You’ve just completed a live chat session. Important information was exchanged, and you want a record of it. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear how to get a hold of your transcript.
Some live chat channels don’t appear to offer an option to request a transcript.
Others don’t always reliably send the transcript even when an option is available.
And sometimes the transcript itself is patchy (particularly if you’ve had a translated chat session, or exchanged documents.)
So, to avoid customer frustration, here’s a quick note re live chat transcript etiquette.
What is a live chat transcript?
A live chat transcript is created after a chat session. It’s a copy of the conversation between the agent and customer, providing a valuable record of every detail of the interaction.
As such, live chat transcripts are useful for customer service teams. Firstly and most obviously, they provide a lasting log of information for support tickets and customer conversations. Transcripts can be synced with your CRM, uploaded to external storage or exported for reporting purposes.
For managers, live chat transcripts also act as a handy agent monitoring tool. They enable supervisors to review specific chat sessions and search for key words they want to track in conversations.
Plus, having records of previous interactions enables agents to offer a more informed service when a customer comes back. This helps make future customer experience smooth instead of repetitive.
But smoother service later down the line isn’t the only benefit that live chat transcripts could offer a customer. And it’s poor live chat transcript etiquette to hoard all these benefits for yourself.
Live chat transcript etiquette
When it comes to chat transcripts, then, the proper etiquette is to make sure customers can have them too. This means ensuring that each live chat transcript is accessible for the customer involved in the chat.
So, how do you follow this side of live chat transcript etiquette?
There are two typical practices for offering chat transcripts: to display a ‘request transcript’ option inside the conversation, or to show the option upon chat completion.
Displaying a transcript option inside the conversation itself can be comforting for customers, as they’ll know from the off that they can get a record of the chat. (And so won’t have to go out of their way to ask.)
But it also adds clutter to the chat window during the conversation, and might throw off agents if the customer requests a transcript midway through a chat.
Meanwhile, displaying a ‘request transcript’ option upon chat completion creates a natural flow. The chat has ended, then smoothly follows the post-chat survey and the transcript option.
The only caveat here is that customers won’t see the option until they end the exchange. So, they may end up wasting their time asking about transcripts during the session.
Some customers might choose not to claim their live chat transcript, but then change their mind at a later date. So, you might also want to make it possible for customers to request previous transcripts.
It’s important to note that not every customer will want their transcript. However, the simple act of providing the option can boost a customer’s experience — whether they take it or not.
Why might a customer want their transcript?
For customers, an accessible transcript option blends the convenience of tracked email conversations with the speed of instant messaging.
Having a copy of the conversation means that customers don’t lose valuable instructions. For instance, you’ve shown the customer how to solve a recurring problem, or how to find something they’ll need again.
By giving them the chat transcript, they have that information the next time they need it. So, they can solve the issue themselves should it recur. All, that is, without getting in touch again.
Giving the customer their live chat transcript also means they have a record of getting in touch. This can help inform later conversations with you on their end too. They know when they last got in touch and they know the advice they last received.
Plus, a transcript is often powerful reassurance. It provides the customer with tangible confirmation of information and offers. It’s proof that can’t be disputed later down the line if another agent disagrees.
It’s the little details
Simply put, proper live chat transcript etiquette unlocks more benefits for the customer. It’s little details like these that make the difference between good customer service and great customer experience.
If you don’t yet have a chat channel, why not get started today? Unlock the benefits of live chat transcripts, and much more, with a 30-day free trial of WhosOn.
Useful links
- - Beyond the [X]: exploring the post-chat process
- - Customer service excellence: it's all in the details
- - How to improve live chat usability: a quick-start guide
- - An open letter to live chat agents, from customers
- - The anatomy of a successful chat session
- - The 3 simple steps of saying goodbye via live chat