8 best web chat solutions in 2024

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2. LiveChat: The best live chat for targeted messaging

By merging sophisticated technology, LiveChat, an innovative AI-powered platform, reimagines customer support and communication. The system provides faster, more efficient responses through targeted communications, resulting in higher overall customer satisfaction. 

It has a configurable chat widget for lead capture, customized chat messages, and a ticketing system for tracking and storing conversation transcripts.

Key features

• ‍Message enhancement powered by AI

With powerful AI that extends, rephrases, and summarizes client queries, LiveChat goes beyond traditional texting. It guarantees that responses are not only timely but also clear and intelligible.

• ‍Chat summary capability

A simple chat summary function allows users to receive a brief overview of chats without having to read the complete transcript; streamlining the evaluation process enhances efficiency.

• ‍Auto-tagging and canned responses

Using automatic tagging and preset responses, LiveChat allows for faster response times. This tool is handy for categorizing and replying to frequently asked client questions.

• ‍Capabilities for file sharing

LiveChat promotes efficient information transmission by allowing users to share files smoothly within the chat interface.

3. Smartsupp: An effective sales chat with video recording

Smartsupp is an advanced web chat platform that assists businesses in improving customer service and increasing sales. It is a vital tool because of its powerful conversational AI chatbot, customizable interaction choices, and connectivity with key e-commerce platforms. 

Smartsupp stands out with a unique feature: live chat with video recording.

Key features

• ‍Conversational AI Chatbot

Smartsupp makes use of advanced conversational AI technology, allowing businesses to provide automated and responsive customer care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The chatbot efficiently handles routine requests.

• ‍Tailored Interaction

Through customizable interaction choices, the platform enables enterprises to give unique responses and recommendations based on customer data.

• ‍Customer Service

Smartsupp assists customer care teams by providing AI-assisted recommendations and insights, increasing their efficacy in meeting customers' needs.

• ‍E-commerce platform integration

Smartsupp interfaces smoothly with popular e-commerce platforms like PrestaShop, WordPress, Shopify, and others, ensuring a consistent consumer experience across channels.

• ‍Video recording

Smartsupp's live chat with video recording is a standout feature. Every visitor's movement on the website can be tracked by sales staff in order to understand more about client behavior and identify places where the sales process isn't operating smoothly.

4. Intercom: The best web chat for sales with smart routing and lead qualification

Intercom is a comprehensive customer care platform with strong web chat capabilities, making it an excellent choice for sales teams. Integrating AI and automation enables agents to efficiently handle conversations across several channels, creating a seamless customer experience.

Key features

• ‍Smart routing and lead qualification

Intercom’s web chat is a product targeted at the sales team that routes leads directly to designated representatives. The chat widget uses chatbots to automatically qualify leads 24/7 to maximize effective lead management & conversion.

• ‍In-app messages

In-app messages are effective business tools that allow organizations to involve customers and give them necessary directions within the app or web.

• ‍Bots for automated responses

Customized bots in Intercom help handle common queries, qualify leads, and provide instant answers to the most common questions posed by users.

• ‍Inbox for unified conversations

Also, all conversations from different channels are collated in one single box, allowing easy reviewing and responding to multiple discussions at a go.

• ‍Mobile apps

Dedicated mobile apps by Intercom for iPhone and Android allow teams to remain connected and prompt even when they are away from their desks.

5. Acquire: Best for connecting to social accounts

Acquire is an adaptable digital customer engagement solution with competent chatbot offerings and real-time chat capabilities. It has web chat software that lets companies capture data using automated forms, and its distinct feature is starting a video or voice call, screen-share, and browsing together within the messenger.

Key features

• ‍Multi-channel messaging

Acquire delivers a multi-channel messaging technology that combines co-browsing and live chat. Businesses can interact with their customers via various channels, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.

• ‍Screen share & smart suggestions

Acquire distinguishes itself by features such as screen share and smart suggestions. The screen sharing tool, available on both desktop and mobile, improves prospect engagements and eliminates sales friction. Artificial intelligence is used in smart suggestions to recognize specific terms and auto-suggest responses, increasing efficiency.

• ‍Canned responses and proactive chat

Businesses can engage clients proactively before they even ask for assistance. Canned responses allow for rapid and uniform responses to frequently asked client questions.

• ‍Customizable branding

Acquire enables organizations to brand their live chat, delivering a consistent and on-brand customer experience.

• ‍Integration capabilities

The platform includes connectors, allowing seamless collaboration and information exchange across multiple technologies.

6. HubSpot: Best chat automation and CRM integration

HubSpot Live Chat is an essential component of the HubSpot CRM, offering organizations a robust and user-friendly platform for customer engagement. 

With an emphasis on customization, it enables users to build a bespoke chat experience consistent with their brand. Because of the integration with HubSpot's CRM system, all interactions are seamlessly linked to customer data, facilitating communication and improving customer understanding.

Key features

• ‍Integration of CRM

HubSpot Live Chat connects with the HubSpot CRM, providing a comprehensive view of client interactions.

• ‍Personalized branding

Customize the chat interface to reflect your business, encouraging genuine and organic conversation with website visitors.

• ‍Automated chat

Use automated responses to respond quickly to typical questions, ensuring consistent and efficient customer service.

• ‍Chatbots

Boost team productivity by creating personalized chatbots for lead qualification, meeting scheduling, and FAQ responses.

• ‍Universal inbox

Consolidate all chat discussions into a single inbox for easy message management.

• ‍Analytics

Gain useful insights on chat performance and customer interactions, allowing you to make data-driven decisions.

7. Freshdesk: Best web chat for multichannel sales and priority inbox

Formerly known as Freshchat, Freshdesk Messaging is a robust live chat support software that facilitates real-time chats with customers using agents or AI-powered bots. 

It positions itself as a conversation and messenger app, offering features that rival more established companies.

Key features

• ‍Multichannel support

To enhance Sales Performance, Freshdesk Messaging offers conversational, automated, one-to-one interactions that are proactive. Companies can interact with prospective clients via a single central space that incorporates all channels by employing multichannel support.

• ‍Priority inbox

It has an inbox that prioritizes and sorts emails according to the expected response time. Through this, essential discussions and their resolutions are not left unchecked.

• ‍Chat campaigns for lead engagement

Businesses use Freshdesk messaging to run targeted promotions that interact with prospective clients on time and obtain proper data for lead scoring.

• ‍Collaboration tools

With such aspects as inviting fellow staff to watch the conversation and tickets between workers, it becomes more accessible, thus leading to smooth collaboration.

• ‍Canned responses and Ticket automation

Streamlining customer interaction through canned replies that provide faster responses than a human agent and reducing pressure on the support staff through automated ticket responses.

8. Nextiva: Best chat for unified business communication and collaboration

Nextiva refers to it as a complete unified communications solution that accommodates a business looking for a singular point in integrating several channels. 

Featuring a range of tools to improve teamwork and customer interaction, this web chat tool makes it easier for organizations to exchange information within their departments and with their external clients.

Key features

• ‍Unified communication channels

Nextiva brings together multiple channels of communication that include voice, video, and messaging into one platform. This facilitates teamwork across any mode of communication.

• ‍Advanced VoIP solutions

The platform is highly reliable with VoIP solutions that enhance clear voice communication and the ability for calling, voicemail to email, call recording as well as auto-attendants.

• ‍Team collaboration tools

Features such as file sharing, task management, and collaborative efforts within documents help Nextiva bring teams together for enhanced teamwork. It becomes the point of convergence of all communication and collaboration needs.

• ‍CRM integration

Nexitva is integrated with CRM systems so that companies can incorporate communication details and customers’ information in their conversations for better interactions.

• ‍Scalability and flexibility

The platform of Nextiva is crafted to grow alongside business enterprises. It is flexible and can accommodate features depending on its requirements.

5 best practices for increasing customer satisfaction with a web chat

1. Automate where you can

Using chatbots in your customer service strategy will hugely improve user experience. Chatbots are effective in responding quickly to regularly repeated queries, thereby decreasing the number of support tickets as well as enhancing the client’s involvement. 

Nevertheless, there is a need to pinpoint the critical areas for automation to conserve the human feel combined with AI-driven efficiencies. Strategic automation of customer support processes should ensure the smooth transfer of complicated cases to human agents with tailored assistance.

To illustrate, common chatbot use cases span customer service, lead generation, online bookings, and website engagement, contributing to more streamlined and efficient customer interaction.

2. Use chatbots moderately

While they offer efficiency, using chatbots judiciously is essential to avoid a robotic feel. Emphasize the human touch by encouraging agents to use common phrases, adopt professional profile pictures, and maintain a conversational tone. 

Flexibility in different languages and an interactive chat channel further humanize the customer experience. 

Therefore, balancing automation and human interaction ensures customers feel valued and understood, reinforcing positive brand perception.

3. Respond immediately

Long wait times negatively impact customer perception. Implement canned responses for quicker, customized replies, enhancing the resolution process and maintaining brand consistency. 

Live chat's benefit lies in immediate connection; avoid putting customers on hold to provide a seamless experience. 

Also, you should communicate operating times and overlapping of the support team’s shifts to ensure prompt responses. Improvements in virtual customer service should include an improved response time as a key metric that directly impacts customer satisfaction.

4. Ask for feedback

Customer feedback is crucial since it gives insights into customer satisfaction and what needs refinement. Use customer satisfaction surveys, feedback forms, and questionnaires to gather the needed insights. 

It’s about timing; giving instant feedback ensures authentic impressions following a client encounter. 

To facilitate this, use a quick rating system like “Good”, ‘Average’,” or ‘Bad”. It is a cycle that continuously incorporates analyzing and processing feedback towards improving self.

5. Track the most critical metrics

Measure KPIs on an ongoing basis to improve performance in live chat. Use indicators like the following to measure the efficiency of customer service: 

• First Response Time (FRT)
• First Contact Resolution (FCR)
• Chat numbers 

You can also classify chats using tags according to their states as well for you to have information on how productive you are in teamwork. It is, therefore, important to regularly measure these metrics against predefined targets to discover and highlight areas that need improvement or where strengths are being exhibited to guarantee the constant provision of satisfactory services.

Finally, observing these best practices in web chat leads to a satisfied customer base and a strong relationship with the business.