Are you looking to add live chat functionality to your website? This article is about the best live chat for WooCommerce on WordPress. Many WooCommerce users are busy online shopkeepers always on the lookout for improving their relationships with website visitors – potential customers – and customers.
Not only do they want their website visitors to become buyers, but they also want to be as helpful as possible so the same buyers keep coming back. On the store owner’s side, they want a streamlined, cost-efficient way of fielding customer enquiries and encouraging sales – all without too much wear and tear on the support agent or support team. Enter the wonderful WooCommerce world of live chat plugins!
Let’s remind ourselves what a live chat plugin is and look, in more detail, at why a WordPress website owner would want a chat widget working alongside WooCommerce on their WordPress site.
We’ll then round things off with a selection of some of the best WooCommerce chat plugins.
In this article:
- What is WooCommerce?
- What is a live chat plugin?
- What are the benefits of live chat for WooCommerce stores?
- Some of the best live chat plugins for WooCommerce
- Interested in implementing a live chat plugin?
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a customisable, opensource eCommerce platform built on WordPress.
What are live chat plugins?
In this context, we’re talking about a WordPress live chat plugin. A WordPress live chat plugin is a really easy and quick-to-install chat widget that goes on the web store owner’s WordPress site. It provides a direct chat channel for web store visitors to use to get in touch with the website’s customer service team.
Depending on the live chat plugin provider, a live chat solution can include, in addition to the chat or live instant messaging functionality, a voice option so the helpdesk support agent and web store visitor can switch to talking.
Live chat software can come with lots of other features that can help drive customer satisfaction and keep business costs down. Depending on the live chat solution provider, live chat software with advanced features can sometimes connect with your business’s inventory, customer records systems and order databases. This can be really handy in helping resolve any issues that customers might have about their present order or recent order.
WordPress live chat plugins tend to appear as a small chat widget with a chat window on the bottom right-hand side of a web browser screen. This is a convenient position for a chat window, and it makes it easy for a customer to ask a quick question in real-time about the product they’re browsing.
What are the benefits of live chat plugins for WooCommerce stores?
Let’s leave aside the WordPress live chat plugin provider who usually benefits by charging a monthly or annual fee to the business using the live chat solution. Broadly speaking, the benefits of WordPress live chat fall into two camps, which is kind of neat as, after all, a live chat is a two-way conversation.
On the one side, there’s the customer. On the other, the online business – in this case, a WordPress website. Both benefit hugely from the simple live chat plugin. Let’s take a look at both camps and see how they can benefit from using WordPress live chat plugins.
The customer using the live chat widget benefits them and the seller
This customer is window-shopping in this scenario on a WordPress site that’s using WooCommerce as its retailing tool.
The common customer experience here is that they have some kind of query about the product that they are browsing. Using the WooCommerce chat plugins they are able to quickly ask the business’s chat agents their questions. So, let’s look at the benefits to the customer.
It’s quick and easy to have a live chat session
The customer doesn’t need to leave the web page they’re on, which means they can continue to consider the product they’re interested in while they’re asking their question.
And the business benefits from…
Not losing the customer because they might have gone to another website to find the answer to their question – or another product! Retaining the customer at this point is gold dust to the business. By being helpful and quickly answering the customer’s question, the propensity of the customer to buy spikes. If they go ahead and purchase the product, the business generates revenue through the sale. This might not have happened if the question, answer and conversation took a slower route, like via email.
For both parties, this all happens fast. The customer gets that buzz from buying something they want, and it’s likely they also appreciate the business they bought it from.
The customer liking the web store and brand they bought the product from is special to the business because this customer engagement, thanks to live chat, has resulted in a sale and a contented customer. A happy customer ticks the boxes for customer acquisition (if a first-time buyer), customer retention and brand loyalty. They’re more likely to come back and shop again, too.
A note about speed in this scenario. From the business’s point of view, this quick live chat is not a major drain on their resources – it’s a revenue generator instead. The live chat is certainly much cheaper than having the support team manning and taking calls or replying to emails. Of course, the business needs an agent or agents in place to have unlimited chats, but the icing on the revenue cake is that these live chat agents can be having multiple chat sessions at the same time. With a fair wind, that could mean multiplying sales too!
Using a Live Chat widget, website visitors can ask a question in seconds directly to chat agents who, in turn, can answer them almost instantly. As the business, you’re getting closer to the potential sale, and you’re satisfying the customer while increasing their likelihood to buy and be loyal.
I need someone to help me!
Cries the customer. This should make the business jump. And jump they can, high and fast, thanks to this live chat solution.
Let’s look at an example. The customer bought a product and can’t make it work, despite the easy-to-follow user guide that shipped with the product. They go on to the web store, see and open the chat plugin and type their plea for help into the chat window. One of the support agents who specialise in just live chat instantly tells them how to work their product. The customer’s despair turns to delight, and all’s well with the world.
And the business benefits from…
Yes, the nirvana of a successful customer engagement, customer satisfaction, and possibly enhanced customer loyalty. But let’s look at a couple of extra benefits that this live chat solution gifts the business.
If a set of FAQs is part of the live chat functionality, and the customer’s specific plea for support is not uncommon, the customer can be presented with the solution to their problem without any chat agents needing to be involved. This is a win for the business as it keeps agents free to help other customers.
With an advanced live chat solution, if the FAQs can’t help the customer, the support channel can access customer data. In this example, the agent can access the customer’s order and order history to reference the product and the online version of the user guide and see if they can solve the customer’s problem.
But what if the FAQs and the agent don’t have a solution to the customer’s issue because, for example, it’s too technical? No problem. If AI hasn’t picked up the chat, tagged and forwarded it to the tech team using chat routing, the support agent can directly chat with the business’s relevant expert to help with the problem.
Up close and personal
Most customers love talking with a human. That’s why chat is so lovely and compelling. It can really engage customers and make them feel valued.
With live chat apps, your customer service team can talk directly to the customer by name, making them feel wanted and showing your brand as supportive and helpful.
A great opportunity to cut costs and make money
What’s not to like. Using pure chat over live chat widgets, customer support teams save time looking after more customers more quickly. As a result, your teams can efficiently save your business money by spending less time on one-to-one longer phone calls and emails. The increased productivity in such a positive and engaging environment can, as we’ve seen, even generate extra revenue. Our eCommerce conversion tips article goes into more detail on this.
The automation station
WordPress plugins in the form of live chat apps can often use automation rules to support customers without the agent having to be involved. Automatically sending a customer response, offering the answers to frequently asked questions (also known as self-service) and even, when triggered, starting a proactive chat. Marketing a product without anyone in the business being involved can transform a business’s customer service. Automation is also great for looking after things out of hours. You can even set an automation rule to alert staff when a customer needs to chat with a person.
Keeping track of what’s what
Another attractive aspect of running chat conversations is that, as an eCommerce site, you can set up reports and analytics to show you what the customer wants, how their issue was resolved, how and what the agents did to help, and see how much revenue is being generated directly from the chats. Such analysis can help improve your customer service, drive innovation, lead to product development, and open up opportunities to market and sell to your customers.
Support team wellbeing
At the risk of stating the obvious, your helpdesk or support agent is likely to be a lot happier with their lot in life if they aren’t run ragged all day. Using a live chat widget to easily help more than one customer at a time is a lot more doable than having a phone to each ear and three more ringing in the background. It’s a lot less stressful too.
Being able to easily help customers can be a satisfying and empowering experience. With WordPress chat plugins so easy and quick to use, the knock-on effect to your business is a contented team, increased productivity, and higher staff retention. All from just using these live chat apps.
Now let’s look at some of the top Live Chat apps.
Best live chat plugins for WooCommerce
Note: our selection in this summary doesn’t include free live chat apps. We’ve only included live chat apps that have an annual or monthly fee. We give some of the basic prices too.
Jivochat
A business messenger solution.
Key products
- Email/Inbox
- Live Chat
- SMS
- Voice
- Social Media
SOME Key features and benefits
- API set-up
- Chatbot
- Agent monitoring functionality
- Built-in voice solution
- Call back
- Compatible with WhatsApp and Apple Business Chat
- Video calls
ALSO Worth noting…
Lack of help desk tools.
Pricing
There is a professional version with a per agent fee.
Professional
$19 per agent per month if billed annually.
eDesk Live Chat
An eCommerce solution provider.
Key products
- Smart inbox
- Live chat has a self-serve option
- Voice
SOME Key features and benefits
- Smart inbox centralises all incoming messages by ticket type, SLA, pre-sale
- Connects to 250-plus sales, support and logistics channels
- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter integration
- Full onboarding service
- AI-powered automations (more than 10 rules and functions)
- Voice solution through Aircall
- Automatic feedback request tool
- CSAT ratings
- Feedback and reviews for Amazon, eBay, Trustpilot and Google
Learn more about eDesk:
Freshdesk Live Chat
Omnichannel customer support solutions provider with AI functionalities.
Key products
- Omnichannel suite
- Support desk
- Contact center
- Customer success
SOME Key features and benefits
- Unified inbox (SMS via integration)
- AI-powered ticketing
- Built-in telephone functions
- AI chatbot connected to KB
- SLA management
- 300+ integrations
- Field service management
- Co-browsing and screen-sharing functionality
ALSO Worth noting…
This solution doesn’t include a Smart inbox, native auto-translation (provided by a third party), review and feedback capabilities or ticket-based pricing. All marketplace integrations are third-party.
Pricing
There are three agent-based helpdesk options and three omnichannel options.
Helpdesk-only Growth
- $15
- SLA, integrations, automation, collision and more
Helpdesk-only Pro
- $49
- Round-robin, CSAT, multilingual knowledge base and more
Helpdesk-only Enterprise
- $69
- 5,000 bot sessions, skill-based routing, KB approval workflow, agent shift, auto-triage, assist bot, article suggester, canned response suggester and more
Omnichannel Growth
- $29 a month based on a yearly contract or $35 a month on a monthly contract
Omnichannel Pro
- $59 a month based on a yearly contract or $71 a month on a monthly contract
- SLA, integrations, automation, collision, time tracking and more
Omnichannel Enterprise
- $99 a month based on a yearly contract or $119 a month on a monthly contract
- Round-robin, multiple SLA, CSAT, multilingual KB, advanced reports
Related Reading:
Best Freshdesk Alternatives
Best Freshdesk Chat Alternatives
Zendesk Support Live Chat
Omnichannel customer support solutions provider with AI functionalities.
Key products
- Omnichannel suite
- Support desk
- Contact center
- Customer success
SOME Key features and benefits
- Unified inbox (SMS via integration)
- Built-in voice solution
- AI-powered automation
- 1,000-plus marketplace apps and integrations
- Help center KB with multi-lingual functionality
- Self-service customer portal
- SLA management
ALSO Worth noting…
This solution doesn’t include a Smart inbox, review and feedback capabilities or ticket-based pricing. All marketplace integrations are third-party.
Pricing
There are three agent-based helpdesk options and three omnichannel options.
Helpdesk-only Team
- $19 a month based on a yearly contract or $25 a month on a monthly contract
Helpdesk-only Professional
- $49 a month based on a yearly contract or $59 a month on a monthly contract
Helpdesk-only Enterprise
- $99 a month based on a yearly contract or $125 a month on a monthly contract
Omnichannel Team
- $49 a month based on a yearly contract or $59 a month on a monthly contract
- Unified inbox, Knowledge Base, up to 50 AI-autoresponders
Omnichannel Growth
- $79 a month based on a yearly contract or $99 a month on a monthly contract
- Team features, up to 100 AI-autoresponders, self-service customer portal, AI-powered knowledge management, customisable ticket layouts, up to 50 light access licenses, SLA management, multilingual support and content
Omnichannel Professional
- $99 a month based on a yearly contract or $125 a month on a monthly contract
- Growth features, up to 500 AI-autoresponders, custom reporting, up to 100 light access licenses, conversation routing based on agent skill, integrated community forums, private conversation threads, customisable and shareable dashboards, advanced voice capabilities, data location options, HIPAA compliance
Related Reading: Best Zendesk Alternatives
Dixa Live Chat
Omnichannel customer support solutions platform with advanced automation.
Key products
- Channels
- Live Chat
- Chatbot
- Quality assurance
- Knowledge base
- Intelligent routing
SOME Key features and benefits
- Unified inbox (SMS via integration)
- 48 integrations
- Intelligent routing
- AI-powered KB
- Personalised interactions (custom cards)
- Live Chat integrated with KB
- Chatbot with on-demand self-service FAQs
- Voice solution (IVR and advanced features)
- Language detection and routing
- CSAT (in higher plan)
ALSO Worth noting…
This solution doesn’t include Smart inbox, auto-translation capabilities, automated review capabilities, or self-service activation. Only Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce.
Pricing
There are two agent-based options. Minimum of 8 users. Prices are not disclosed on Dixa’s website, and it is expected to be from $99/user/month as per information on Capterra.
re:amaze Live Chat
Omnichannel customer support solutions provider.
Key products
- Inbox
- Live Chat
- Chatbots
- Push campaigns
- Live
- FAQ
- Status page
SOME Key features and benefits
- Unified inbox (SMS and voice via integration)
- Full access to Shopify API data
- 41 integrations
- Live Chat, with chatbot, video calls and integrated with re:amaze FAQ
- FAQ as a service (connected to inbox and chat)
- Live: real-time customer monitoring, activity tracking and live messaging
- Department and staff management functionality (re shifts and holidays)
- CSAT (in higher plan)
ALSO Worth noting…
This solution doesn’t include a Smart inbox, auto-translation capabilities, review and feedback capabilities. Automation is limited to autoresponders. Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce only.
Pricing
There are three agent-based options and a starter option
Basic
- $29
- Inbox, chat, chatbot, FAQ, auto-responses, basic reporting
Pro
- $49
- Basic plan features, live, voice and SMS, advanced reporting
Plus
- $69
- Pro plan features, in-chat video calls, live screen sharing, group and role customisation
Starter
- $59
- Basic plan features, 500 tickets (unlimited users)
An advanced live chat solution can benefit both customer and business, enabling fast, proactive chat. There are, of course, other live chat apps on the market that can transform your store; however, this is our round-up of six of the best.
Interested in implementing a live chat plugin?
Why wait. Engage customers now. Get started today and see how you can increase sales and customer satisfaction with live chat.
