Many business websites feature some form of chat module, but most of these services operate as standalone products. This means they lack integration with any backend system, particularly the business’s CRM. Whether they are passive or AI-driven, these chat services frequently overlook a crucial opportunity to engage with customers and prospects effectively.
This concept has been a concern for us, which we elaborated on in a previous blog post HERE.
The reality is that most visitors who interact with an online chat service are either existing customers or potential clients and should be prioritized accordingly. When a visitor identifies themselves via email, a chat service integrated with a CRM should be able to instantly retrieve their contact information, account details, purchase history, renewal dates, and more. This access enables service representatives to deliver faster, more informed, and personalized assistance.
The advantages of integrating chat services with a CRM system are substantial. For example, a record of the visitor’s chat can be immediately logged under their contact profile in the CRM, along with the complete chat transcript (which can also be sent to the client via email). Service agents can receive automated prompts to schedule follow-ups and distribute customer satisfaction surveys, enriching the customer's profile and creating new sales opportunities.
From a customer service perspective, this integration can act as a crucial front-end for a helpdesk ticketing system. Chats can be converted into tickets, which can then be swiftly forwarded to a support agent for a more timely response.
We were initially surprised to discover that no such integration existed for Act!—the pioneer of CRM technology—given the myriad of use cases for this functionality.
So, we decided to create one.
Introducing Link2chat: the first and only fully-featured online chat service designed to integrate seamlessly with your Act! CRM database. Act! users can rest assured that they won’t have to sacrifice features for integration. Link2chat includes all the features mentioned above, along with PWA support for quick access to integration tools, knowledge base articles, and FAQs.
Release Date: October 3rd
