The internet has caused a huge shift in expectations as far as customer service is concerned. Users want information instantaneously, and live chat is one way to appeal to this growing want. Industries like dentistry are leading the way for live chat, making patient experience easier than ever. Whether it's an appointment request or a question for a dentist, live chat puts convenience in the hands of the user.
If you don't like sitting on the phone on hold, or waiting days for email inquiries to receive responses, you can rest assured your patients don't like frustrating waits either. The modern patient doesn't have the time or patience to hang around waiting for answers these days. The truth is, patients expect to have the ability to chat whenever they need. They presume they'll be able to have their issues resolved in a timely manner without being forced to jump through hoops just to get a little help, and as a dental practice owner, it's up to you to give them the necessary tools.
Luckily, live chat's ability to provide instant answers isn't only great for patient engagement; it doubles as a means of reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions by keeping interested web users right where you need them.
Why should you add live chat to your dental practice website? Let's take a look:
Chat channels reduce stress for your patients by enabling you to meet their needs in a more immediate fashion. In a world where everybody is busy all day long, giving your patients the ability to access information immediately is an invaluable marketing tool. In fact, according to HubSpot, "90% of customers rate an 'immediate' response as important or very important when they have a customer service question". Being able to address your customer needs immediately will make them view your practice as more trustworthy, and ultimately more favorable over your competitors.
With live chat, your front desk support team will be able to handle more than one conversation at a time. It's not uncommon for a single agent to service four or five patients simultaneously with live chat. Naturally, the more efficient your front desk staff is, the higher your practice's productivity becomes.
Let's not forget that your patients love efficiency, too. While your front desk staff is helping a handful of patients at once, the patients on the other side of the screen are able to do their own work, pay their bills online, text their kids, and complete ten thousand other tasks they need to accomplish.
In other words, the benefit of efficiency is a gift that keeps giving on both sides of the interaction.
Live chat opens up the possibility of bringing chatbots into the mix. Chatbots are computer programs that are designed to provide a human experience via chat sessions thanks to an assembly of frequently asked questions and automated answers. Patients are connected to the content they need on your website without having to pull away your staff from their other duties.
Nowadays, people don't want to pick up the phone, and they certainly don't want to poke around your website for answers. Chat is a happy middle ground that speaks the language today's patients want to use.
As of 2019, Millennials are expected to officially overtake Baby Boomers as the largest living generation in America. What does this mean? It's a sign of the times. Your future patients have used chat and text all their lives, making this the type of experience that makes the most sense to them. If your practice isn't evolving in ways that make things as easy as possible for your patients, you'll likely lose out on great opportunities to put new patients in your chair.
Did you know that HubSpot offers free live chat software. With the ever-increasing cost of business constantly knocking at your door, how could you turn down an opportunity for cost-free engagement and conversions? With everything you need to support your existing patients and attract new ones at the tips of your fingers, there's no reason you shouldn't introduce live chat into your dental website design.
At The Diamond Group, dental marketing is what we do. If you're ready to boost patient engagement and grow your practice that's known for positive experiences from the moment people interact with your office, we're here to help. Connect with us today so we can get your live chat up and running!