Chat systems have become one of the best tools to facilitate contact between customers and companies. If you have a virtual store, offering real time support is even more important. In this post, we will talk about the best free chat scripts that you can install in your WordPress site.
Today, customer demands are not the same as a few years ago.
Not too long ago, the buying process was very different. To buy a product, we had to go to a local store to get it.
Nowadays, we have everything at our fingertips; we don’t have to leave our home to visit various stores if we want to compare prices and products.
This change of behavior was fundamental for increasing the number of potential customers for companies of all sizes, as a small store could sell products all over the world, but it also complicated things for sellers and marketers.
The market is constantly evolving; not just offering new options for customer support, but also in terms of digital business management tools.
However, we have a problem.
At this time, there are too many companies offering exactly the same products and services.
These companies look like clones, no news, no innovation. Without checking the logo or the name of the site you are on, it would be difficult to identify where you are buying from. That is, they use the same template, the same strategy, the same sales messages, and they offer the same purchase experience.
And this can lead to problems when it comes to customer loyalty and increasing conversions.
If you are offering exactly the same things, how could you convince visitors to buy from your store and not from any other site?
It makes sense, right?
So a way to stand out, a way to make a difference, is to offer more than your competitors are offering. You could start by adding a chat system to your virtual store.
Precisely in this post, I will explain why you need a chat system and the best alternatives available.
But first, let’s start from the beginning.
· What is a chat system?
A chat system is nothing more than a messaging service that you can use to talk to another person privately and in real time.
This type of software allows real-time contact between customers and companies, making communication faster and more effective.
These systems are not new, but in the beginning, they were not used commercially.
In fact, we all know how they work, but unfortunately not all commercial sites offer this option to facilitate communication with visitors and customers.
Using a chat script on your site can be very advantageous, not just for your customers, but also to increase your sales. If they know that they contact you at any time, your visitors will feel much more confident when they decide to buy from you.
· Advantages of chat systems in an online business
Having an integrated chat script in your eCommerce is essential to offer a unique shopping experience for your customers.
When your customers know they can ask questions any time, they feel more confident to spend their money on your site. And that will be fundamental for boosting your sales strategy.
For you to understand better, I will explain the main advantages of a chat software for your virtual business:
► Speed and efficiency in communication
One of its biggest advantages, undoubtedly, is the fact that your customers can talk to you in real time.
Think that if a user has a question and you answer it right away, he will feel that he is buying from a serious and professional eCommerce, he will see that you are worried about helping your customers, not just about selling more.
Thanks to this small detail, you can retain this user and convert him into a regular customer.
► Privacy
With the scandals that many social media sites are facing, offering security and privacy to your customers is even more important, especially when they want to ask questions, suggest new products or even criticize your brand.
You need to have a secure contact option for them to feel comfortable talking to you.
In fact, many people value discretion and privacy.
It is precisely what live chat systems offer, and this is what you should offer to your customers.
► Authority
The simple fact that you have a chat software in your eCommerce demonstrates professionalism and seriousness to your customers.
If users know that there is someone behind the machine who cares about their needs, they will trust your brand and may even recommend your site to their friends.
Therefore, your domain authority will increase exponentially.
► Reputation
If you offer your customers speed, efficiency, and privacy, you will inevitably be able to improve your online reputation.
In turn, this small detail can increase your sales exponentially.
Keep in mind that word of mouth continues to work and is one of the most potent weapons for you to get new customers without investing in paid marketing campaigns.
So keep it in mind.
As you can see, adding a chat script in your e-commerce can bring you many benefits.
But which one to choose?
It’s a completely natural question since there are infinities of alternatives.
However, today I want to focus on the chat systems that you can install in WordPress for free.
Basically because WordPress is one of the most used platforms of the world to create blogs, websites and virtual stores.
For this reason, if you are using WordPress, it is time for you to get to know the chat system options that can take your business to the next level.
· The six free chat systems for WordPress you should try
There is an infinite number of chat systems available for WordPress. Actually, there are so many options that it would be impossible to talk about all of them in the same article.
However, most of the options are paid. And I think for now you don’t want to invest money because you’re still starting or because you don’t know how these software work, so you’d rather test a free chat script, before investing money in a paid software.
It’s normal. Fortunately, you can choose a free chat without affecting the quality of your services. While it is true that paid systems usually offer more features, you can work with a free version until you find the best software for what you need.
In addition to that, you’ve probably heard of a free chat case with few features.
However, in this post, we will show you the six best scripts for WordPress.
Do you want to see them? Let’s get started!
► Drift
I’ll start by talking about Drift: one of the most complete chat systems of the market.
It is compatible with WooCommerce and very easy to use.
In addition to being able to use a free version of the drift plugin, its most important advantages are:
- It is very intuitive and easy to use
- The free plan is very complete
- It doesn’t hinder navigation, its design is minimalistic and can be configured from the Drift panel itself.
- You can capture users’ emails to follow up if you believe they will need more information.
- It allows you to add a customer service schedule, so users know when you’ll be online.
- You can get information about visitors who contact your eCommerce, such as their social media profiles, job, etc.
- It will not consume resources from your site
- You can easily connect Drift to your WordPress
- Etcetera
As you can see, its free version is really powerful (imagine what you can get with the paid version). It is undoubtedly one of the best chat systems of the moment.
► Chatra
Chatra is another chat software with very interesting features.
Although it has a Premium version, the free option already offers the resources needed to provide a good customer support service for your site.
It is compatible with WordPress. You just need to add the HTML code that you will receive by email on your site to start using it immediately.
Its most important advantages are:
- Multiple people can respond to the same user at the same time
- You can see what users are typing in real time.
- It allows you the option to know in real time how many visitors are on your site
- It provides information related to users such as the pages they are accessing, their geographical location among other interesting details
- You can choose the language of your chat (there are 7 options available)
- it allows you to integrate your chat with other services
- Etcetera
Who said free tools couldn’t be used commercially? This chat software offers many options for interacting with your customers.
► WP Live Chat Support
WP Live Chat Support is one of the most popular plugins of the moment for installing a chat system on a WordPress site.
Although the features of the free version are somewhat limited when compared to the paid version, you will have the necessary functionalities to offer interesting features to your customers.
Some of its advantages are:
- No advertising
- You can see lost chats
- It is compatible with WordPress cache plugins
- You can ban users by IP
- If you want, you can configure to accept contacts only from registered users
- You have the option to enable and disable chat for mobile devices
- Etcetera
If you want to get started and become familiar with this type of tools, this software could be a good option.
► Formilla Live Chat
Formilla Live Chat, is another free chat system that you can use in your site.
Although they offer two types of premium services (paid plans), the free version already has several interesting features such as:
- It is compatible with any platform (WordPress, Magento, Joomla, Drupal, Shopify, etc.)
- You can customize your online chat
- It is compatible with native IOS and Android apps
- You can modify the appearance of the chat window
- You have the option of adding multiple languages in the chat
- It lets you track users in real time
- Its installation and configuration is very easy
Its simplicity makes this option very attractive to any eCommerce.
► Zopim Live Chat
Zopim Live Chat is one of the most used chat tools in the world and more and more users are migrating to this software.
Especially after Zendesk started to manage this system. This multinational bought this chat and synced the script with other chats that they already managed, adding even more resources for this tool.
It’s true that the free version has certain limitations, but you can test this software to see if you will become comfortable with the interface before buying a paid plan.
Its main features are:
- This chat can be integrated into different tools and platforms
- It allows you to do advanced analysis
- It is adapted for smartphones, tablets, and desktops
- You can monitor users in real time
- You have the option of customizing the chat
► Purechat
Purechat is one of the simplest chat systems on this list. However, it is an excellent choice for small businesses and users who are just starting to work with online support services.
This software has a paid version, although it doesn’t differ much from the free version, so the features are virtually the same.
The options that you can find in this chat are:
- You can change the color of the chat box
- It can be easily integrated into different platforms such as WordPress or Shopify
- It allows you to work with multiple operators
- When a user sends a new message, you can receive a notification on your mobile device
- It offers an option to view a list of all users who are visiting your website in real time
- Etcetera
Now that you know all these tools, it’s a matter of choosing the one that suits you best and you can take advantage of the potential of an online chat software in your eCommerce.
What other chat systems would you recommend?
