If you can, try to remember the time when you were a newbie to the world of word processing software. Not only did you want the biggest bang for your buck, but you also wanted the latest in bells and whistles. You had many questions. Which software does what? How comfortable are the different brands? How steep is the learning curve? What is the cost of different software? Also, if you had a lucky one, would it be easy for my secretary to learn? The answers to these and other questions were important to your decision making.

The time between your initial searches for the best word processing software for your needs and today's high tech world is like flying past the launch of the jet. As Bob Dylan wrote, "The times are changing." In the ever-changing world of the fast internet, new applications bring with them new ways of doing business online. Currently, one of those new technologies is chat, which is a popular way of providing customer service.

Q: Live Chat or Not?

In today's online business world, the same questions are being asked about chat as you asked about word processing software a few years back. There must be some forethought today to jump on the chat bandwagon. There are hundreds of providers spread across the globe. In today's B2C and B2B world everyone is promoting the merits of their product. So your first question should be "is our business ready to implement chat services?" Here are some things to ask:

  • Do we have staff to do this?
  • How is chat a good fit for our short and long term goals?
  • Cab we charge for live chat?
  • How steep is the learning curve?
  • Is there any maintenance required?
  • What's on the bottom?

Getting Your Questions Answered

For most of us, asking questions is the easy part. Trying to find an answer that best incorporates current information can be a challenge. We all have many resources to help us get the information we need. Here are some:

A word of caution for this last resource; Contact them with caution. Remember, they are in business to sell you their service. But, it is a valid source of information provided you take your questions at hand.

Decision Making

By now, you should be aware of how to use the live chat software. You have enough information to decide whether or not to go with the chat. If you choose to offer live chat, the only decision left is which provider you will use. This is where all your research will pay off. Step back and review the data you've collected, discuss your options with your decision-making team, and if you need more information, don't hesitate to return to any of the resources you previously contacted.