Article • 2 min read
Engage, deflect or convert? How Proactive Messages drive better conversational experiences
Proactive Messages help deflect tickets, convert leads and create better conversational experiences for customers.
By Jesse Martin, Staff Writer
Last updated February 23, 2024
Quick facts about Proactive Messages
- 70% of consumers purchase more from companies that offer seamless, conversational experiences.
- Proactive Messages help deflect conversations from becoming tickets, cutting staffing costs.
- Businesses can increase sales and reduce abandoned carts with timely, personalised Proactive Messages.
When customers reach out, they want immediate assistance. Whether it’s a real person or an AI chatbot, they want these interactions to be easy. That means natural, friendly and personal.
Proactive Messages allow your business to configure who, when, how and where to reach out to your customers, even before they initiate a conversation.
What are Proactive Messages?
A proactive message is a way of reaching out to your customers on your web and mobile pages.
They help:
- Your customers discover and engage with your business
- Anticipate known problems before customers reach out
- Provide a personalised experience
How do Proactive Messages work?
Proactive Messages make it possible for customer service teams to connect proactively with customers by sending a notification from the web messenger or their mobile app. You can choose which customers see your messages; what, where and when they see them; and whether a bot or a person will pick up the conversation when customers reply.
For customers, Proactive Messages create a frictionless experience while interacting with support – especially when service teams anticipate issues or disruptions – and enable them to deflect FAQs before they end up as tickets and overwhelm their agents, or move to a more costly support channel (like voice). Messaging makes it easier for customers to resolve their queries with bots and automation before needing to speak to a real person.
When to use Proactive Messages
Driving customers to support channels that are easy to automate is a simple way to cut costs, but there are also tonnes of creative ways to use Proactive Messages. For example, you can influence customers by offering them a discount code when they’re on a certain page. Or, you can use messages to educate customers about new product features and announcements. Proactive Messages can also drive customer retention – an engaged customer is less likely to bounce from your page, whether they’re browsing, shopping or looking to contact support.
Engage your customers |
Offer post-purchase support |
Increase sales and conversions |
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| When you detect that a customer has spent a certain amount of time on your site, send them a message to get the ball rolling and keep them from bouncing off the page. | Send targeted messages when your customer spends time on post-purchase pages, like returns or refunds. | Promote products, share announcements and give out discounts to customers to grab their attention and motivate them to complete a purchase. |
The benefits of Proactive Messages
Your customers want modern, personalised conversational experiences when they interact with you. That means making the most of your messaging tools – and being able to engage with them before they come to you.
Proactive Messages help reduce operational costs by getting ahead of issues before customer queries overwhelm your support team. They can increase sales and conversion rates with personalised and timely messages that influence customers to make a purchase – all while keeping them happy and engaged, reducing the chance of churn in a highly competitive landscape.
Without Proactive Messages |
With Proactive Messages |
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Why choose Zendesk for Proactive Messages?
People who build immersive, conversational experiences on Zendesk have the upper hand. The Zendesk customer service solution is simple, with easily configurable campaigns, data collection and bot-to-human handoffs in conversations.
Proactive Messages flow directly into the unified Agent Workspace, so agents are equipped with the context they need to quickly provide a personalised experience. Best of all, these tools grow with your business, so you can deliver the kinds of conversations your customers expect on any channel.
To learn more about Proactive Messages, click here for a free demo.
