Current trends in the Live Chat Space and the impact this has on the Automotive Industry
Our recent survey of the European ‘Big 5’ markets found that over 80% of car brands now have a Live Chat facility on their website. The drivers for this level of uptake are many. GDPR has made it more difficult to track and capture information about site visitors who are themselves using ad and cookie blockers in ever increasing numbers. ‘Pure players’ like Amazon have raised the bar so that online shoppers expect immediate answers and personalised service. The need to be able to engage immediately and one-to- one with potential customers has never been greater.
But given that the industry’s products are complex and expensive and that purchase is seldom an impulsive action, the uptake of Live Chat by the car industry is not really surprising. Deploying product specialists to engage with car buyers within their online journey clearly offers a better return on investment for an automotive brand than for a business selling cheaper items or where purchase is driven by convenience or simple price comparison.
The value of such services is most clearly evident in the online data we collect. The impact of Live Chat on visitor’s subsequent behaviour shows measurable improvements in visitor engagement and outcomes. For example, those who engage in a chat are three times more likely to download a brochure, search for a dealer or request a test drive.
