Following the initial wave of hype and decline, useless business apps are out.
Those that are useful, however, have maintained successful adoption rates. Global downloads of business apps increased by 90% in 2020, for example.
And these thriving business apps all have one thing in common: they offer benefits to customers that are faster and more accessible than anything offered via a website. (Whether that site is desktop or mobile.)
But without app integration into a live chat service, those apps are still missing a massive value-added benefit to customers. Business apps need a chat component if they are to give customers the best experience possible.
Here’s a closer look at why.
The current business app space
Nowadays, not every business wants (or needs) an app. The apps that have survived and thrived are all well-designed and well-considered. They sit in a multi-channel marketing and operations strategy, and offer immediate handheld solutions to customers.
Let’s look at some examples.
Banking apps
Banking apps are increasingly popular. They allow customers to access their bank accounts from a secure, dedicated mobile application. Then, from there, they can view statements and transfer money quickly and easily.
Utility apps
Utility apps allow customers to manage accounts and bills. They’re also handy for keeping tabs. So, via utility app, customers can submit readings, track their usage, view bills, and handle other account tasks.
Travel apps
Travel apps are great for frequent flyers or train users. They allow customers to browse fares, make bookings and plan their journeys. For airline services, users can also do things like checking in and downloading boarding passes.
Retail apps
Retail apps cover everything from food ordering platforms, through to supermarket services allowing in-store interaction like barcode scanning. They typically offer extras such as order tracking, or recipe suggestions, or (useful) push notifications re delivery and stock.
Automotive apps
Automotive apps allow customers to do things like diagnose problems, book services, and keep important vehicle information in one place. For example, Autoglass has an app that can diagnose windscreen damage and find out what work is required to fix the issue.
So, what does the continued success of these different branches of business app have to do with live chat technology?
Apps and chat: a match made in heaven
A smooth app integration into a live chat service makes for a better customer experience.
For an app to be successful, it must offer specific value. (Value that can’t quite be replicated via your website.)
It must be convenient to use, and efficient at resolving customer pain points. And, importantly, it must integrate into your broader business operation and customer support strategy.
What better way to meet these needs – time-saving, problem resolution, convenience – than with an added live chat component?
Adding chat means that customers can raise a query and get an instant reply from within the app. No channel switching, no delay.
They can can still access that unique, specific value that only the app provides – but they get it with an added layer of support if needed.
Successful chat – app integration examples
Many successful business apps already have a live chat element. That is, app users can access a live chat option and speak to a business representative directly.
The uses cases are rich and varied. Let’s return to the examples of apps that are still surviving and thriving.
Chat in banking apps
Most successful banking apps already have chat bundled into the service. Take the HSBC app, for example, that lets users chat to an advisor once logged in.
By adding chat, customers can query items on their statement that they might not recognise, or enquire about how to make a transfer, or any other common query. Chat takes an already accessible service and makes its support just as accessible.
Chat in utility apps
Utility apps also commonly contain a chat function. For instance, the My Vodafone app promotes a chatbot assistant called Tobi – there to answer account queries.
Utility customers using an app may have any number of queries surrounding their bill or account details. Adding chat helps customers get those queries answered in a single space – a space native to their device that’s uniquely personalised to them.
Chat in travel apps
Travel purchases are often expensive or urgent. For such purchases, the presence of a real-time support option can only add an extra layer of assurance.
Once more, travel app integration into a live chat service takes the added-value USPs of saved time, effort, and that little extra functionality, and accelerates them. App users can purchase with confidence and clarity.
Chat in retail apps
The same applies to a chat component in retail apps. By adding chat, the app adds extra opportunities to delight the customer.
For example, say one retail app has a personal shopper function, powered via chat. Or a way to connect a customer with their delivery driver. Or a way to send a picture of a product problem and have an agent send real-time resolutions. Chat only levels-up the existing functionality of the app.
Chat in automotive apps
FordPass is a great example of chat put to use within an automotive app. There, customers can connect to an agent within their vehicle app. It could be to discuss their finance package, for mobility advice, or to ask a question before booking a service.
Either way, the app user gets access to support without having to look beyond the app that’s local to their smartphone.
App integration made easy
So, chat adds extra boons to the added value inherent to successful business apps. But it’s also increasingly easy to incorporate.
Most advanced chat solutions today will now come with an API, making app integration much easier for developers. And, from a company-wide perspective, using an API approach means that the app can also use the same feature-rich chat channel that sits on the website.
There’s no need for app developers to also code a custom chat option from scratch and add it into the app. Rather, they can use the API provided by a chat vendor – the chat vendor that also services their company contact centre operations.
So, all customer chats are held and handled in the same space. This further entrenches the app in the broader company multi-channel strategy, and makes for a more unified operations front.
Do you need app integration into chat?
The WhosOn team is specialist when it comes to custom chat projects.
And, as a sophisticated chat solution provider, we also offer a live chat API for developers to lace our smart chat features into their applications.
If you need a chat component in your business app, get in touch with the team today.