Oldie but Goodie: Why chat rooms still reign the online space and employee engagement

Chat rooms are one of the oldest online communities. They predate email servers, multiplayer games, bulletin boards, commercial online services, and social networks. They started humble, but over time they became places for people to share information and connect with others who share their interests such as employee engagement.

Chat rooms stand out from other instant messaging programs because they allow for communication between multiple people and now, employee engagement.

Fast forward to an even more distant future and chat rooms will just be one of many digital tools that businesses use.

What’s different now?

Despite chat rooms being around for a long time, the technology has only recently evolved significantly. Companies who use RumbleTalk express that the software allows for video calls, exchanging documents, and most significantly, sharing gifs and reactions.

The technology is beneficial for all parts of their jobs including the less formal “hey, I have a quick question” meetings, client check-ins, and new business pitches. At the core of chat technology, groups prefer conducting conversations online.

But today, with “channels,” or rooms that users can create or delete as needed, workers can schedule and join online meetings with dial-in audio conferencing that has high-definition and VoIP capability (voice over internet protocol, which allows voice calls over the internet).

This technology also allows for file sharing. Users who don’t see information in real-time can review it later in recorded transcripts. Some products have advanced features, such as dedicated phone numbers for making and receiving calls to users outside of the software.

For instance, our company manages a team of 20 people globally. The ability to do morning check-ins and interact with team members across the globe is very handy.

Around half of the workers believe that communication apps help them be more efficient

chat rooms employee engagement

Do work chat platforms make you more or less productive?

  • A majority of millennials (42%) believe that workplace chat platforms increase productivity.
  • 34% of employees said they would be more productive if they uninstalled their current work chat platform.

Many tech companies have created platforms designed to promote collaboration and employee engagement in the workplace.

According to managers, many seem to think they’re doing their job. About 40% of managers believed work chat communication platforms made them more productive, with senior managers believing they had the most positive effect.

Entry-level employees were more likely to describe work chat platforms as bad for productivity.

Only 29% of employees overall felt work chat platforms generally decreased productivity.

What is motivating today’s technology?

chat messages

Technology has created a problem of constant “noise,” where workers feel they need to be tied to their email, text, and voice messages around the clock. Experts say that this problem can only be fixed by technology.

Several experts believe that a communication tool that encourages workers to disconnect may be essential. This refers to features such as disabling notifications.

The technology allows users to still share information in real-time but can ignore private messaging and other distractions when they need to be completely focused.

Use chat rooms correctly to boost employee engagement

Incorporating social communication technology in the workplace starts with good intentions. The goal is to facilitate quick, efficient, and concise communication between co-workers that help increase productivity and employee morale.

As with any other social platform, conversations can quickly veer off-topic and end up as nothing more than a distraction.

Proper use of the platforms and keeping nonwork-related channels and threads to a minimum is crucial for minimizing distractions. Choosing the right software can also mean decreased productivity and increased collaboration.

At RumbleTalk, we work hard to create a productive and collaborative environment, free from distractions. Our chat room is designed to improve connectivity and employee engagement, so your team can succeed.

To learn more about how our products can transform your workplace, contact us today.

Chat statistics that will help you strategize your next event

How many times have you tried to obtain the answers you needed online but gave up in the middle of a purchase? There are an estimated two-thirds of abandoned carts according to a study. Fortunately, live chat can assist in converting such clients by offering prompt customer care during the peak of purchasing intent. Live chat statistics that demonstrate how useful these tools can be for your business and customer service team are provided in this article.

Utilizing live chat capabilities on their websites helps businesses offer a better customer experience, increase the effectiveness of their customer care staff, and realize greater increases in revenue and client retention.

Additionally, its popularity has recently skyrocketed and is still rising. Even if your website doesn’t support live chat, there’s a decent possibility that one of your competitors does as 85% of businesses are expected to use it by 2022.

Live chat statistics and strategies for businesses

Live chat features, according to 79% of firms, have a favorable effect on sales, revenue, and client loyalty

chat statistics

This fact emphasizes how live chat is beneficial for both businesses and customers. Make sure the investment in new technology is worthwhile before spending the time training your customer service staff on how to utilize it.

If you’re still not persuaded, consider the fact that brands that use the RumbleTalk chat widget generated an average of $20k+ in 2021 from chat-based engagements.

Customers prefer live chat over all other contact methods

Despite being present since the 1970s, live chat is becoming more and more popular. And quickly.

In fact, in the following 12 to 18 months, live chat usage is predicted to increase by as much as 87%. Chat growth has climbed by as much as 150 percent in some businesses.

More than half of all clients prefer to speak with someone in real-time and online instead of calling a company for help, which is the reason for this rising adoption.

The way businesses communicate with their customers has altered as a result of this kind of instant communication.

Live chat is replacing other digital channels as well, not simply phone support!

According to J.D. Power, live chat has surpassed email and social media or forums as the preferred digital contact method for online customers. A startling 42% of customers prefer live chat over email and just 23% favor it over social media or forums.

Moreover, 46% of customers prefer live chat over email and social media combined, making it the most popular digital contact channel for online shoppers.

66% of customers say they want a quick response to their questions

chat statistics

A support team’s reaction should be immediate if it takes longer than ten minutes, according to nearly two-thirds of buyers. Since many consumers are accustomed to traditional phone help, this typically yields an immediate resolution to the issue.

This figure should also alert your customer success team to the need for prompt responses while offering live chat assistance or to set up an automated message that will be sent to the customer as soon as a team member is available.

Certain live chat programs allow you to offer a self-service option as well. It can divert up to 30% of tickets while giving your clients quick solutions whenever they need them. Here’s a sample from HubSpot.

Increasing client satisfaction ratings with live chat

The good news is that by promptly responding, you will raise customer satisfaction levels in general.

82% of customers reported being satisfied with their live chat experience, according to Comm100, compared to only 61% of email users and a concerning 44% of phone users.

Happy customers and a lighter workload for your customer success team result from prompt responses.

And the simple explanation for this is that your clients detest waiting!

In actuality, it’s one of the primary causes of their failure to conduct business with you.

Therefore, you must answer live chat requests as soon as possible if you want to increase client satisfaction ratings.

Sadly, the majority of businesses don’t.

When it comes to how long it takes a business to respond to a live chat message, the average wait time is 2 minutes and 40 seconds. That is almost as lengthy as the typical phone support wait times.

Clients say they prefer using real-time online chat for communication

There is no doubt that live chat help is replacing traditional phone support. Live chat is winning over phone assistance, but users are also less likely to use other digital contact channels now. Only 23% of consumers say they prefer email for support communications. 16% say forums and social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) are their top choices.

According to SuperOffice, customers are more likely to go to your business’ website and try to interact with a live chat representative if they have a question. However, the key lesson here is that various customers have various support requirements.

To meet clients where they are without having to keep 15 separate tabs open, it’s critical to select a solution that unifies your support operation across all channels.

Did these chat statistics convince you?

If you’ve read the chat statistics, any firm now needs to have a virtual events chat as a communication tool.

It won’t be long until all of your rivals are utilizing chat, as adoption rates for businesses that employ it are rising.

By using live chat to its full potential, you could be:

  • Providing better client service
  • Increasing revenue and sales
  • Providing client service more quickly and efficiently

There is no reason why you shouldn’t use live chat to communicate with your consumers. It is one of, if not, the fastest customer communication tools to adopt.

It would be a good idea to start using live chat right away if you haven’t previously. Contact us via support@rumbletalk.com if you want a free live chat demo.

What role does live chat play in your company?

Case Study: GaS Digital fills up more than 2000 seats per podcast show with RumbleTalk’s community group chat

Podcasts have been around for the last decade, but they only began to take off in the previous five years. With the explosion of smartphones and other digital devices, audiences can listen to podcasts at work, while running, on the subway, and even when they’re out camping or hiking. With a community group chat, listeners can now share their insights. This allows two-way interaction in a show.

As podcast listeners have gone up, so has the demand for podcasts that are more than just someone talking into their microphone and sharing what they have to say. Audiences want interactive podcasts where they can be involved in discussions with people who share their interests and passions.

Check how GaS Digital continued to spur demand on their podcast shows by utilizing a community group chat within their channels.

The Client: Get to know GaS Digital Network

GaS Digital Network is a New York-based podcasting network. Their website houses 22+ podcast shows from a wide variety of topics ranging from comedy, sports, music, politics, and more. The company also produces 20 GaS Digital exclusive shows. 

gas digital community group chat

GaS Digital started in 2016, when Luis J Gomez and Ralph Sutton, The G and the S of GaS Digital, decided to create a space for people to discuss their favorite topics online.

In 2020, when the pandemic hit, we were all forced to live our lives in front of our screens. In turn, the podcast industry instantly had a louder voice. GaS Digital benefited from this surge. Roughly 22% of U.S. adults said they’re listening to podcasts more due to social distancing and stay-at-home habits, according to a Morning Consult survey conducted March 23-26, 2021. In a way, the podcast shows offer respite from the omnipresent mobile devices, giving everyone time off to reflect on personal development and well-being. 

After 4 years in the business, the network has grown to 10s of thousands of subscribers now and around 1.4 million listeners per week.

The Problem: Low subscription and engagement during podcast shows

While this shift in consumer behavior benefitted GaS Digital, it comes with the challenge to retain and maintain the increase in listenership as we all prepare to go back to our lives. 

By early 2022, the company’s shows were slowly seeing a decline in the number of listeners and new subscribers. This is a nudge that allowed them to innovate and create something wonderful with an unexpected collaboration.

The Solution: Adding a community group chat room on every live show

In the same year, the founders decided to take things one step further by partnering with RumbleTalk group chat. Together, they embedded a community group chat beside every live podcast show.

This easily became a place where the listeners could, not only listen but be welcomed by a group chat room while watching their favorite podcast. It’s an exciting add-on to the already interesting topics discussed in the shows. 

With RumbleTalk, GaS Digital’s audiences can now participate in a community where they could have direct contact with other audiences – and the numbers will speak for themselves!

The Results: 10% increase in listenership and subscriptions nearly doubled

gas digital community group chat

RumbleTalk was a way to have an open dialog with other viewers, fostering a sense of engagement, interaction, and a stronger GaS Digital community. This is one of the reasons why they’re able to fill up over 2000 seats several times a week.

Their subscription also nearly doubled since teaming up with a chat plugin, giving them 10s of thousands of subscribers now and around 1.4 million listeners per month, as of October 2022.

By switching to a chat-driven podcast format, GaS Digital has been able to spike up its listenership and subscriptions without any additional marketing spend.

RumbleTalk community group chat for podcasts

The GaS Digital team has been teaming up with the RumbleTalk community group chat for podcasts to stay relevant when the media industry is struggling to keep up with the market’s trends, competitors, and lifestyles.

To find out more about GaS Digital Network and their very interesting content, go to https://gasdigitalnetwork.com/high-octane-all-access/ and use coupon code TWB for $1.50 per month off the subscription cost.

If you’re interested in a collaboration like this, send us a message at support@rumbletalk.com. We’d be glad to give you a free demo!