In a previous blog post, I discussed the importance of using live chat conversations to build rapport with your online shoppers -- and how this can help improve your dealership’s follow-up processes.

But what about the trackable data acquired through live chat outside of the content in a conversation -- such as consumer click path and the browser they’re on?

This data, also known as behavioral intelligence, can be very beneficial to your dealership. But before we get into the how, let’s talk a bit about what behavioral intelligence is in respect to live chat and why it matters to you.

WHAT IS BEHAVIORAL INTELLIGENCE?

In a nutshell, behavioral intelligence is the data that reveals the buying behavior of online shoppers on your website. Some live chat providers have the capacity to track a large amount of consumer data (behavioral intelligence) both during and outside of a chat conversation.

But only a good live chat provider will analyze this information and use it to better assist you and your customers. For example, some of the data your live chat team can gather and analyze using ActivEngage’s web-based console includes:

• Number of visits to the website

• Number of pages seen

• Geo-location

• Last page they visited

• Click path through the site

• Browser they are using

• Device shopper is using (Desktop computer? Mobile phone?)

• Referral information - i.e. which search engine did they find your website through? Did they come from a third-party listing site?

Note: The amount and types of behavioral intelligence data available can vary depending on the chat provider you choose, so remember to ask what information is available before you sign up for live chat software!

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MY DEALERSHIP?

When used tactically, behavioral intelligence can help you improve your dealership’s digital marketing strategy. By collecting and analyzing visitor data, you’ll be able to predict and follow consumer trends on your website such as:

• What the most visited VDP pages are

• Percentage of online shoppers returning to your website

• Are more of shoppers chatting via mobile or desktop?

From there, you can use the data you’ve analyzed to further test and improve engagement techniques with online shoppers, and ultimately increase conversion on your dealership’s website!

HOW CAN I LEVERAGE BEHAVIORAL INTELLIGENCE TO IMPROVE MY MARKETING STRATEGY?

Tailored Ad Campaigns

According to recent AutoTrader.com data, 32% of online shoppers are using 2 or more devices for car shopping. If you analyze browser data and find many online shoppers are using mobile devices when they visit your website, you can tailor your ads to be mobile-specific!

You can even use visitor data to better analyze the pages that are getting the most traction, and advertise a particular vehicle or service that’s getting a lot of attention -- then, further tailor your ad messaging by region based on location data.

Ads can be expensive, and having data to back up your advertising strategy is important to your dealership’s marketing success. So make sure to leverage the behavioral data you get via live chat to maximize your advertising efforts!

Behaviorally Targeted Specials on Your Website

At least 64% of today’s shoppers prefer to receive offers relevant to their specific interests. Using behavioral targeting to highlight your online specials to shoppers interested in a specific vehicle or service is a great way to utilize visitor data to personalize your shoppers’ browsing experience.

Here’s a scenario: Let’s say Sally is an online shopper who is on your website for the second time, has seen 6 VDP pages of new VW vehicles so far, and has been looking at a white 2014 Jetta for about 3 minutes now.

3 important pieces of information we can infer about Sally are that she:

• is engaged on your website

• wants a new Volkswagen

• is interested in a white 2014 Jetta

If you are currently offering a cash bonus, low lease with zero down, or any other special on this vehicle -- LET SALLY KNOW.

Having a behaviorally targeted special offer pop up on your website based on your shopper’s clickpath, time spent on a particular page, or the vehicle they're looking at can help guide your shoppers further down the purchasing funnel. Not to mention, they’ll be receiving a marketing message that’s relevant to their current needs!

By customizing your online shopper’s browsing experience, you’ll enhance the effectiveness of your website and improve the consumer experience in one fell swoop!

Customized Chat Invites

Chat pop-up invites can be annoying to customers when used tactlessly. However, some chat providers offer behaviorally targeted chat invites that allow you to tailor WHEN the invite launches based on information like customer click path and time spent on a page.

Let’s go back to Sally, the shopper from the previous scenario. An experienced live chat provider would work with you to better reach Sally based on the visitor data you can gather. How? By using a behaviorally targeted chat invite.

With ActivEngage’s behavioral invite feature, you can even customize the text inside the chat box to include that “cash bonus and zero down payment” special you have currently running on the Jetta!

This tailored message will not only pique Sally’s interest, but also give her the opportunity to get her questions answered about the car she’s interested in via a chat conversation.

By using live chat along with behavioral intelligence, you are essentially providing an additional space for your promotions and an additional point of contact for consumers. You can even leverage visitor location data to further target your chat invitations by usingGeofencing!

Personalized Chat Conversations

Once a shopper clicks to chat, if the chat software your team uses is technologically advanced, they can also use behavioral data to personalize the conversation further.

ActivEngage’s chat console, for example, has Co-Browse -- an exclusive feature that allows the chat representative to share the screen with web shoppers in tandem. So if Sally navigates to a 2014 Passat VDP page during the chat conversation, the rep can ask:

“Sally, were you interested in learning about another vehicle in our inventory?”

or

“Have you considered the new Passat, Sally? It looks great in white as well!”

Personalizing the conversations chat reps have on your behalf will allow you to build rapport with your online shoppers, and help you follow-up more effectively so you can start building relationships with your prospects.

CONCLUSION

Live chat isn’t just a set it and forget it technology. In fact, much of the data you gather from live chat can be very beneficial to your business -- but only if there is a partnership between your dealership and your chat provider.

Does your live chat provider send you live chat AND behavioral intelligence data for review to help improve your processes? Are they using behavioral targeting to leverage visitor data to improve the quality of their chat conversations and the consumer experience on your dealership’s website?

Remember that your live chat investment is only profitable if your provider works WITH you to provide valuable data that helps you improve your processes and your customer’s satisfaction with your services.