Whenever I go to web hosting sites of any kind, I see live chat options. Is it really necessary? Will it really boost your sales by allowing people to ask presales questions?
If so, what live chat system to use? I've come across all kinds of crazy things that track EVERYTHING your visitors do (most of them..), but what if just want live chat (something very simple for only 1-5 operators)?

Livechat is a plus but it's not necessary. Not all clients want to go through the hassle of emailing or opening up an instant messenger. With Live Chat, they're able to contact you with the click of a button, no hassles required. If your looking for a free Live Chat client, Livezilla is a pretty good one. It allows the operator to login to support via application instead of php script.

It is not something you need but it does add some value. Potential customer can get questions answered quickly and view the level of service and the speed at which you offer it.
LiveZilla is a good option as it is free. It will allow you to test out the benifits before purchasing a comercial system.

We use Liveperson and have since 2001 , it is not the cheapest solution out there , but we have found it to make us money , and not vice versa.

I like having the option of live chat, but there is nothing that irritates me more than going to a site to look at their hosting plans, their network, things about the host, than to have live chat windows popping up over what I am reading.
Personally, I have never used live chat, but I realize others DO like it and use it a lot. Just please don't make it auto pop-up in my face so I have to click to get rid of it :)
Jo.

I agree with that. I liken that to sales people who hover over you as you look at cars, furniture, or clothing. It's great that you're there, but let me come and get you if I need help. Hovering over me (popping up every so often) is only going to make me leave.

I agree with the other sentiments here, particularly those that LiveChat systems should NOT bombard you with requests for assistance. The user should always be the one initiating the chat, otherwise you're just begging for business.
LiveChat is a nicety for potential new clients to pose pre-sales questions, but it's not "needed" in my opinion. In my experience, since most LiveChat's are often staffed by sales representatives instead of the technical people responsible, it's often extremely difficult to get quick and clear responses to those random technical questions we often have. Often this results in a lot of "Please wait and I'll look into this for you" delays, of which you could've usually obtained the information by e-mail in the same length of time. On the other hand, it's perfectly suitable for those who have basic questions about features and costs, and would like an almost immediate response.

That's precisely the way that I use live chat: to ask a quick, basic question. I want to do this before I invest more time in researching the host. I want to see if my basic needs are met. Most of the time I can find this info out from their website, but when not, I use the live chat. Once I've put the host on my short list, I will then use ticket support/email to go more in depth.
There's nothing worse than wanting to get a quick question answered and having to wait forever for live chat. So if you don't have it staffed properly, I think it can be a hinderance rather than a help. Having to wait more than 5 minutes to initiate a chat is a huge problem for me.
It leads me to believe that it's being used for support which is better suited for tickets rather than live chat.
I liken it to the pharmacy drive through. The drive through should be just for simple drop-off and pick-up. It should be for changing your insurance, dealing with an issue, asking for detailed questions and getting medicine described to you. For that, it's better that you go in.
I constantly hate it when I go to a pharmacy drive-through having to wait behind someone who has to change their insurance, find a new FOP, talk with the pharmacist, or something else that isn't quick. The whole point of a drive-through is for quick and dirty transactions. The same is true for live chat.
Sorry for the little aside! LOL

Absolutely, you've made some great points! LiveChat is meant to be "Live", so excessive delays often begin to result in more annoyance than the complete lack of a LiveChat system to begin with. If you're too busy or under-staffed, either have your system reject any new chat requests, or simply logout and have it "offline", directing to mail/tickets instead.
Support should always be kept to a ticketing system, in my opinion, purely so that all issues are logged and a full history is available. It's completely invaluable to be able to see responses from different support staff in order to learn the development of an outstanding ticket.

We use Liveperson , it is not the cheapest solution out there , but we have found it to make us money , and not vice versa.
Same here.

Support should always be kept to a ticketing system, in my opinion, purely so that all issues are logged and a full history is available. It's completely invaluable to be able to see responses from different support staff in order to learn the development of an outstanding ticket.
I second and third that. So many people want support to be by phone or live chat, but there is no history, no record, and judging the quality is much more difficult, especially when evaluating employees and responses. Support can get very tedious with lots of details and live chat and phone are just not the best venues for that.

If you can't man it 24/7 then it's useless. I've been to too many host sites where it says OFFLINE. Sorry, but that to a visitor means that there is no one manning the server either.

Try duplicating your self by creating an Artificial Intellegent chat agent (a duplicate of you).
I come to found that this software has all you need to create a perfect AI of you. www.virtualsmartagent.com (VSA)
I am planning to have my AI handles tens of thousands of inquiries per day.... which would normally require a lot of staff.
Try it out, it's FUN!

If you can't man it 24/7 then it's useless. I've been to too many host sites where it says OFFLINE. Sorry, but that to a visitor means that there is no one manning the server either.
Do you man your phones 24/7?

Do you man your phones 24/7?
Nope, 9-5. I serve local businesses.

Nope, 9-5. I serve local businesses.
Then to call LiveChat "useless" if it's offline, particularly outside of your own declared telephone response hours, is contradictory.

Does that mean no one´s watching your servers between the hours of 5p and 9a?
Live chat should be sales and sales only and therefore should be open during your sales hours.
Tech support is best handled through tickets and phones again are for sales.

From working in support... I would prefer live chat to phones. Mainly because it is easier to handle multiple chats at once. It also makes it easier to get them the info in writing, and avoid getting into conversations with some of the more chatty customers.
I personally prefer the ticket system. However, most people choose to have multiple mediums of support.

Live Chat?
Not really, though my top level customers get IM support (MSN/Skype ETC)

Very interesting arguments here. I can completely understand hating it when live chat windows pop up out of no where right when you're reading or viewing packages -- nothing irritates me more and turns me off more.

Then to call LiveChat "useless" if it's offline, particularly outside of your own declared telephone response hours, is contradictory.
Business hours are business hours. Call your bank at 7pm and let me know how much help you get. My clients know that when they call, they will get an answer from me personally between 9-5. That doesn't mean that I won't pick the phone up after that. I just prefer to spend time with my family after 5pm and not deal with clients, who can always wait till tomorrow.
As I stated before, my clients know this and they don't mind. I used to have clients call me at 3am all the time when I competed online for webhosting. Those days are over :)
Does that mean no one´s watching your servers between the hours of 5p and 9a?
Yes, no one is watching the servers :rolleyes:
I know your trying to be smart, but I was bringing in a visitors point of view. If the chat is offline, then the visitor will think the servers aren't manned and will move on.

Business hours are business hours. Call your bank at 7pm and let me know how much help you get.
Well my bank has 24/7 phone support (telephone banking). :)
If the chat is offline, then the visitor will think the servers aren't manned and will move on.
I agree with this too, this is why I believe if the live chat isn't manned 24/7 best not to even bother having one. :D

I wonder why people love live chat so much, when they can use IM too.. I rather post ticket, instead of waiting for the operator to reply to many chats, and some chats are spams..

Not sure 'needed' is the right question. I mean, do you really 'need' new customers to sign up for your service? No, you don't... but it's certainly nice if they do. And if adding live help to your site helps accomplish that goal then why wouldn't you do it?
I think you're asking if the ROI is there for the cost. I think most would agree it is.

I have used Live Chats much and I think it's still needed. Especially if you are newbie at hosts/VPS :-)

So, what does everyone think about live chats not being manned 24/7?
Personally, I don't find it to be a turn off, as long as they have an offline reply system within the live chat, but do future clients really correspond an unmanned live chat system to an unmanned server?

We don't man our live chat 24/7/365. But, they are sent to a contact form if we are unavailable. That contact form is linked into our ticketing system. But, I don't think clients would compare a unmanaged chat to an unmanaged server. They should know we are humans and aren't awake 24/7 :).
All the best,

Live chat is indispensable. I have been able to use it to create numerous new sales. Additionally while email or phone support is great for technical support, live chat give another useful method to communicate with your customers. Live chat is cheaper than phone support. Chatting support can manage multiple chats while phone support can only handle 1 at a time.
Internet54 has a good point though, if your chat message shows offline, it may give a bad impression. I am going to fix my offline message right away.

I am going to fix my offline message right away.
AH! I spotted someone who learned from this thread fast!

As said, if it can be maintained 24/7 by any of your departments - I will say it is always good to have live chat option.

Hi,
I would really recommend Livechat software. As said before, it provides a very fast (one touch of the mouse) alternative solution to sending emails etc

Live Chat is the most economical way of handling pre-sales and after sales support.

Live chat can be useless too when the operator is only a level 1 technican, which many host had..

I think that if you're going to have a live chat option, you have to make sure that it's staffed and make sure that there's someone there within fixed hours. Having a live chat option that's always offline will do nothing more than ruin your credibility.