Until recently, live chat has been the best way for customers to text you. But there’s pitfalls with chat. It requires the agent and customer to engage at the same time -- and if the customer leaves or the connection gets interrupted, the entire interaction is poof! Gone. If the issue is not resolved, the customer has to start all over again. Anything that can’t be resolved quickly requires the agent to have the customer switch to email, or worse, phone.

This just doesn’t cut it with today’s customers. Forward-moving brands know that they have to keep pace -- and even get ahead of their customer’s expectations. Those who do see results.