Do you use LiveChat as a communication tool on your website? It’s a great way to engage with guests and it could even increase your bookings.
Live what?
LiveChat involves real-time communication between two people via computer. Once the chat begins, either person can enter text, which will appear on the other person’s monitor.
Real-time benefits
It’s a great method of communicating with potential guests searching for a property. They may have a few questions about your property, for instance, before booking. Using LiveChat means you can provide them with an immediate response, whereas you might take longer to pick up and answer an email, during which time they could look – and book – elsewhere.
As a SuperControl customer, you can now enable LiveChat within your account. Just log in, then go to Integrations > Admin tools > LiveChat and follow the steps in the Help guide. Once you’re set up, any chats you have with potential guests can be imported as a record into any bookings or enquiries they make, within History & Correspondence:
During a chat, if you are willing to ask the website visitor for their email address, the system will also show you if you have had any previous bookings or enquiries from that address.
Get more enquiries
Norfolk Hideaways has been using LiveChat for some time now. Norfolk’s Hetti Simpson said: “It is very easy to use. Although it’s hard to tell how many extra enquiries or bookings we’ve had thanks to LiveChat, it has definitely had a positive effect.
“Principally, the idea for us is to get more enquiries. And it works. It allows us to engage with people who have clicked on the website that might have then drifted off and looked elsewhere.”
Other advantages
Although some guests may still prefer to contact you via phone or email, increasing the ways you can be reached is good customer service. And, there are numerous other advantages:
- It puts you in control; you can steer the guest with your questions and accelerate straight to the point of quoting and booking.
- You can save time by engaging in multiple chats simultaneously.
- It can be used for market research (eg What do guests ask for most? Make sure you provide it, if you don’t already).
- It’s free for the traveller, thereby saving potential guests (particularly if they’re from overseas) any extra charges that might be associated with making a phone call.
Try it for yourself to see what you think. If you have any questions or need help with the integration, please email our Support team.
We look forward to hearing how you get on!