The Customer Support Chat App I dream of...

Written by on Dec 26 2011

On LessAccounting, we’re currently using SnapEngage, and we’re fairly happy with it. It has plenty of “features” from the admin/operator side that satisfy our needs. As a customer talking to support operators, however, the feeling it gives me leaves a little something to be desired.

More Human

Most chat apps feel very robotic. It doesn’t feel like you’re talking to a human.

Readable Text

I want single sign-on for users inside of our application. Also, most chat apps ask for an email address to start talking to the operator. Why can’t they grab the avatar from Gravatar so the chat feels like a conversation?

It’s not over yet!

Don’t allow the customer to simply close the window. Gather some feedback. Most chat apps will send you a transcript as the support admin, but reading transcripts doesn’t scale well. If the customer is unhappy, have that transcript sent to another person in support so they can reach out to them.

Chat for most web apps is replacing or substituting real-life conversations over the phone. I hope the builders of chat apps are inspired to push their feature in a direction that bridges the gap; features that focus on warmth and communication. A chat app could be a tool to help you refine and improve your support experience for your customer; not just send messages back and forth with them.

What do you use for a chat app?

How could it be better?

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