But as with most things in life, the way a fantastic customer experience is delivered has also changed. This is because customer needs are evolving, and businesses must adapt to these changing demands. 

Where phone and email were once the primary customer support tools, businesses now have the opportunity to use channels like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and live chat. Most of these tools are already used and loved by customers, making messaging an essential channel for any business looking to enhance the customer journey.

But what makes messaging so critical if you run an e-commerce store?

Why Do I Need Messaging?

Messaging is one of the most popular ways to communicate. From texting family and friends to business messaging among colleagues: it has become an indispensable part of daily life. More than 5 billion people worldwide send messages every day. 

Messaging is so popular that you can leverage it in your business as well. Customers want simple, personalized interactions with the companies they buy from. They don't want to wait days for a canned email response from support or sit on hold over the phone waiting for an agent to become available just to solve a simple issue. That is likely why the majority of customers prefer messaging a business over calling. 

And it's not just for solving problems. Think of e-commerce chat as a cornerstone of conversational commerce. This is where customers ask questions before making a purchase, and put simply: whoever answers the question first closes the sale.

With a messaging service, you can therefore:

• Connect with your customers on a more personal level, building a deeper relationship compared to email. This increases customer satisfaction and drives repeat business.

• Save time for both you and your customers. Messaging allows simple issues to be resolved quickly without customers having to wait for a response. In addition, questions about orders, payments, and other inquiries can be resolved right on the spot.

• Save your business time as well. Because messaging is much faster, customer service agents don't have to spend hours on the phone resolving straightforward issues.

It clearly follows that this is a convenient, interactive way to connect with your customers and answer their questions at a time that suits them. This makes messaging an indispensable component of your customer service.

But I Already Have Phone and Email Support!

Why should you invest in messaging if you already offer customer support through other channels like phone and email?

Don't get us wrong; this isn't about discarding phone or email support. Quite the opposite. Email support is vital for any customer service strategy. It is a simple, cost-effective way to solve customer problems. Similarly, demand for phone support remains high, so it would be a mistake not to offer it. 

However, customers want fast responses. Remember that in a customer-centric environment, the customer comes first—so answering questions and resolving issues more quickly significantly improves customer satisfaction. The goal is not to replace your current systems, but to complement them to elevate your customer service. Think of it as an additional tool in your toolkit.

And remember: satisfied customers are repeat customers, meaning that improving customer service and satisfaction boosts customer retention and, ultimately, revenue.

What About Chatbots?

The next question is: if you invest in a messaging service, should you also invest in a chatbot? Here, the answer is a resounding yes. AI chatbots are a natural progression when implementing messaging in customer support.

In addition to the benefits provided by messaging services themselves, chatbots offer the following advantages:

• They free up time for your customer service agents by answering routine questions that would take much longer via email or phone. Agents spend up to 70% of their time answering these simple questions; eliminating them allows agents to dedicate more time to complex cases.

• They answer customer questions and resolve issues faster. Nobody can deny that computers are faster than humans. A chatbot can sort through options in the blink of an eye and provide customers with the answer they need, right when they need it. This also means customers don't have to wait for an email or an available agent to get an answer.

• Chatbots save you money. They don't draw a salary, and when they operate effectively, there is no need to hire additional agents to expand your customer service team. This makes them a cost-effective solution that saves you money over time.

In short: yes, you should definitely consider investing in a chatbot as part of your customer service messaging solution. The automation chatbots provide can go a long way toward optimizing your customer service and support efforts. The article 3 Facts About AI Chatbots highlights additional reasons why chatbots drive growth.

What Are the Benefits for My Customers?

By now, the benefits of messaging in customer service should be clear. In summary, it enhances customer service in the following ways:

• Messaging is simple and familiar. Customers already use messaging for their personal communication, so they don't have to learn a new technology to get in touch with you.

• Messaging is always available. Customers can ask questions at any time without being restricted by business hours. They don't have to wait for an email or a callback to resolve their issue.

• Messaging is convenient. Customers no longer have to wait on hold or rush to send an email to support before the close of business. They can ask questions whenever it is convenient for them.

• Details from previous conversations are always at hand. There is a clear record of which questions have been answered and what information has already been provided.

• Messaging supports digital content. Unlike phone calls, messaging can deliver visual content such as web links, images, and videos to help customers resolve their issues.

Ultimately, this enriches and improves the customer journey, ensuring that customers are happy to return.

Why Is Messaging Great for My Business?

Now you've seen what it means for your customers, but you probably also want to know what it means for you, the business owner. It is evident that enhancing the customer experience and increasing retention boosts your revenue. But what are the other benefits?

• Messaging accelerates digital transformation. It encourages customers to use digital channels instead of higher-cost channels like phone support. This, in turn, makes it easier to automate customer service, especially through the use of chatbots.

• Messaging drives agent success. Agents can collaborate in teams and seek guidance from colleagues to resolve customer inquiries. This increases agent satisfaction and fosters skill development.

• Messaging is cost-effective. Resolving customer issues more quickly makes messaging less expensive—both directly and indirectly—than phone calls. Over time, this saves you money.

How Do I Get Started?

As you can see, messaging is a critical channel for e-commerce customer support. It can provide that extra edge to all your efforts. But where do you begin? 

Mercury.ai delivers a premium all-in-one solution. Our platform combines messaging and AI assistants for customer interaction automation. It makes it easy to build, operate, and analyze intelligent virtual assistants and chatbots across multiple channels and languages.

It also empowers you to deliver impactful customer experiences across website chat, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. This relieves your agents from repetitive service inquiries, allowing them to focus on high-empathy, complex use cases. The result: reduced costs and increased revenue. The article AI Chatbots in E-Commerce illustrates which inquiries chatbots are handling in online retail today.