For e-commerce websites, the conversion rate is one of the most-closely tracked metrics since a healthy rate indicates that customers are finding value in the websites’ offerings, and builds the foundation for sustained success. The average conversion for large online brands is around 3.4 percent according to latest benchmark reports, however 35 percent of companies are said to typically experience less 1 percent conversion. It is therefore important that online businesses constantly focus on removing any hurdle that may be hindering conversions.

Key reasons identified for poor e-commerce conversions include: shoppers having confusion during shopping or during checkout, worries about security, unanswered questions regarding payment, or the product. When the company fails to take steps towards resolution of issues that hamper a customer’s experience on the site, the customer loses trust and abandons both the site and the purchase, resulting in loss of revenue. What’s more, the customer is now less likely to return to the site. It is because of this long-standing impact that conversion optimization has to take top priority for ecommerce website owners.

Great Customer Connect Is Key High Conversion Rates

Great products, clear customer communication and intuitive website navigation are the primary pillars of ensuring a great online experience for customers.  But beyond this, the single most influencing factor on a customer experience on a website is the quality of customer support. After all, if any issue arises during a customer’s visit to the website, it the support executives who play a leading role is sorting them out and helping the customer with their goals. With prompt and responsive customer support, conversions rates become stronger and more predictable as customers are able successfully conclude their online journey.

Technological solutions introduced in recent past can be a vital mechanism to deliver such support. Real-time engagement platform offers powerful tools that empower customer service representatives to serve the customer promptly and ensure a far richer online customer experience.

With interfaces like live video chat or a co-browser  a customer is able to take immediate steps towards resolving issues faced, and feels assured that the problem resolution will be quick and not take days. It is this ease of access to live support that has the ability to transform the conversion rate of a site, reducing abandonment and improving trust.

Website looking to boost their conversions, the following five methods can bring about a remarkable change in customer experience on a website:

1. Easy Access to Live Support – By adding a human factor to customer support services through live chat platform, customers have the opportunity to reach out to someone from the company’s side as soon as they run into a problem or a question. The quick resolution helps the customer to continue with his purchase

2. Quick Responses: The presence of live assistance removes the usual waiting time involved in customer support services. The omni-channel nature of virtual engagement platforms makes it possible for questions or clarifications to be answered immediately by a real person with no delays or back-and-forth dealings

3. Personalized Guidance: Customers can get overwhelmed with the amount of details typically provided on websites. And this can lead to their abandoning their visit. By using a co-browser a tool for simultaneous navigation you can support the customer with their needs, providing step-by-step help, leading to improved sales closure

4. Great Mobile Experience: With a large percentage of online sales happening through mobile devices today, companies have to make sure that all their online channels are mobile-friendly. Virtual customer service offered is flexible across any form of device

5. Face-to-face interaction for better customer connect: Online transactions usually lack the personal touch that in-store interactions have. With live video chat, online businesses can enhance customer communication with visual engagement, facilitating a better understanding of needs. Customers feel reassured and more confident of their purchases.

The benefits of having real time support tools are manifold. There are proven results showing that by deploying them online businesses see increased revenue as a cart abandonment drops, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty thanks to high quality customer service and higher productivity of sales staff as due to higher sales closure as a result of appropriate intervention during difficult transactions.