Video calls for business - pros and cons

Video calls for selling sites, is the juice worth the squeeze?

Video calls for business have recently become a very important and effective tool of Internet promotion. The growing popularity of this format of communication has led to the emergence of new video communication services for brands and consumers. Below we will talk in detail about the technology of video calls and list the main pros and cons of this type of communication.

Content:

• Why do entrepreneurs and customers need video calls?
• Benefits of video calls
• Screen sharing, call recording and more
• Pitfalls of video calls
• To implement video calls or not - that is the question

Why do entrepreneurs and customers need video calls?

As a rule, any site or landing page selling goods or services has a certain template structure, an intuitive user interface and a familiar set of feedback tools. The list of these tools includes a text chat with an operator, a form for ordering a callback, contacts for communication using instant messengers and a phone. A quite natural question arises, why do we also need calls using video communication? Are the existing means of communication with customers not enough?

Marketing experts say that everything is not as easy as it looks. The growth in popularity of the video format for personal communication has imperceptibly led to the fact that most regulars on the Internet are getting used to this way of delivering information. As a result, they subconsciously expect that the opportunity to use the usual way of communication will be available on the selling pages. The lack of a videochat at hand causes the effect of deceived expectations, reduces the attractiveness of the site and the likelihood of purchasing goods or ordering a service.

Entering the site, the user expects that a qualified virtual consultant can immediately show the product of interest to the client, demonstrate its work, and focus on competitive advantages. If we are talking about the presentation of services, then visual information will contribute to the formation of the image of the company in the eyes of the client. The atmosphere in the office, the style of clothing of employees, and other little things that fall into the frame may matter.

When using video, communication between a manager and a client becomes more personal, because either one or both participants in the process not only hear each other's intonations, but also see the face, facial expressions, and gestures. This contributes to the emergence of liking or disliking and affects the course of the transaction.

It can be concluded that communication with customers via video is more emotional and informative than the usual chats, correspondence by mail, communication in a messenger or social networks or phone calls. Yes, instant messengers also allow video communication, but this means leaving the selling page, for which the parties may not be ready.

Benefits of video calls

Video chat has a positive effect on the sales process due to the density of the information flow and the personalization of communication. By the way, this is not the only way to use video on selling sites. You can also set up a video widget that can demonstrate the benefits of the product to the client in the same way and does not require the constant presence of an operator on the line. However, video calling services continue to rapidly gain popularity. This wow effect is made up of several factors.

Real time communication. Of course, when selling a product or service, here-and-now communication is very important. Video chat for website allows you to immediately convey all the information or ask a question, is more individual and more appreciated by customers than a video being played. Face-to-face conversation is equally important when providing technical support, especially when it comes to complex equipment, financial services, etc.

Disabling a video call is psychologically more difficult for a user than interrupting a voice phone conversation , not to mention impersonal chat or email communication. This certainly has a positive effect on sales.

The client can speak questions and remarks and not just type the text with his hands. More than that, the buyer has the right to turn off the camera and even the microphone altogether, this creates a certain sense of security for the client during the call.

Modern services allow you to record video calls, set up analytics, customize the interface, share a screen, make several operators active at the same time to process different requests. Connecting the video call option on the site is simple and easy!

The technical support of the service will help in training your managers to use video chats, help you set up a video call for a site and resolve any problem situation, including in real time.

The information that the seller exchanges with customers is completely protected from leaks, unlike calls through insecure messengers.

Using topical technical solutions in practice, you strengthen the image of a dynamic, constantly developing company that keeps pace with the times and meets its challenges.

Screen sharing, call recording and more

Video chat allows you not only to communicate with the client using facial expressions and voice, but also to show him the manager's screen, or vice versa, look at the user's screen, make an automatic recording of the conversation, connect several consultants to the service at the same time. Let's take a closer look at how useful these options are.

Screen sharing

Screen sharing, or the ability to show the screen of your device live and in progress, is a very important feature for both presentations and technical support. If you are selling software products, then a consultation with a direct demonstration of the product will be much more informative and useful for the client than slides and traditional screenshots.

The ability to observe how the manager interacts with the elements of the graphical interface of the program is very important for understanding the algorithms and features  of the presented software. In addition, the user will be able to immediately ask questions during the online broadcast and get answers to them, for example, a demonstration of a particular product function.

The screen sharing option also works well in after-sales service, for example, technical support. It is important for the service manager to quickly understand what kind of problem the client has. If, in case of a product malfunction, the buyer can turn on the camera and show what is happening, then in case of software failures or if the site does not work correctly, it is the ability to show the screen that is unprecedentedly important. This saves a lot of time, because instead of asking which button the unlucky client pressed, you can immediately see the sequence of actions that led to trouble.

Once the problem is identified, the customer should be assisted in resolving it. Here again, the screen sharing option comes to the aid of the manager, this time his own screen. It is able to easily and simply show exactly how one or another important action should be performed, or in which section of a branched catalog to look for the desired product.

It is worth mentioning that the ability to share the screen on a smartphone or tablet is not yet supported. To use the function, you will need to make a video call from a desktop or laptop.

Call recording

Recording a video call using modern video chat services is also easy and simple, many of them support this feature by default. The need to record conversations between managers and customers has long been recognized by entrepreneurs as an indispensable condition for B2C communication.

On the one hand, seller representatives, knowing that their words and actions are controlled, strictly observe communication norms and corporate standards. On the other hand, customers who have been informed that the conversation is being recorded behave more correctly than without such a warning. Thus, keeping call records is not only a form of control over how managers communicate with customers, but also a form of protecting your employees from inappropriate treatment, as well as eliminating the facts of "consumer terrorism". 

The format of communication introduces some novelty in the usual process. The video allows you to watch not only what exactly the manager says, but also his (her) facial expressions, gestures, and the environment around. The recording allows you to assess how confident the employee is behaving, whether presentation materials are optimally located next to him. Perhaps something gets into the frame that does not belong there at all. All these details are needed to form individual recommendations for each manager. Perhaps, in order to increase work efficiency, someone needs to order a paper organizer, and someone tlse is worth taking a couple of lessons in public speaking.

Connecting multiple operators

The closer and more confidential personal communication between the operator and the client, the more informal contact they have, the more active sales are. However, here you can stumble upon an unobvious obstacle, because for different people the desired style of communication and the appearance of the manager will also be very different. Tastes differ.

Someone prefers to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a product with serious men or ladies in formal suits, someone will more easily endure contact with a boy or girl dressed in casual style. There are also clients who do not care with whom to communicate. Depending on the specifics of the product and the image of your company, the line of “manager images” that your target audience wants to see will vary widely. However, it should be clear that the formalization of communication is contrary to the idea of a more personal and memorable contact between the client and the operator.

Of course, it is impossible to choose one manager so that he meets the expectations of all members of your target audience. Therefore, it is very important that the video chat service allows you to connect several operators at the same time.

Any client will be able to turn on a video call with the person he likes. Psychologists say that the possibility of choosing even from two options has a beneficial and calming effect on the psyche, gives a feeling of control over the life of an individual. A client who independently chooses with whom to interact will be more calm and balanced in a conversation, tuned in to friendly contact.

Pitfalls of video calls

Any advantage can suddenly turn into a trouble, it all depends on the context. This is also true for video chat services. Some of the basic features of communicating with video operators, which are undeniable advantages, when viewed from a different point of view, can turn into painful problems. What are the disadvantages of video calls? 

Any advantage can suddenly turn into a trouble, it all depends on the context. This is true for video chat services too. Some of the basic features of communicating with video operators, which are undeniable advantages, when viewed from a different point of view, can turn into painful problems. What are the disadvantages of video calls? To paraphrase a well-known proverb, аll's fair in love, war and E-commerce.

It is necessary to monitor what and who gets into the frame. If the appearance and manner of speech of operators can be agreed in advance with employees and take care of their preparation, only a few entrepreneurs think about the background. However, a flickering light bulb on the ceiling, a broken chair in the corner of a room, or a dusty, cluttered warehouse can make a depressing or comical impression on a client. One of the symbols of remote work has become pets, mostly cats, which regularly appear on broadcasts.

If your managers turn on the cameras only on desktop computers, then it will be easier to tidy up the space in their reach. If the shooting is done from a mobile laptop, the task becomes more complicated.

The cost of maintaining video calls also matters to businesses. It is necessary to take care of web-cameras with a good resolution at the workplaces of managers, purchase, install and configure software, train staff and ensure sufficient Internet connection speed for full and efficient work.

To implement video calls or not - that is the question

Does your business need video calls? This question is not easy to answer unambiguously. There is no doubt that this is a useful and effective marketing tool, so we would recommend trying it and seeing how its implementation will affect traffic and sales, as well as customer interest in your product. The new service stimulates the interest of site visitors, especially when combined with recorded video widgets with expert product reviews.

Even if the percentage of successful transactions does not grow immediately and instantly, it is worth taking a closer look at what stage they fail - maybe the stumbling block is somewhere else. For example, the number of potential buyers has increased, and the delivery of goods to the warehouse is delayed.

Advanced clients are often not ready to wait until the site owner finally decides to equip his site with a modern video call service. The presence of free trial tariffs allows every entrepreneur to evaluate the benefits of such services in practice, and not to let the most ambitious visitors go to competitors. In any case, even if you realize that you are not ready to implement new tools right now, you will receive valuable information about your target audience and communication processes, while spending a minimum amount of money on equipping one operator's workplace.