action plan

1. February 2013
Four-Step Action
Plan for Connecting
With Customers

2. © 2013 LivePerson
We all know why we shop online. For one, the
convenience just can’t be beat. Why sit through
traffic, deal with crowded parking lots,
compete with fellow shoppers and wait in long
lines when you can shop from the comfort of your
own couch? Record numbers of shoppers are
opting for convenience over chaos, spending an
estimated 375 million hours shopping online in
December 2012 alone.
We recently published the restults of our in-depth Connecting with Customer survey
outlining key areas of the online retail process that make the‘ideal online experi-
ence’. I’d like to share how to take survey insights and turn them into four manage-
able actions that will result in increased conversions, fewer returns, and more loyal
customers.
1. Offer Multiple Connection Options
Letting customers choose how they want to seek help is essential -- 59% of con-
sumers want more ways to connect with brands when they need help. Adopt-
ing a one-sized-fits-all approach to service doesn’t do your customers any favors.
Some customers want the immediacy of live chat, while others may simply want
a telephone number or an email address. It’s all about giving the customer what
they want, when they want it, to prevent them from shopping elsewhere. Are you
offering your customers more than one way to get in touch? If not, first on your list
should be to evaluate how you can effectively provide additional connection op-
tions to your customers.
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Four-Step Action Plan for Connecting With Customers

3. © 2013 LivePerson
2. Get the Timing Right
Connecting with your customers online in a successful way is all about timing. Just
like the in-store shopping experience, if you pounce on someone as soon as they
walk in they’re more than likely feel a little ambushed. However, if leave them wan-
dering on their own for too long, five minutes seems to be about the maximum
acceptable wait time, and they’ll simply give up and go elsewhere. Another key
element when it comes to timing is doing whatever necessary to resolve a customer
question in as few transactions as possible. This is good for both the retailer, from an
efficiency and resources perspective, and the customer, from a quality of service per-
spective. Providing the right help at the right time is a careful balance, but one that
the retailer must get right to be successful in the online marketplace.
3. An Informed Customer is a Happy Buyer
A key component in great online service is making sure you are providing consum-
ers with the information they need to complete the buying process. For example,
understanding that a leading reason for cart abandonment is encountering un-
expected delivery costs (70%), retailers can determine how to better display ship-
ping options, or create customer-friendly promotions offering shipping discounts to
entice buyers to proceed with their purchase. Additionally, retailers can get creative
in how they provide product information and descriptions. Consider adding cus-
tomer generated product reviews or perhaps video product demonstrations to help
customers be informed, ultimately leading to a buying decision.
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Four-Step Action Plan for Connecting With Customers

4. © 2013 LivePerson
4. Go Mobile
Mobile commerce is a topic we keep coming back to here on the Connected Cus-
tomer blog, and it’s no surprise given the exploding trends we’re seeing due to
the increasing variety of available mobile devices; more retailers providing apps or
mobile sites; and the innovative engagement opportunities being created for mo-
bile shoppers. Today, consumers expect to be able to access their favorite retailers
through their mobile. From product research to purchase, mobile is being accessed
at every point in the buying process-- as many as one in four consumers are even
using mobile while shopping in-store for product information or assistance. If you
haven’t started building a mobile strategy, now is the time to do so in order to gain a
competitive advantage.
About LivePerson
LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPSN) offers a cloud-based platform that enables busi-
nesses to proactively connect in real-time with their customers via chat, voice, and
content delivery at the right time, through the right channel, including websites,
social media, and mobile devices. This“intelligent engagement”is driven by real-time
behavioral analytics, producing connections based on a true understanding of busi-
ness objectives and customer needs.
More than 8,500 companies rely on LivePerson’s platform to increase conversions and
improve customer experience, including Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Verizon,
Sky, Walt Disney, PNC, QVC and Orbitz.
LivePerson received the CODiE award for Best Content Management Solution in 2012
and for Best Ecommerce Solution in 2011, and has been named a Company of the
Year by Frost and Sullivan in 2011. LivePerson is headquartered in New York City with
offices in San Francisco, Atlanta, Tel Aviv, London and Melbourne.
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Four-Step Action Plan for Connecting With Customers
Contact
LivePerson, Inc. T: 212.991.1794
475 Tenth Ave F: 212.609.4233
5th Floor info@liveperson.com
New York, NY 10018 www.liveperson.com