By SiteStaff Team on Jun 8, 2021 2:47:40 PM
The past year has changed many aspects of business for plastic surgery practices, including forcing the need to ramp up online services. Consumers and prospective patients now have higher expectations for what can be accomplished online and live chat has become the most indispensable tool available. That means if a practice doesn’t have live chat, they are not only behind the competition, they’re losing out on leads and conversions. Here’s a rundown of the latest stats that prove live chat’s efficacy for plastic surgery practices.
Consumer Preference and Expectations
The pandemic forced consumers to get what they needed any way they could, pushing live chat to the head of the class for communication channels. When all else failed, live chat was there to answer their questions, resolve their problems and move them along the buyer’s journey, as these statistics prove.
- Customer satisfaction with live chat increased 1.5% from 2019 to 2020 reaching 85.6%. (Comm100.com)
- 38% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business that offers live chat support and 51% are more likely to be loyal to and purchase again from a business with live chat support. (Kayako, 2021)
- More than 40% of consumers consider real-time, 24/7 support one of the most important aspects of a good customer experience. (Zendesk, 2020)
- More than 40% of consumers consider difficulty reaching a human agent one of the most frustrating aspects of a bad customer service experience. (Zendesk, 2020)
- 50% of consumers “choose a channel based on how fast they need a response.” (Zendesk, 2020)
It’s Alive!
Live chat with real human chat hosts who converse human-to-human without scripts makes a world of difference to consumer satisfaction. Here are the facts.
- 29% of consumers report being frustrated with scripted responses. (Kayako, 2021)
- 35% of consumers regard “scripted impersonal responses” as the most frustrating factor with live chat. (Kayako, 2021)
- 70% of consumers prefer human chat hosts to artificial intelligence technologies like chat bots. (99 Firms, 2021)
Quality Counts
Yes, speed of response is an important asset with live chat, but in real life, quality comes first to consumers:
- 95% of consumers “value thorough, high-quality support more than speed.” (Kayako, 2021)
- Live chat that isn’t available as displayed, disconnects or takes too much effort is frustrating to 38% of customers. (Kayako, 2021)
- 84% of consumers have quit a live chat due to “slow responses and poor replies.” (Kayako, 2021)
- 43% of businesses with live chat “know their user experience is not good enough.” (Kayako, 2021)
- 28% of consumers expect a response on live chat within five minutes. (Zendesk, 2020)
Mobility Matters
More and more, consumers demand online access to brands through mobile devices. Live chat that isn’t mobile friendly is only half way to being a complete communication channel for plastic surgeons.
- As of 2nd quarter 2020, online conversions were highest on tablets at 3.2%, followed by mobile phones at 2.01%, and 2.1% on desktop computers. (Statista, 2021)
- In 2020, mobile chats in the healthcare industry averaged 53% and the wait time declined from 14 to six seconds. (Comm100, 2021)
Sales and Loyalty
Keeping in touch via live chat with plastic surgery patients can help build the loyalty, and reap the rewards, that are key to success.
- 79% of businesses report that live chat positively affected sales, revenue and customer loyalty. (Kayako, 2021)
- 52% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to a company with live chat. (Kayako, 2021)
- 29% of consumers have shared a positive live chat experience with others. (Kayako, 2021)
- 63% of consumers “who spend between $250-500 a month online are the most likely to both buy from, and be loyal to, companies who offer live chat.” (Kayako, 2021)
Comparing Channels
When looking at possible channels for communication with patients and potential patients, including social media, email, telephone, and live chat, live chat is the clear winner.
- 41% of consumers prefer live chat, with telephone at 32%, email at 23% and social media at 3%. (Kayako, 2021)
- Unfortunately, 42% of businesses remain under the impression that consumers prefer the telephone, while only 35% believe consumers prefer live chat. (Kayako, 2021)
- Millennials — those born between 1980 and 2000 and the largest generation in U.S. history — “prefer live chat for speed and convenience.” (Comm100, 2021)
- Live chat usage as a channel by businesses is expected to grow 65% in 2021. (Zendesk, 2020)
- Live chat use during the past five years has grown approximately 325%. (Zendesk, 2020)
For more proof of how live chat is fast, effective and personal, download our “Plastic Surgeon Case Study.” To learn more about how SiteStaff live chat can help your practice reach and convert new patients, contact us today.
