per chat. In total, a conversation via live chat takes 11 minutes and 32 seconds.
B2B Live Chat Statistics
How popular is live chat when it comes to business-to-business customer service dealings? Numbers show it’s far more common than its B2C counterpart.
10. B2B businesses make up 61% of the live chat market share.
Statistics imply that looking for help through live chat is typically B2B consumer behavior. Considering how significant their customer base is, B2C businesses have a 33% share of this market, which is relatively small. Moreover, nonprofits and B2G account for 5% and 2% of the market, respectively.
Although both B2B and B2C businesses mostly use live chat for sales and customer service, companies overwhelmingly utilize it to push sales as well.
11. 85% of B2B businesses use live chat to grow sales numbers.
That percentage is lower by 11% for B2C companies. These live chat stats prove that their usage varies from industry to industry.
As for the marketing industry, only 31% of B2C companies and 54% of B2B businesses use live chats for sales.
Live Chat Customer Support Statistics
Customer support is one of the most effective purposes of having a live chat on the company’s website. In fact, most consumers prefer this communication channel.
12. At least 21% of companies consider customer service their priority.
Live chat facts indicate that businesses have different approaches when it comes to communication with potential buyers. However, it all comes down to three things: marketing, sales, and customer support.
Around 52% of companies see generating leads as the number one objective for websites and apps, while 27% say booking meetings and scheduling demos are their most important factors.
13. 63% of buyers that have used live chat services say they are likely to return to a website.
Statistics on having live chat highlight some interesting user behavior—62% of those have reported that they are likely to purchase something from the business that offered said services.
This translates into building long-lasting relationships with consumers, as using live chat services increases customer acquisition and retention.
14. Around 32% of customers expect a reply within 30 minutes from initiating contact with a business on social media.
Additionally, statistics by experts on live chat show that 42% of potential buyers expect to receive a response in no more than 60 minutes.
We can argue that expectations are high, and it’s an unattainable goal for businesses. That said, this is where live chat comes in as the perfect solution.
15. The most recent studies show that 20% of customers tell their friends and family about poor live chat experiences.
Conversely, statistics on live chat for business show that 29% of buyers will spread the word about positive live chat experiences.
It’s true that people are more likely to speak about a good experience. However, this means that one-fifth of people won’t shy away from giving companies bad reviews.
16. 51% of consumers want 24/7 live chat availability.
Over 50% of customers have high expectations from businesses, but this is practically an unattainable goal for most companies.
Chatbot statistics show that using live chats and bots can increase conversion rates and keep potential buyers satisfied.
17. A whopping 91% of unsatisfied customers won’t come back to shop.
Online help features are an essential factor for consumers. Just acknowledging you received a message from your customer is an essential first step because consumers appreciate being informed.
Just giving an approximate time frame in which you will provide them with answers or connect them to live agents may boost customer retention.
18. Around 79% of businesses that offer live chat customer service see a boost in sales and revenue, live chat growth statistics show.
The percentage isn’t surprising, considering that 41% of customers prefer using live chat as a direct channel to contact customer service over any other means of communication.
However, this might demand more time and effort, considering the number of customers who are more inclined to reach out through texting.
19. Around 83% of people worldwide are satisfied with live chat.
When it comes to live chat messaging, customer satisfaction statistics show an average rating score of 4.2/5. Even though clients are as demanding as ever, the percentage of satisfied customers hasn’t increased in recent years. It reached its peak in 2015 (over 85%) and dropped by 0.06% between 2018 and 2019.
Ecommerce Live Chat Statistics
Live chat for ecommerce businesses is particularly important. These figures are here to prove it.
20. A shocking 62% of businesses don’t respond to customers’ emails.
Unfortunately, many companies don’t reply to emails. Furthermore, around 90% of businesses never even bother to notify customers they have received their emails and offer solutions. When it comes to customer service, statistics show that there is still room for improvement—and the introduction of live chat can do just that.
21. Statistics indicate that over 67% of sales are lost due to cart abandonment.
Especially in recent years, cart abandonment has been a big problem for businesses. A proactive chat approach is one way to tackle cart abandonment successfully.
For instance, if a customer is on a checkout page longer than five minutes, it usually means they’re looking for a solution to a specific problem.
That’s why adopting a live chat feature to avoid shopping cart abandonment can quickly solve most of the issues and lead to better conversions, statistics prove.
22. Over half of all chats never offered the conversation transcription to the customer.
What’s more, 45% of companies never ask for feedback from buyers after providing customer service. Getting feedback is an essential step to improving the way you run your business. Besides, customers feel more appreciated when the company values their opinion.
Live Chat Conversion Statistics
If a business is looking for ways to increase its conversion rates, implementing live chat support might be a good idea. So, what are the benefits of live chat? Let’s take a closer look at the most recent stats.
23. 63% of customers say they are more likely to return to a website where they can communicate through live chats.
If you’re looking to increase conversion rates and sales, adding a live chat feature can potentially be your best bet.
Because live chats make it possible for both companies and consumers to respond on the spot, it’s not surprising that customer satisfaction is higher. That’s how live chat increases conversion, according to statistics.
24. Live chat has the second-highest customer satisfaction rate of 85%, followed by phone assistance.
While the vast majority of people (91%) still prefer phone conversations, live chat customer satisfaction has been steadily increasing in recent years.
According to the latest data, transportation industry customers seem to be the most content with live chat, with a satisfaction rate of 93.2%. Not far behind are the healthcare industry (92.9%) and the government/nonprofit industry (92.4%).
According to customer satisfaction statistics, the financing industry and telecommunications have the lowest scores, although both are still over 80%.
25. Having questions answered live on the website is one of the most critical features during an online purchase for 44% of consumers.
Customer experience statistics indicate that almost half of the people who visit a website consider live communication with businesses a crucial part of their user experience, which significantly impacts their buying decisions.
26. The global live chat market is projected to grow to $1.7 billion by 2030.
When it comes to implementing live chat on a website, statistics imply it’s a necessity rather than an option.
As business models have become more customer-centric, the need to expand the live chat software market doesn’t come as a surprise. During the 2021–2030 period, it will increase at 8.8% CAGR.
27. According to 49% of respondents, live chat increases conversion rates within two years of implementation.
Statistics of live chat on websites indicate that businesses have grown to understand their audience a lot better, which results in higher customer satisfaction and more sales.
Businesses with a live chat feature on their websites generate a 2.4 higher income than companies that don’t.
28. Companies and consumers are expected to save 2.5 billion customer service hours using the chat feature, statistics on live chat for companies demonstrate.
By 2023, companies will save billions in annual costs for sectors like retail, healthcare, and banking. In 2019, for example, the yearly savings were $300,000. Using chatbots will also significantly cut response and interaction time.
Live Chat Statistics: Our Takeaway
It’s not enough to be reactive; customers expect you to be proactive. Not only that. It’s equally demanding and rewarding to build your business around a customer-centric strategy.
Not only is the live chat an excellent way to communicate with customers about their potential issues, but it can also be an impressive tool to push sales by simply greeting site visitors and indicating there is a way to get answers to any questions they might have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do live chat agents earn?
The average salary for the position in the US is currently $26,702, with incomes ranging anywhere from $18,500 to $35,000, as indicated by live chat agent statistics. The hourly wages span from $11 to $15.
The average pay range for a position varies modestly up to $7,500. This indicates there may not be too many opportunities for advancement based on skill level, but increased pay based on location and experience is still possible.
How quickly do you need to respond to a live chat?
Quick responses are central to keeping customers on your websites, in times when the competition is so enormous that the next option is only one click away for them. There is not much that will frustrate a potential buyer more than a long waiting time, so live chat might be an excellent solution to implement.
Live chat statistics indicate that the average response time is two minutes and 40 seconds. For comparison, it’s up to 10 hours through social media messaging, and 17 hours via email communication.
Does live chat increase sales?
Live chat is preferred by around 79% of customers for its responsiveness. Simultaneously, 46% of people agreed that it’s the most efficient way to communicate with businesses.
Customers that used live chat before making a purchase increased their overall spending by 10%. It also increased the revenue by 48% per chat hour, as per live chat facts. The conversion was also at 40%.
What is the cost of having a live chat on a website?
There are four types of live chat services you can acquire for your website. These include:
- Free live chat
- Pay-per-agent
- Volume-based pricing
- Pay-per-lead
Depending on your specific needs, any of the options could work for you. While missing some flashy features, free live chat can still make for a good customer service option if you are a new business with a limited budget. This is a valuable option, as statistics show that offering help through online chat can grow your business faster.
Pay-per-agent is one of the most purchased options, and, as the name suggests, the overall price depends on how many agents you want involved on your website to deal with customers. The price per agent also varies depending on which service provider you choose.
Volume-based pricing can be as high as $600 per month or as low as $40, according to live chat statistics. It depends on the volume of traffic your website is receiving—which is predetermined by your service provider.
Pay-per-lead is a pricing system based on performance. You pay per lead you get each month, rather than having a flat fee for agreed periods.
Sources
Acquire, Business Insider, Chatbots Magazine, Comm100, Convince & Convert, DataBox, eMarketer, Forbes, Inc, Juniper Research, Kayako, KBV Research, Live Chat, Reve Chat, Super Office, Super Office, Super Office, Zendesk, Zoho