You don’t need to be a big business to have big business sales. Often, many small to mid-sized businesses will compete as aggressively as a big business would. One way to spearhead the competition and convert visitors into customers is by offering a live chat feature on your website. Live chat works by letting customers connect instantly with a customer service representative through a “chat box” much like AOL or MSN instant messaging.

Customers visit your website to do business with you. If they’ve clicked on your page but haven’t converted into a sale, it’s because something about the way you do businesses has disinterested them. Live chat allows for a virtual representative to assist customers immediately, without the hassle of picking up a phone or opening up an email box (then waiting hours or maybe even days for an email).

But live chat software isn’t just about business to customer interaction; it’s equally as relevant between business and vendors. Check out some of these top live chat software options to see how it can be applied to your small business needs.

Karichat Online Chat Software Gives Your Small Business Crucial Customer Data

Ever wanted to know the 411 on your customers and get crucial data that can help you better adapt your products and services to their interests? Karichat lets you do just that. While like Velaro it lets you monitor customer activity, Karichat is a persistent online assistant that accompanies them page by page and offers assistance whenever they seem stuck. Businesses also gain valuable info such as a visitor’s source country, the referring page (where your visitor came from) and the search engine and keywords your visitor used to get to your site. Karichat gives you the info you need to better adapt your business to your audience’s interests. It lets you use science to sell and craft your services/products more efficiently.

Cross-Catering between Customers and Business with Velaro

Award-winning Velaro boasts about its easy touch point system to connect you with your customers. Velaro offers real time visitor monitoring, shared premade messages, complete customizations, advanced routing and workflow, integrated surveys, co-browsing and joint form fill, as well as total administrative control. But what makes Velaro that much better is that it also allows for web conferencing – a tool that can be used to harness customer attention and connect instantly with vendors and other businesses for crucial meetings. Instant meetings allow for increased efficiency and quick decision-making and information sharing that lets you get back to the task at hand.

Mioot Services Business-to-Customer and Business-to-Business Needs

Much like Velaro, Mioot keeps the small business in mind on the front end while also catering business-to-business needs on the back end. With rates as low as $9.00 a month, Mioot would even be affordable to a couple of young lemonade stand entrepreneurs. It allows for monitoring multiple websites – a smart move considering today’s entrepreneur always has his fingers in several different projects. I’ve never known any successful e-commerce businessman to have JUST one site; they usually have about three and this is why Mioot would be perfect for this type of small businesses. Mioot also offers video conference for executives with complete operate chat setup, forwarding services and secured chats. If you’re a small business working with other businesses, a Mioot-like set up is critical if you want to portray field advancement, forethought and capability.

If you’re in the market for chat video software, also take a moment to look up eTalkup, Boldchat, and HelponClick. If you’re still unsure, then take advantage of the free trial offers; Mioot’s trial offer gives you a full featured trial without even having to put a credit card on file.

Author Bio:

by Shireen Qudosi

Shireen Qudosi is Benchmark Email's Online Marketing Specialist and Small Business Advocate. An Orange County based writer, Shireen specializes in online marketing and public relations. She has written for over 75 publications and has launched nine successful new media campaigns to date. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Denver Post, the Oklahoman and Green Air Radio, among others.