Forrester Live Chat Research Supports Social Media’s Relevance
Mon, Apr 20, 2009
A recent article explored new new research showing the success of live chat services in improving B2B sales conversions. Meaning that when potential leads were inquiring about a product online and had the option to have a live chat the follow results occurred according to Forrester:
- 305% ROI from proactive sales chat with a payback period of 6 months (when using paid chat services)
- 120% ROI from customer service chat with a payback period of 6 months (when using paid chat services)
- Chat assisted application completion rates 138% higher than self service
I would argue that these results continue to build the case for social media’s B2B value. I see live chat as a component that falls under the umbrella of social media. So if live chat can provide this type of value so can a strategy that involves a corporate blog to aid in inbound marketing to drive customers to the live chat. Social media regardless if it is Twitter, a blog, or something else aims to solve problems and build relationships and that is what live chat does as well, so it seems pretty easy to connect the dots.
Kipp Bodnar is publisher of SocialMediaB2B.com. Follow Kipp on Twitter @kippbodnar or Google+.
Tags: B2B, Forrester, live chat, research, social media
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Kipp – thanks for the info – hadn’t seen this research before. Live chat is just a component of a wider social media influence, but it’s great to see some facts and figures to support it. It sets me wondering how brands decide on whose job it is to actually do the chatting. Hmmm.