The Benefits of Real-Time Communication for Businesses: Increased Sales and Improved Customer Service

In the age of instant gratification, customers expect to have their questions answered in a matter of seconds. Messaging has made it possible for brands to transition from a monologue, when brands just advertise to their customer, to a dialogue with the ability to have a conversation between a business and a customer, taking marketing and engagement to the next level. This is a huge opportunity for brands to not only build credibility and trust but also create more meaningful and memorable interactions. The advantages are numerous, with the key ones being the ability to respond quickly to clients’ queries, help them at every stage of their purchasing journey, and improve customer service. 

Some examples of real-time communication between a brand and a consumer through messaging include:

• Providing real-time customer support to resolve issues quickly and efficiently
• Sharing product and service information, as well as special offers and promotions
• Sending timely reminders about upcoming events, appointments, or deadlines
• Engaging customers with personalized content and personalized offers
• Collecting feedback and reviews to improve customer experience
• Answering frequently asked questions effectively

The efficiency offered by messaging for customer engagement is unparalleled, and the benefits for businesses are clear. 

Let’s take a closer look.

How to use messaging and real-time communication to increase sales

Unlike traditional mass marketing, where you advertise to a broad audience, messaging enables businesses to engage with customers on a more personal level – you can reach a segment of the audience, or even engage directly with each customer. 

Keep in mind that the key to successful messaging is to be relevant, timely, and engaging.

Here are some ideas:

• Provide personalized product recommendations: By analyzing customer data, businesses can provide targeted product recommendations through messaging. This can increase sales by showing customers products that they are most likely to be interested in.
• Offer exclusive deals and promotions: Messaging can be used to offer specials to all customers or audience segments, which in turn can help to drive sales and build customer loyalty.
• Respond quickly to customer queries: Fast response is always appreciated. Your customer will not be thinking of leaving and browsing for information elsewhere, and this can lead to increased sales over time.
• Use automated messages to greet new customers, or thank them for their purchase.
• Send out reminders to customers who haven’t purchased in a while.
• Follow up on abandoned carts.
• Use a chatbot to answer FAQs and provide basic product information.
• Activate live support through messaging for more complex issues, and to guide customers through the purchase process.

What Rakuten Viber Tools to Use at Each Step of the Customer Journey

A case study: see how Shafa and Auchan increased sales and reduced cart abandonment with the help of messaging

Improve Customer Service

Here is a list of ideas on how messaging can be used to improve customer service – this is just a starting point. Once you launch messaging as a part of your business, you’ll get plenty of new ideas on how it can be applied to your product or service.

• Provide 24/7 customer service: let your business be available around the clock. This can help businesses to respond to customer queries quickly and efficiently.
• Set up automated responses: answer frequently asked questions and provide basic information about a product or service.
• Use a chatbot for simple queries.
• Set up live support to provide more in-depth information.
• Collect customer feedback to identify areas of improvement.
• Send reminders and updates: keep customers informed about their orders, shipments, and other updates.
• Integrate messaging with other tools such as CRM, CDP, ERP and analytics to provide a 360° customer profile.
• Offer proactive support and assistance with any difficulties they might be encountering.

A case study: learn how D Express enabled customers to manage their deliveries

Use Rakuten Viber for Business to launch real-time communication

Rakuten Viber makes it possible to deliver all of the above and more. Brands all around the world are already using Rakuten Viber to connect with their customers in a more personal way. 

10 Must-Know Benefits of Rakuten Viber for Business for Marketing and Sales

Here are just a few reasons why you should start using Rakuten Viber for Business, too:

• Easy and quick to set up.
• You can get a “blue tick” on Rakuten Viber and let your customers easily recognize your company and encourage them to trust your messages.
• Rich media capabilities allow delivering more complex messages.
• A great tool for one-to-one customer engagement.
• A great tool for managing customer support.
• Integrating with other marketing and sales platforms is possible with Rakuten Viber's API.
• You can save money on business messages by paying only for the delivered ones.
• Security is incorporated in Rakuten Viber’s DNA. We use encryption in transit for Rakuten Viber Business Messages, providing an exceptionally high level of security for brands and users. Rakuten Viber does not store messages on servers and uses only a secure HTTPS connection – all designed for safe and secure communication.
• Opportunity to grow an audience. Use interactive and customizable Rakuten Viber Lenses and Stickers to build brand awareness and lead users to subscribe to your communication channels on Rakuten Viber.
• Advanced chatbots.
• Data-first advertising solutions.

Messaging and real-time communication have become an essential part of any business’ customer engagement strategy, and Rakuten Viber for Business enables companies to have more meaningful conversations with their customers, build stronger relationships, and increase sales. With the right tools and strategies, businesses can leverage messaging to drive improved customer experience, increased sales, and, ultimately, long-term loyalty. 

To learn more about using Rakuten Viber for Business, contact us today.