The best live chat solutions for businesses in 2023

Are you searching for live chat software that could transform your website-based interactions? If so, you’re in the right place. This review covers the top solutions on the market and how they help you generate sales and boost conversions.

You’ll learn:

• What SaaS live chat software is
• Why you should add it to your website
• What you should look for in web chat software
• What the best live chat software is in 2023

What is SaaS live chat software for businesses?

SaaS live chat software for businesses lets firms communicate with their customers and prospects in real time through a chat widget on their website or app. SaaS stands for Software as a Service, which means it is hosted and maintained by a third-party provider and accessed by the brand via the Internet.

SaaS live chat software often brings numerous features designed to make it more user-friendly and enhance your selling ability. For instance, Click4Assistance’s solution includes smartCast technology, letting you display marketing material, website links, and payment portals in a window that pops out from the side of the chat.

Why you should add live chat solutions to your website

Adding live chat solutions to your website can bring numerous benefits, including:

• Increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing instant and personalised support
• Boosting sales and conversions by engaging visitors and addressing their questions or objections
• Collecting feedback and insights by analysing chat data and customer behaviour
• Enhancing brand image and reputation by creating a human connection and building trust
• Displaying marketing materials to encourage up-selling and cross-selling
• Reducing costs by combining with chatbots and enabling agents to talk to multiple customers simultaneously

What features should you look for in web chat software?

Many web chat software solutions are basic. However, more advanced options come with multiple features, letting you tailor the experience for your customers and brand.

When choosing live chat software, you should look for:

• Analytics – Solutions should let you measure the impact of your web chat software on your business goals.
• Support – Providers should offer help whenever you need it. Look for options with reliable and responsive customer support via phone, email, or chat.
• Scalability – SaaS solutions should also let you handle multiple chats at once without compromising the quality of your service. You should be able to adjust your chat availability and capacity according to your traffic and demand.
• Integration – Web chat software should integrate with other tools, such as your CRM, email marketing, analytics, and social media platforms, letting you sync your customer data, track your chat performance, and leverage your existing channels.
• Customisation – Solutions should let you customise their appearance to match your brand and website design. You should also be able to create personalised greetings, canned responses, and chatbots to automate some of the conversations.

The best live chat software for small businesses in 2023

Companies with small teams can sometimes find it challenging to choose the right live chat software. Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you. The following list tells you everything you need to know about the top SaaS solutions on the market.

#1. Click4Assistance

Click4Assistance is a reliable and professional online live chat software provider in operation since 2006. It offers various features such as Coni the chatbot, video and voice chat, social media integration, and user tracking.

As you might expect, the software is customisable and affordable, with flexible packages and no setup fees. Clients across the UK and worldwide use it regularly to enhance their sales funnels.

We like how it’s easy to install and customisable on any CMS. We also love the Click2Call and video chat features that facilitate a higher client care level.

#2. ZenDesk Chat

Coming in at number two on our list is ZenDesk Chat, with prices starting from $49 per month and going up to $99 per month for the most advanced packages.

ZenDesk stands out because of its easy integration with various site platforms, including Shopify and WordPress. Centralised support also makes it a good option for brands anticipating issues. A ticketing system is handy when agents are unavailable.

The main drawback is the price. ZenDesk is expensive. Furthermore, it’s also highly technical, demanding managers and users invest time learning how to use the system.

#3. Gorgias

Coming in at number three on our list of the best live chat for small business owners is Gorgias, a solution that, like Click4Assistance, combines live chat with chatbots. One of the best aspects of the software is the price, starting from just $10 per month, making it ideal for microenterprises. It also offers surveying, reporting, and live data features.

However, there are some risks. It’s not the best-known provider in the UK. And many of the most valuable features are only available through the more expensive Enterprise-level plans.

#4. LiveChat

LiveChat is on three times as many websites as Gorgias at 33,000, thanks to its high profile and ability to integrate with more than 200 tools, including Mailchimp and WhatsApp. It’s also relatively user-friendly, improving the learning curve.

The downside is the price. Business packages cost over $59 monthly, with higher payments for enterprise-level features. UK companies use it, but it is not tailored to them, and it doesn’t work as well on non-WordPress websites.

#5. Smith.ai

Rounding out our list of the best live chat solutions for small businesses is Smith.ai. This option offers call answering and redirection functions, lead screening and appointment booking. The system uses real-time data to generate helpful visualisations showing you precisely how you need to proceed, making it easier to make evidence-based decisions.

Unfortunately, it’s expensive, particularly if you exceed your plan’s limit. Also, you may have to pay custom programming costs to get it to fit your firm’s existing software stack.