One of the features in trend nowadays for advanced apps is In – App Chat. We are about to define and present the most interesting insights of this solution for a better vision of this interaction within an app. In – App Chat is a conversation between two persons inside an app. There are multiple cases for this dialog, from user to user or from customer to brand. The first one is meant for the ones that use the app to share their thoughts. The other case can be described as a discussion between a user which has a problem or he needs an advice related to the app and a consultant from the team responsible for the app offering support. To understand better this feature, look at the approach of TicTail, “the Tumblr for online shops”.
How to Determine If Your App Needs In – App Chat Or Not
There is an obvious effort required for adding In – App Chat into your app. You need to decide if the end results will worth the struggle and your app will see a massive growth. The answers to the following questions will help you see things from a brighter perspective:
- Do you know at least one person who will be capable to manage the discussions all the time? It is useless to promise an interactive service and to keep users waiting for a response for a long period. These actions will make things worse. In this case, keep it simple and allow customers to enjoy your app as it is.
- Do you have the required resources for managing the big amount of data and to handle information from your users? There will be situations when you must save large databases. If you can’t juggle with the details received from users then you can’t offer your support. End of story.
- Do you trust your internet providers and are you absolutely sure that you will be available all the time? If your connection drops in a crucial moment it is possible that your customer won’t give you a second chance. It took you an entire strategy to win that user and now you can lose him in a second.
Importance Of In – App Chat
If the answers to previous questions are positive, let’s go ahead and create a plan. First of all, think about the benefits of your app after you will implement this feature. In – App Chat offers a personal touch to any app. Suddenly people feel like there is somebody there who cares about what they have to say, and everybody feels the need to communicate something, either an impressive score in a game or an opinion about the chair bought inside a retail app. The urge of dialog is even higher if you have a problem and you need somebody to guide you through the complicated steps for solving your issue. The following snippet presents the expectations of adding this feature to Zomato, a food ordering app.
Image Source: http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/zomato-introduces-in-app-chat-feature-lets-you-connect-with-customer-support-290859.html
The Difference Between In – App Chat And In – App Messaging
There is a general confusion between In – App Chat and In – App Messaging. Let’s clarify things for a better understanding of terms. As we saw above, In – App Chat is a discussion between customers or between a user who needs help for a task related to the app and a member of the team that owns the app for providing assistance. If you recall, in a previous article we discussed In – App Messaging and we defined it as a method for showing rich notifications for users while they have the app open. These messages are pre – set and displayed in specific cases according to user’s actions. From their definition, you can guess the main difference represented by their distinct goals. While In – App Chat is meant to provide support, In – App Messaging is created to offer valuable content with the purpose of engaging users. In the same time both offer a unique experience. So, In – App Chat is the effect of users’ needs and In – App Messaging comes from the brand’s intention in increasing the interest of users for the app. Since they have different powers, In – App Chat for helping users and In – App Messaging for attracting them, you can use both if your app requires them. But, keep in mind that In – App Messaging is a must have for marketing efforts while In – App Chat isn’t mandatory for all apps.
Ways To Build In – App Chat To Your Mobile App
If you decided that your app really needs In – App Chat and you don’t confuse this feature with In – App Messaging then let’s see how you can take advantage of this method for creating a connection between your users or to build a bridge between you and your customers. There are apps that require by nature chat functionality and there are others that need an extra something to empower their performance:
- Creating a community. It is obvious the necessity of games to simplify the communication between players and to enrich the experience of sharing different levels for users with their online friends. The same thing happens with fitness apps where bragging with your results in the moment you achieve them gives you power in following your plan of losing weight. This was the reason why Tyler Martin from Turf.ly decided to improve his app with In – App Chat.
- Making the work a lot easier. It is very difficult for users to collaborate with their team through emails or SMS. If your app is used for business work and it handles also the messaging requirements, then they won’t need anything else. Team of In – App Messenger considers that adding a layer inside your app you will help companies to share valuable information and to save time and money.
- Offering customer support. It is all about the complexity of your app. If your users need help in completing some tasks then you must be there to offer your service. If you shorten the way between their problems and your solutions then it is a sure fact they can rely on your professionalism. This was the aim for Vanhawks’ Mobile App.
Final Thoughts
If you are one of app owners who are wondering what is all about In – App Chat and if it is suitable for his app, then you received your answer after you read the paragraphs above. We covered the main aspects related to In – App Chat and we clarified the misunderstandings which may appear in case of similar terms. Now it is your call to decide if you should invest your resources for implementing this feature into your app or if the services provided by your app without it are enough for your users.
