Risky Business: 3 Ways a Bad Outsourced Chat Team Can Hurt Your Sales

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: not all chat providers are the same. Vendor priorities vary, software technology can be user-friendly or not, not all providers hire chat teams within the US, and the quality of managed chat conversations are not equal.

In fact, a bad managed chat service can be detrimental to your business! If the representatives don’t have expert training, do not dominate the English language, and are not held responsible for the conversations they have on behalf of your dealership - it could cost you opportunities and your reputation could suffer.

Whether you already have a managed chat team, or are looking to implement one for the first time -- here are 3 red flags to look out for to ensure your managed chat service is helping your business instead of hurting it:

REP IS NOT TRAINED IN AUTOMOTIVE EXPERTISE

Some managed chat providers do not properly train their staff in the automotive industry, dealership websites, and online automotive retail. Therefore, their conversations typically aren’t helpful in providing valuable information to the shopper, and thus they create a negative online experience.

For an example, take a look at this chat conversation:

[Chat Rep Name]: Welcome!

Visitor33043: Hi. I would like some information on the 2010 Tundra

[Chat Rep Name]: May I know your question please? And just to address you better, may I have your full name please?

Visitor33043: Fred...What do you mean may I know your question?

[Chat Rep Name]: Nice to have you with us Fred.

Visitor33043: Is this an automatic or standard?

[Chat Rep Name]: Give me a moment while I look that up for you.

Visitor33043: Hellooo

[Chat Rep Name]: (3 minutes later) Alright Fred, what I'm going to do is to have my manager get back to you with all the details on it, may I have your email address and phone number for them to reach you?

Visitor33043: Why? Can't you give me an answer?

Visitor33043: Hello?

[Chat Rep Name]: Unfortunately I don't have that information on hand. May I have your email address and phone number for them to reach you?

Visitor33043: Nevermind… found it. Under the transmission speed FYI

If you put your consumer hat on, you’ll notice a few things are wrong with this chat. For example, Fred had to repeat himself because the chat representative didn’t acknowledge his question.

However, what’s most surprising is that the answer to Fred’s question could have been found on the VDP page -- but the chat rep did not take the time, or did not have the training, to know how to properly research the vehicle and provide answers.

Your dealership website needs a managed chat team that is trained to:

Reflect your brand by incorporating information about your dealership in the conversation - such as competitive advantages, whether you have loaner vehicles, dates of your upcoming sales events, and more

Answer questions about vehicle specs that demonstrate knowledge, authority, and encourage consumer confidence in your dealership

Have positive, quality conversations that create good first impressions and convert online shoppers into more leads and appointments for your store

Otherwise, you’re just losing opportunities and dollars, upsetting shoppers, and hurting your reputation.

WORDS GET LOST IN TRANSLATION

If the chat representative cannot effectively interact with your online shoppers, the quality of the conversations being had on your behalf will plummet -- and so will the consumer experience on YOUR website. This can happen two ways:

A language and culture barrier

Some chat vendors outsource their staff overseas, and although utilizing cheap labor saves the upfront costs of chat to your dealership, it can have serious long-term consequences for your business.

When a chat rep is not fluent in English and doesn’t know US culture, some awkward conversations and misunderstandings can occur. In a previous blog, we give an example of a chat rep not understanding the English acronym “Asap!”. It’s the little things like this that make shoppers crazy!

Here are some other barriers that inhibit a chat rep’s ability to produce a personalized, professional conversation:

Is unaware of important holidays (i.e. Labor Day, Memorial Day, etc.)
Does not understand English vernacular
Frequently omits articles in sentences like a, an, and the
Misuses or misspells words often

To ensure your dealership makes the best impression online, you always want your chat representative to be professional. And professionalism includes typing with a strong command of English grammar and spelling, and by being able to hold a conversation that personally relates to your shoppers - even about national holidays.

These details, although they seem like minor communication adjustments, definitely help avoid awkward conversations. When chat reps communicate effectively, shoppers get their questions answered. And when shoppers get their questions answered, they’re more likely to buy from you!

So don’t make your shoppers struggle with basic communication when they’re looking for answers. They’ll leave your website and not come back!

The chat representative uses scripts

Your online shoppers DO NOT want to talk to Mr. Roboto. They want to have real conversations with real people. However, some managed chat providers do use scripts because they believe scripts give them consistency that is measurable, and that they have more control over the conversations.

The problem with this is that there is nothing natural about scripted chat conversations -- they just frustrate your shoppers! Your staff doesn’t use scripts on the sales floor, so why would you allow your managed chat team to use them on your website?

One of the biggest reasons your website visitors love using live chat and willingly give out their contact information along with other useful information, is that there is another human being tending to their needs.

To make your shoppers happy, find a managed chat provider whose team is expertly trained to have personalized conversations based on the individual chatting in, not representatives that think “one script fits all.”

ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY FROM YOUR PROVIDER

Many managed chat providers do not offer a proper support team dedicated to ensuring dealership customers are happy with their chat service, or that can help them fix other areas of their digital marketing.

This may be because the provider doesn’t have the resources, doesn’t want to pay for it, or may not see the benefit in investing in people who specialize in assisting customers with their success.

However, a support team is essential because like all digital marketing, live chat requires monitoring and adjusting to fit the needs of the modern shopper.

The chat experience is changing over time as shoppers get smarter about technology and get more familiar with using the service. Your chat provider has to adapt to the shopper and the dealership’s needs - and the only way to adapt properly is to have a good support team that keeps track of YOUR success.

You shouldn’t p a chat provider to set up a service and just disappear, leaving nothing behind but a 1-800 number.

The best managed chat providers understand that a chat service is a partnership with your dealership. So choose a live chat provider that will be dedicated to helping you by offering you the personalized and proactive support you need to win more sales.

Remember: Your chat investment is only as good as the quality of the conversations had on your behalf. Do your research before selecting a managed chat provider and ask the necessary questions to ensure you get a professional chat service that will meet your shopper’s needs and increase your sales.

Are you considering a managed chat provider for your dealership, but are unsure what other red flags to look out for? If so, check out this free eBook:

The Top 5 Reasons Managed Chat Fails

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Comment by Lisandra Ramos on March 16, 2015 at 9:44am: Thanks for your feedback, Wendy. I wholeheartedly agree with you! Listening is a key ingredient in a successful chat conversation -- whether it's outsourced, hybrid, or in-house.

I believe that sort of ties into what Steve says about the need for chemistry between online shoppers and chat representatives. A team trained to listen for emotional and verbal cues (and respond accordingly) will usually be able to not only get the lead, but also build enough rapport to help the dealership staff follow up.

Comment by steven chessin on March 13, 2015 at 6:42pm: I can smell bad chat a mile away. It is just as bad as bad phone talk -or bad face-2-face. Maybe chat reps should be taught to T.O.when they know they have no chemistry.

Never forget the core rules - people that they like - people that are like them. This is why sales people make terrible chatters. If they have personal charm it is hard to bring to chat - and if they don't - chat will show that real fast.

"Hi what is the best price I can get for this car ?"

I would be glad to help you with that. That car has both dealer discounts and factory rebates. Are you pretty sure this one has everything you are looking for ? You selected the color black but there are 3 variations if that matters to you. This one is the metallic ..... there is non-metallic and matte available as well

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I want chatters to COMMUNICATE not NEGOTIATE. If the customer is short-tempered the chatter only has to say they are getting info about what is wanted to give to the sales manager --- don't kill the messenger

Comment by Wendy Reeves on March 13, 2015 at 5:43pm: Excellent article. As a former BDC Manager and Director, I have both had vendors set up in-store BDRs and other staff that were successful with the chat responses and helped to drive traffic, and worked with good vendors whose own staff did the same. If it's done the right way, using dealer feedback (and closely monitored by the dealership for quality control), it can be done outsourced. However, so many ways that it can turn off a customer quickly, to the point where he/she leaves the site and never steps foot on the lot. Just as it is important for BDC staff, internet sales staff to read comments in an internet "lead", it is equally important for a chat rep, in house or outsourced, to "listen" to the customer's needs, especially with the "anonymity" that the chat gives the website visitor, I can see it growing in popularity.....thanks for sharing.

Comment by Lisandra Ramos on March 3, 2015 at 10:24am: Linda -- thanks for your feedback!

You are 100% right -- More than accepting responsibility for the quality of chat conversations had on behalf of the dealership whenever the dealer calls, a good managed chat provider will be in constant communication with the dealership to ensure chat conversations align with the dealership's goals. If there is an adjustment to be made, the dealer should have a point of contact, such as a Training Leader -- and the chat team needs to react IMMEDIATELY to that feedback!

Having a managed chat team that works from home or that does not live in the US can negatively impact those conversations, as well as the provider's ability to be responsive and hold its team accountable. Choosing a centrally-managed chat team is the most effective way to ensure accountability and a top-notch chat service (the only way, in my opinion).

Also, you made an excellent point relating to language. In many cases, if not most, it's crucial for the dealership to be able to communicate with diverse shoppers. Having bilingual chat representatives and translation features in chat software are both excellent tools for that! You don't want to drive out prospective customers because of miscommunications -- in fact, these communication tools might be what set you apart from the competition.

Steve -- you’ve hit the nail on the head: “If you do not have chat you are 10 years behind. If it isn't managed 5 years late. If not managed PROPERLY - 3 years behind competitors.”

Comment by Linda Webber on March 2, 2015 at 8:02pm: Lisandra, this is a very good article. In addition to your points above, managed chat providers should be responsive to dealer feedback. When I read a chat (and I read them all), and I notice an operator has fallen off track on the communication, I immediately forward the transcript to the Team Leader for all to be trained. Providers need to be responsive and remedy communication concerns, even if it means making staffing changes. Second, as it relates to language, you could also turn the table and state how important it is for the managed chat provider to be bi-lingual. In major metro areas particularly, it is critical for the managed chat provider to be able to speak the language. Customers are more comfortable communicating in their native tongue. We receive many chat inquiries in a variety of languages from Spanish to Tagalog. You can tell from the dialogue and the length of the chat whether or not your customers are comfortable with the communication they receive from the chat operator. I am a big proponent of managed chat. But mostly because we have aligned with a solid partner. It all really comes back to another point that was made in the string...dealers need to inspect what they expect.

Comment by steven chessin on March 2, 2015 at 3:17pm: Lisandra

There are deep roots in the auto sales business that the entire sales process should be performed by salesmen as it was in 1950 by a pro car salesman. And then they place an ad on Craigslist for no-experience needed. The leap from salesman using a phone - then email - then also chat - is a huge step for most dealers to accept. Then when that doesn't work to managed chat. Finally - to managed properly chat.

Whew - what a journey !

Here's what matters. If you do not have chat you are 10 years behind. If it isn't managed 5 years late. If not managed PROPERLY - 3 years behind competitors. You do not have 10 years - 5 - or even 3 to get it right -- you have to get it right - right now - to catch-up. The others have made the mistakes the industry has learned from so you can do it right from the start without wasting time and customers and money. Its a simple question of knowing what is broken - and the choice is to fix it - fix it better - or fix it right. Only fixing it right works. Leads are too valuable to burn with inept sales and chat teams.

Dealer love the cliche - "Inspect what you expect". When it comes to lead-management there is zero-tolerance, either it is being done right or it isn't. And if it isn't --- the store is bleeding sales. But --- Lisandra - the market is up so many don't seem to care. And when it's down they are cutting-back. I don't know when the time is right between those two.

Comment by Lisandra Ramos on March 2, 2015 at 9:00am: Hey there, Steven -- thanks for checking out my post and commenting!

The point I was trying to make with this blog is that once a dealership has decided to go the managed route, and let someone else handle their chat conversations, it's imperative to note that not all outsourced chat solutions are the same, because not all chat teams are trained to handle automotive-specific chats, may not have customer service backgrounds, and are sometimes located outside the US -- and that can negatively impact the consumer experience on a dealership website.

That being said, I could not agree with you more: training is crucial when it comes to live chat -- whether you are comparing a managed chat team to another managed chat team or in-house to managed.

Comment by steven chessin on March 1, 2015 at 7:12pm: Linda

The # 1 reason managed chat fails

is dealers believe that nobody except salesmen can do specialized parts of the sales steps better than their own 'cradle-to-grave' in-house staff. Unless you 1st prove managed rep expertise beats salesman's lack of necessary skills you have not touched 1st base. Second-base is proving that the profit on deals lost out-weighs the money saved by salesmen handling chat - or calls. Have you ever listened to sales calls ?!