Chat Operators

Ease of Use:

Although LivePerson offers the most popular features, the program was not quite as intuitive as our top picks. Locating these features was challenging, but once found the program performed to par.

Setup Ease:

Setting LivePerson up was simple. The instructions were self-explanatory.

Multi-Tasking Ease:

Though possible, multi-tasking was awkward in LivePerson. We were unable to access many feature from the individual visitor chat windows. Instead, we had to open a main task panel, search the current website visitor list, find the right person, and locate the right feature-all before we could connect the customer to the feature. This method is difficult to manage quickly, especially with several chats going at once.

Monitoring Capabilities:

LivePerson offers every monitoring and tracking feature we review except for a website statistics summary. These tools weren’t as easy to use as similar features in higher-ranked reviews.

Feature Set:

This service offers all the basics (with relatively few holes). For details, see our homepage list of features.

Our biggest gripe we had against LivePerson’s capabilities is the limit they place on operators; at most, you may only have five chat operators at once. That means if your company outgrows the limit, you must change chat services. Also, each additional operator costs an additional $99 per month; we felt this was pricy.

Help/Support:

We found LivePerson help adequate.

Scalability:

Our biggest gripe against LivePerson-the service limits you to five chat operators. That means if your company outgrows the limit, you must change chat services. Also, each additional operator costs an extra $99 per month; we felt this was too pricy

Summary:

Though LivePerson chat service covers the basics and works well, we feel there are better choices for your money.

Reference:

this article and review was found at: http://live-chat-support-software-review.toptenreviews.com/liveperson-pro-review.html

Ease of Use:  

We felt Boldchat was easy to use.

Setup Ease:  

Boldchat was simple to set up; the instructions were well written.

Multi-Tasking Ease:  

You can have multiple chats at once, but Boldchat’s navigating features needed to serve customers take time to use; making multi-tasking workable, but challenging.

Monitoring Capabilities:  

Tracking tools include visitor footprints, tracking visitor referal and repeat visitor identification. They also include several traffic monitoring features, such as visitor monitoring and alerts, visitor data capturing, and roactive invitations.

Feature Set:  

Boldchat includes a mile long list of features. They have an online/offline message system, the ability to force webpages, auto–invite, hot key canned messages and more. Specific to the eCRM plan are features like, user defined folders, user defined statuses, auto–thread emails and many more. The addition of popular marketing and safety features would make the package more attractive.

Help/Support:  

Boldchat offers both email, and live chat support.

Scalability:  

Boldchat is a service that can grow with your company. You aren’t limited when adding new chat operators.

Summary:  

We felt Boldchat was a fair program. This service works well if you are willing to pay for it.

Reference:

this article and review was found at: http://live-chat-support-software-review.toptenreviews.com/boldchat-review.html

Ease of Use:  

LiveChatNow! was simple to use but not quite as easy as higher ranked programs. Though controls were not as intuitive, once we learned to use the program we were pleased with its performance.

Setup Ease:  

LiveChatNow! setup was somewhat confusing because the software doesn’t tell you what steps to take next. We completed setup without a hitch, but this took longer than expected because we had to figure out the setup order on our own.

Multi-Tasking Ease:  

Though available, multi-tasking in LiveChatNow! was not a simple chore. We found this same issue prevalent in LiveChatNow! as in many of the lower-ranked products. We couldn’t access all the features we needed from the customer chat window in use. The act of balancing multiple chats is difficult for many seasoned operators, let alone a newbie.

Monitoring Capabilities:  

This software offers almost every tracking and monitoring feature we review, including live keywords. LiveChatNow! doesn’t offer the ability to track visitor footprints.

Feature Set:  

LiveChatNow! offers every chat operator convenience feature we review, including a built-in spell checker. The service doesn’t offer many marketing features (except for the ability to advertise to customers using a banner ad in your chat window).

Help/Support:  

We found LiveChatNow! telephone help suitable, but their on-site chat service was almost never available; this was frustrating.

Scalability:  

Livehelper offers an “unlimited” plan to cover companies that need multiple operators. Upgrading your chat plan is simple. You can have as many chat operators as you want for a set operator fee of $99.50 a month-this is nearly the same as it would cost for five operators ($97.50). If you use more than four chat operators, opt for the unlimited operator plan.

Summary:  

Though LiveChatNow! doesn’t offer you all the bells and whistles, we felt it was a solid, basic program. This is the perfect program for an online business owner who needs many chat operators without a premium price.

Reference:

this article and review was found at: http://live-chat-support-software-review.toptenreviews.com/livechatnow-review.html

Ease of Use:  

Our review of Velaro revealed some navigation shortcomings that prevented this service from receiving top marks. Velaro provides the same options found in Livehelper and Live Site Manager, but these were more difficult to find. Familiarity with Velaro could help overcome navigation issues.

Setup Ease:  

Setting the program up was simple. The Velaro website offers excellent FAQs and the support team works well with customers.

Multi-Tasking Ease:  

As with Livehelper and Live Site Manager, Velaro simplified the art of multitasking; this made chatting with several people at once short work. All the features and tools we needed-such as the tool to send a file to a chat customer-are included within the individual chat window of each chat in session.

Monitoring Capabilities:  

Velaro offers all the common traffic monitoring tools, including an alert to let you know when you have a new visitor on your website. You’ll see information about where that visitor came from (including what keyword or link they used to find your website). You can track any page a visitor opens as they open them.

You’ll even be able to spot return visitors and resume previous chat logs to personalize your sessions and enhance the customer experience on your website. Chat history is also great for resolving discrepancies between what was said and what a customer or operator thought was said.

And if your visitor’s computer allows it, your chat operator can introduce a chat instead of waiting for the customer to ask a question.

You’ll also see composite data on all your visitors in a tidy statistical summary. All this visitor monitoring information can help you aim your advertising dollars in the right direction.

Although Velaro offered many other monitoring features, we found them difficult to use. We were required to look in several locations (and click more buttons) to find the preferred monitoring data.

Feature Set:  

Though Velaro doesn’t offer as many sharing features as other services, Velaro does provide a solid chat package—everything works as promised and the service is reliable. Moreover, Velaro has a spell checker, SSL Security abilities, keywords and a customer survey, all practical features Live Site Manager doesn’t offer.

In harmony with its peers, Velaro offers plenty of chat window customization tools, nearly every chat operator convenience feature we reviewed, including an option to allow customers to email a transcript of the chat session to themselves.

Help/Support:  

We were impressed with the quality help Velaro representatives offered. Questions were answered quickly, representatives kept in regular contact, returning calls and resolving issues as promised. Velaro offers live chat support and email, but not a toll-free telephone number.

Volaro's usual price is 59.99 per operator per month, but depending on your situation, Velaro will offer volume discounts up to 10 percent.

Scalability:  

Velaro doesn’t set limits on the number of chat operators you can add. You won’t need to change to another service if you outgrow your current plan-just upgrade.

Summary:  

Velaro is a good solid chat service, offering all the basics (and then some) at a reasonable price. To raise the bar, Velaro could spend time simplifying its navigation.

Reference:

this article and review was found at: http://live-chat-support-software-review.toptenreviews.com/velaro-review.html

Ease of Use:

We found Livehelper the most customizable yet simplest to understand. You can easily tailor the look of your chat window, buttons, text, and images-including your company logo. Your chat service can greet customers with your company’s particular look and style.

You can customize your operator controls too. For example, you can opt to have both a sound and visual alert whenever a customer initiates a chat, so an operator with low alert volume (or a loud radio) will notice a waiting chat visually.

Setup Ease:

Some chat software is technically challenging to install, but Livehelper is for regular people. You need no expertise to set up or run Livehelper chat.

Multi-Tasking Ease:

Operators can handle multiple chat sessions without restrictions; the only limit is your operator’s ability to keep up with all the chats. The resizable chat windows make it easy to keep track of a dozen chats simultaneously. (Customers can resize their chat window as well.)

Livehelper’s multitasking highlight - all the tools you need to manage an individual call are included in each open live chat window.

On the other hand, some lower-ranked chat services required us to open a main task panel, locate the right visitor (from a large list), then select the desired feature (such as sending an image file). So, for most other chat services, multi-tasking is awkward, especially if an operator is managing several chats at once. We appreciated Livehelper’s efficiency.

Monitoring Capabilities:

With Livehelper, you can monitor most anything about customers on your site. Your chat operators can track which pages customers visit on your site as they visit them.

Your chat operator can see where a customer came from (which website link or search engine) and learn what keywords the customer used to find your website. Keywords are a valuable marketing/sales tool offered by only a few chat services.

Your employees can easily spot return customers, look up their chat history, then start a relevant conversation. The only monitoring feature Livehelper doesn’t offer is the website statistics summary.

Feature Set:

The floating invitation makes the chat option noticeable for your customer, but not intrusive.

Our test operators loved the built-in spell checker; it labels misspellings on the fly. Your chat operator can correct errors just before sending.

Operators can open webpages for customers, send documents, image files, or even transfer sensitive data-such as account information-safely over a secure SSL connection.

The typing indicator shows customers that your chat operator is busy typing a response. This is a small convenience, but one that customers appreciate.

When a chat ends, you can automatically send the customer an optional survey to grade the value of your chat operator’s help. Your customer can also request an email of the transcript.

For more on features please see our Live Chat Homepage.

Help/Support:

We found the chat operators at Livehelper polite and skilled at answering even tricky questions fast. The company also offers tech support 24/7 through chat, a toll-free number, and email.

Here is what one chat operator had to say about Livehelper support:

Every time I phoned, Livehelper fixed my problem immediately or called back as promised-they never left me hanging. They don’t have this written anywhere, but their policy is Courtesy First.

Recently, when Livehelper had a small problem with their software for a day or two, they gave free service for that month. Now you can’t say they will do that with everyone, but this shows Livehelper is looking out for my best interest.

Also, twice when we’ve had suggestions for the software, Livehelper reps listened, and when possible, they adapted to meet our requests and didn’t charge us a cent.

~Marc, Chat Representative using Livehelper

Scalability:

Livehelper grows with your company. There are no limitations-you can add as many chat operators as your company needs.

Summary:

Livehelper offers a valuable feature set, excellent customer service, and keeps all its promises; the service does everything it is supposed to do, and well.

Livehelper’s intuitive controls perform almost like artificial intelligence; the program offers a feature for everything operators need right when they need it. Although some business owners may not be able to justify the expense, we counter, how can you not? The efficiency of Livehelper makes it a breeze for operators to multi-task with several customers, satisfied customers lead to more sales, and higher sales justify the expense.

Reference:

this article and review was found at: http://live-chat-support-software-review.toptenreviews.com/livehelper-review.html