Live Chat Comparison Conducts Secret Shopper Research with Leading Retailers to Test Communication Technologies

Wichita, KS (PRWEB) June 9, 2009 -- Live Chat Comparison (www.livechatcomparison.com) today announced the release of an independent research report, commissioned by Bravestorm and conducted by veteran market analyst and former Gartner vice president Tim Smith titled, "Online Shopping Review: Testing Three Communication Methods."

Smith's intent was to take a closer look at some of the more compelling insights revealed in a recent BoldChat report on live chat effectiveness. (http://www.boldchat.com/v5/live_chat_effectiveness.jsp). A key conclusion of that report was that live chat software is an important tool for driving sales. Additionally, the survey showed that online shoppers ranked live chat as the #1 preferred method of communication - ahead of phone and email - in a variety of typical purchase situations. Intrigued by those findings, Smith put live chat, email and phone to the test by "secret shopping" several leading online retailers.

"I'd recently read through BoldChat's research findings related to the efficacy of live chat and was really intrigued," said Smith; "I wanted to see first-hand if retailers were using live chat to help drive sales and retain customers. I also wanted to use this experience to delve deeper into the best practices associated with live chat."

Methodology

Smith made actual purchases from six online retailers in order to insure the validity of the experiences as actual purchasing scenarios.

Live chat, e-mail and phone were all used as communication methods with the retailers. Smith performed four types of interactions that are typical of online shopping behavior, including inquiring about specials, asking for help finding an item, placing an order, and inquiring about shipping/delivery. While purchasing was done with only one method with each vendor, Smith used each contact method for all other interactions with the retailers. All transactions needed to be completed within a four week timeframe.

While BoldChat's research revealed that Internet shoppers prefer live chat as a way to communicate with retailers, Smith's "secret shopper" experience found that retailers don't always make it easy for shoppers. Smith observed that most retailers prominently display toll free numbers, but burry chat buttons and email tools several layers deep in the website.

Research Conclusions

1. Do It Well or Don't Do it at All. Smith found a significant range of both agent and information consistency from one communication method to the next. If a retailer is going to offer a way for customers and prospects to reach them, make sure it doesn't end up being a missed opportunity to win over a customer.

2. Technology is Not the Issue. While Smith encountered no technical problems with any of the communication methods he used with the online retailers, there were several retail operations issues such as inconsistent feedback, poor process design leading to duplicate ordering requirements, lack of responsiveness and more.

3. Each Communication Method has a Natural Role to Play. Though email makes the most sense for shipping confirmation, sales notifications and less "real-time" interactions, Smith concluded live chat is the most natural progression in the online shopping experience. While Smith found that online retailers still tend to view live chat as primarily a support tool, he cites it as a powerful sales tool if staffed correctly. For telephony-based contact centers, Smith concluded that they will continue to play a role in both sales and support, with integration of chat and email as a challenge that lies ahead in this area.

Full results of the research can be downloaded from www.livechatcomparison.com. Stay tuned to the website for additional research findings and updates.

About Tim Smith:

Having served in the past as both a vice president at Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) and Director of Competitive Intelligence at Avaya, Smith is a product management professional with extensive experience in strategy, execution, product design, and business performance. He has been providing competitive/strategic assessments on behalf of participants in the communications industry for more than two decades.

During his tenure with Gartner, Smith developed research in a number of enterprise and service provider markets and drove the development of several new coverage areas.

About Live Chat Comparison:

Live Chat Comparison was established and funded in 2008 by Bravestorm, makers of BoldChat, to serve as a central resource for information on the live chat software industry. The Live Chat Comparison website provides ongoing, independent research findings and webinars to help businesses find the right live chat software solution for their needs. The inaugural research, Live Chat Market Overview, is an in-depth review of six leading live chat providers. For more information, go to www.livechatcomparison.com.

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