Picture this: you’re shopping online, eager to make a purchase, and suddenly you have a question about the product. You fire off a message to the seller, and… no response. How frustrating! A good live chat software can solve this problem in no time!
In today’s fast-paced world, customers want quick and decisive answers to their queries. Any hesitation or uncertainty on your part could result in losing the sale altogether. Believe it or not, studies show that a whopping 67% of online shoppers ditch their shopping carts before completing the purchase. Yikes!
So, if you want to keep those sales rolling in, be swift and confident in your responses. Your customers will thank you for it.
This is where this article will come to your aid, as we have listed down the top free live chat software that you can leverage as small business owners to improve your customer reliability and also improve your lead retention rate.
However, before you start reading up on which software is the best for your needs, know more about the endless benefits that this can bring you.
Benefits & Importance Of Using A Live Chat Software
Live chat software is an indispensable tool for businesses looking to enhance their customer support game. It enables real-time communication with customers, leading to faster issue resolution, improved user experience, higher customer engagement, and increased conversions.
Top Selling Points For Using A Live Chat Software
Regarding customer satisfaction, nothing is more magical than live chat. It’s like having a trusty wand to wave and make happy customers appear out of thin air!
This is also the superhero of sales. Just imagine a shopping cart rolling away with a customer hesitating to purchase. But fear not, because live chat is always on standby, ready to jump in and save the sale with a quick chat.
One of the biggest advantages of live chat is its cost-effectiveness. It’s often less expensive than traditional customer service methods such as phone support, which means you can save money without sacrificing the quality of customer care.
Efficiency is key in any business; live chat is the ultimate multitasker. It allows multiple customers to be assisted simultaneously, increasing the efficiency of customer service and freeing up time for your team to focus on other important tasks.
Top 7 FREE Live Chat Software For Entrepreneurs
Let me give you the lowdown on Live Chat Software, the category that has businesses of all sizes covered.
Although these products have many similarities that can help solve business problems, entrepreneurs have different needs when it comes to features, pricing, setup, and installation.
But fret not, we at ProfitBooks have got your back! We’ll match you with the right Small Business Live Chat that will fit your specific requirements.
To qualify for inclusion in this category, we chose products that have received at least 10 reviews left by verified reviewers.
So, let us help you find the right software that suits your business needs, whether you’re a small business owner or a larger enterprise!
1. Hubspot Live Chat Software
HubSpot’s CRM packs a punch with a delightful feature – a free live chat! This means that all those incoming chats from potential customers can be logged right into their contact profiles, saving you the trouble of keeping track of them manually.
Hubspot is a handy tool with a bunch of benefits up its sleeve.
Firstly, you can customize it with your brand style to give it a unique look and feel. Secondly, the chatbot feature comes in clutch with its automated responses, saving you valuable time and effort. And if you want to target specific customers, the welcome message feature allows you to greet them with tailored messages.
Additionally, canned responses ensure that your customers receive consistent answers to frequently asked questions.
Finally, even after business hours, HubSpot’s chatbot builder can keep your live chat running smoothly, ensuring no missed opportunities. With all these perks, it’s no wonder why HubSpot is such a popular choice among businesses.
The best part is that Hubspot has a free version for all its features that lets small business owners leverage it the best. Hubspot is the definition of high-quality service for free.
Included in the FREE version:
- Customizable chat widget: Customize the chat widget to match your brand’s colors and style
- Chatbot Creation: Create simple chatbots that can help answer common questions or route visitors to the right team member.
- Chat transcripts: Access transcripts of all chat conversations
- Ticketing: Create tickets for incoming chats and assign them to the appropriate team members for follow-up
- Chat notifications: Set up notifications so that your team members are alerted when a new chat comes in
2. Intercom
Introducing Intercom, the one-stop shop for all your customer service needs! Say goodbye to clunky transitions between automation and human support, and hello to a seamless experience that boosts customer satisfaction while slashing costs.
Imagine a world where most customer inquiries get resolved with the click of a button, freeing up your team to tackle the more complex issues. That’s the future we’re building, one where your business thrives and your customers leave with a smile.
But what makes it so special? For starters, its chatbot is smarter than your average bot, tackling basic questions with ease and smoothly handing off more complex issues to a human support agent.
Plus, Intercom’s live chat plays well with others, integrating smoothly with its customer support and marketing automation tools. This means you can keep tabs on all your customer interactions in one place, providing more personalized and effective service. And with real-time messaging, customizable chat widgets, and robust reporting and analytics,
Intercom is a must-have tool for taking your customer service game to the next level.
Included in the FREE version:
- Real-time chat: Chat with your website visitors and customers in real-time through its live chat feature
- Automated chatbots: Create automated chatbots using Intercom to handle common queries
- Customizable chat widget: Customize the look and feel of the chat widget to match your brand’s design and theme
- Visitor data and tracking: Understand your website visitors’ behavior and preferences with visitor data and tracking
- Basic customer support: Conversation tagging, basic reporting, and team inbox
3. Tawk.to
Tawk.to is a nifty and cost-effective live chat software that operates with a small JavaScript snippet on your website.
With Tawk.to, you can chat with customers in real-time from your website, mobile app, or even a fully customizable page. It’s like having your very own personal chat assistant available 24/7 to cater to your customers’ needs.
Plus, the best part is that it’s completely free! So if you’re looking for an easy way to connect with your customers and provide top-notch customer service, Tawk.to is the answer.
Included in the FREE plan
- EVERYTHING: The best part about Tawk.to is that it is 100% free. This is the best suited for small business owners, as you don’t have to spend anything at all for the industry-standard live chat services that Tawk. provides.
4. Smartsupp
Looking for a hassle-free way to handle multiple customer communication channels at once? Look no further than Smartsupp! This fantastic live chat software allows you to respond to your client’s emails, chats, and Facebook messages all from one centralized location.
One thing that is exciting about Smartsupp is its handy file-sharing function, which makes it easy to send photos or documents by simply dragging and dropping them into the chat. Not only that, but the platform also boasts a nifty chatbot that can fire off personalized messages to customers, adding an extra layer of engagement to your conversations.
And let’s not forget about the video recording feature, which captures visitor behavior and helps you fine-tune your website’s user experience. All in all, Smartsupp is a seriously cool tool for businesses looking to enhance their online customer service game.
Included in the FREE version:
- Chat history: Access chat history to see previous conversations with your visitors
- Mobile app: Download the Smartsupp mobile app and chat with your website visitors from your phone
- Basic integrations: Integrate Smartsupp with a variety of popular tools, including Google Analytics and Facebook Messenger, to help you analyze website traffic and streamline communication.
- Multi-language support: Smartsupp supports over 50 languages, so you can chat with visitors from all over the world
- Typing insights: See what visitors are typing in real time!
5. Tidio
Tidio is a versatile customer service platform that gives your customer support a boost and enhances your sales. With a live chat widget that’s just a click away, you can keep your business open 24/7.
And, with the help of AI-powered chatbots, your customers can have real-time interactions that lead to more sales.
Tidio is currently used on over 300,000 websites around the world, making it a reliable choice for businesses looking to level up their customer support game.
Tidio allows users to integrate their accounts with multiple online tools. This includes Shopify, Wix, Zendesk, WordPress, Hubspot, Mailchimp, and more!
Included in the FREE version:
- Learn who browses your website and reach out
- Chat live and answer questions to increase sales
- Monitor results and automate chats with AI
- Check where your visitors are coming from
5. Zendesk
The reason we have put classic software like Zendesk at number 5 is that they don’t have a free version. However, they do have a free trial, which will allow you to use the tool just enough to know whether it is worth your money. As entrepreneurs, you need to use as many tools as possible to get a hold of this.
Zendesk is especially helpful for those entrepreneurs who want to experiment with a plethora of chat tools to make their decision.
First and foremost, it offers a suite of customer service and support tools, which means that it goes beyond just live chat. With Zendesk, businesses can manage support tickets, phone calls, and social media inquiries all in one place.
Another standout feature of Zendesk is its robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Businesses can track metrics such as chat volume, response times, and customer satisfaction scores. This can help them identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.
In the free trial of Zendesk, you can use everything that they have to offer but only for a limited time. After the first month of using the free trial, you can choose whether you’d like to continue with the software or switch to another one.
6. Olark
Olark, the live chat software, is the ultimate connector as it integrates with a variety of services like Salesforce, Google Analytics, Slack, Mailchimp, and even Zoom for video chats.
And if you’re always on the go, don’t worry because you can connect to Olark chat with third-party mobile apps available for both iOS and Android devices. So, you can easily chat with your customers without being tied down to your desktop. It’s like having a virtual chat room that follows you wherever you go.
Included in the FREE version:
- Pre-chat surveys to gather visitor information
- Transcripts and chat history storage for up to 6 months
- Basic reporting on chat volume and customer satisfaction
- Email notifications for missed chats or offline messages
- Canned responses and shortcuts for frequently asked questions
7. Zoho Desk
Zoho is not primarily a live chat service. This is simply one of their add-on service on top of their other major services like accountancy, CRM, and bookkeeping amongst others. This is the reason why we have ranked Zoho Desk as number seven.
Zoho Desk is a game-changer in the live chat software market. With its unique features such as automation, AI-powered chatbots, and seamless integration with other Zoho apps, it sets the bar higher than any other platform.
Zoho being a highly versatile online software for entrepreneurs makes integrations and seamlessness its top features.
The software is built to cater to a wide range of customer support teams, regardless of their size, with its multi-channel support, ticket management, and advanced analytics. Zoho Desk is the complete package that will transform the way you handle customer queries and enhance your overall support experience.
Included in the FREE version:
- Real-time visitor tracking and monitoring.
- Automated chat routing to the right agents.
- Predefined and customizable chat responses.
- Chat history and analytics.
- Integration with Zoho CRM and other third-party apps.
Conclusion: Which Live Chat Solution Is The Best For You?
If you are looking for versatility, Hubspot and Zoho Desk are the ones for you. With multiple integrations, they make the best software in this space.
However, Tawk. to can be the dealbreaker for all other software in this list, as it is 100% free. This is the best for small business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking for quality service at low to no cost.
Overall, live chat software is a need in today’s fast-paced world. Your customers will appreciate the instant replies and the seamless chatting experience.
Get one from the list or out of it, but do get it. It’s important.
Great customer service can bring in more revenue. However, you will need robust accounting software to manage your finances this can bring. Find out how ProfitBooks can solve this problem without having you spend any money! Create your account for free today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Does A Live Free Chatbot Work?
Live chat software integrates a chat widget into a website, enabling customers or visitors to connect with representatives in real-time for immediate assistance with inquiries or concerns. The software routes chats to the appropriate agents for prompt resolution, saving time for both parties involved.
How to boost ROI by leveraging an online live chat solution?
To increase ROI with Live Chat Software:
- Boost engagement: Use proactive chat, rich messaging, and interactive replies for personalized self-service.
- Improve conversion rates: Reduce cart abandonment with tailored advice at checkout.
- Monitor analytics: Track chat data to refine your approach and maximize ROI.
- Lower costs with AI: Use chatbots for common inquiries and scalable after-hours support.
Do live chatbots work?
Yes, chatbots can be incredibly effective when it comes to improving customer engagement and reducing workload for businesses.
With advances in AI technology and natural language processing, chatbots can now understand and interpret user input more accurately than ever before, making them valuable tools for customer service and support. They can provide 24/7 assistance, handle routine queries, and even automate complex workflows.
In short, chatbots do work, and they can provide a range of benefits for businesses looking to improve their customer experience.
How does it help in increasing conversion rates?
One way to increase conversion rates using live chat software is by utilizing its smart triggers feature. These triggers can engage customers in specific scenarios, like when they abandon their shopping cart and help close more deals for your business. By using live chat, you can offer real-time support to potential customers who may be experiencing difficulties during the checkout process.
For instance, if a customer is taking too long to purchase, you can offer assistance through a friendly chat window to guide them through the process and answer any questions they may have.
This personalized support can lead to a better buying experience and ultimately help boost your conversion rates.
How many types of chatbots are there?
There are three main types of chatbots available: scripted chatbots, NLP chatbots, and social messaging chatbots.
Scripted chatbots rely on a predetermined set of workflows to interact with customers, while NLP chatbots use AI technology to enhance the user experience by understanding and responding to user input. Social messaging chatbots are integrated within social media and messaging apps, but can also fall under the scripted chatbot category.
Whether you want your chatbot to follow a strict script, be a genius, or be a social butterfly, there’s a chatbot out there for you.
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