How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Support via Facebook Messenger

11 min read

Offering customer support right where it matters the most—on your website—might be just what you need to turn more shoppers into happy customers. That’s where Facebook Messenger steps in. As one of the world’s favorite messaging apps, it also lets you add live chat to your online store for instant customer support.

Keep reading to learn how to grow your online store using Facebook Messenger and explore proven marketing strategies you can implement with it.

Why Use Facebook Messenger Live Chat on Your Site

Facebook Messenger live chat keeps you connected with your customers, lets you chat smoothly, and gives friendly reminders to shoppers about offers and discounts.

Let’s explore how you can use Facebook Messenger for your online store.

Shoppers Already Use Messenger

The number of Facebook Messenger users is massive — 1,010 million worldwide. If you have a Facebook page (which most of us do), you’re already on Messenger.

If you’re selling in the US, Facebook Messenger is indispensable. A survey of US consumers revealed that Facebook Messenger is their preferred platform for communication.

Messaging Creates a Personal Connection

In our bustling ecommerce world, people still love shopping from small businesses, whether they offer 2-day delivery or not. Why? Because smaller stores provide something special — quick, personal communication. Connecting and chatting with customers where they are builds a personal bond that brings your brand to life.

A store with Facebook Messenger live chat opens up chances for real conversations that bigger marketplaces and brick-and-mortar stores just can’t match. It’s like being your customers’ personal shopping assistant, suggesting items based on their needs, helping them pick the right size, or offering tips on using your product.

Shoppers Love Live Chats

Consumers appreciate live chats for a clear reason: they get help in real time without dealing with complicated menus or waiting for email replies.

Easiest-to-use customer service channels in the US (Source: Statista)

Let’s take a look at some survey data to back up the point:

66% of consumers say that they are more likely to purchase from a brand that they can contact via messaging
61% of consumers think chatting with an agent is the easiest customer service channel
85% of shoppers feel satisfied when they use live chat for customer service.

Linking Facebook Messenger to your store lets you use the app as a live chat, improving your customer service.

Messenger Live Chat Is Easy to Use

There are loads of fancy live chat platforms out there, but if you’re after a simple way to chat with your customers without needing a tech degree, this is the tool for you. Its user-friendly nature makes selling on Messenger a breeze.

Conversations Are Saved in Messenger’s Inbox

Imagine a customer asking you a question in a live chat while you’re offline. With Facebook Messenger live chat, the message waits for you and pops up once you’re back online, so you won’t miss a thing.

Keeping Facebook Messenger live chat on your platform means you stay connected with your clients whenever and wherever they reach out—whether on your website or directly in Facebook’s Messenger app.

Live Chat Assists Shoppers in Making Purchase Decisions

We’ve all been there. You’re browsing an online store and have a question—maybe the sizing is confusing, or you need more details on warranty, service, installation, care, and maintenance. That’s where Messenger comes in. Just click on Facebook Messenger live chat, and voilà! Instant customer service with a real-time chat.

Remember that some purchasing situations call for a bit more privacy and personalized service. Think about pharmaceutical cosmetics, lingerie, security products, gifts, and similar items.

Live chat helps your customers feel more at ease and allows you, as the seller, to connect with them on a more personal level.

While exploring products, customers can easily contact the business

Now, let’s explore how to connect your store to the app and start selling on Facebook Messenger.

How to Add a Facebook Messenger Live Chat to Your Online Store

First things first: if you still don’t have an online store, it’s time to create one. If you’re hunting for an online store that’s as powerful as it is easy to use, Ecwid by Lightspeed is your top choice.

Once your online store is up and running smoothly, connecting it to Facebook Messenger is a breeze.

If you’re using Ecwid, you can easily do this with a variety of apps from the Ecwid App Market. For example, Chaty, Chatway, WhatsApp Chat, and more. Simply search for “Facebook Messenger” in the App Market and pick the app that suits you best.

One awesome thing about these apps is that they let you offer multichannel support all from one spot. You can manage customer inquiries from Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, email, and other messaging platforms in one central hub.

This way, you save time switching between communication channels, ensuring you don’t miss anything and your customers aren’t kept waiting.

How to Use Facebook Messenger for Your Business

To get the most bang for your buck with Facebook Messenger’s live chat, check out the practices below.

Get the “Very Responsive” Badge

The “Very responsive to messages” badge is available to businesses with a response rate of at least 90% and a response time under 15 minutes. Earning that badge can boost customer trust — people love it when a business is quick to respond to their questions.

Automate Your Responses

Facebook Messenger allows you to set up automated responses, which can be a huge time saver. You can create instant replies for common questions or when you are away from your computer. This ensures that your customers receive quick and consistent responses even when you are not available.

This automated message informs customers of when they can expect a response

Automating responses also helps earn that “very responsive” badge, as it ensures that messages are always answered promptly.

This feature is especially useful for small businesses or solo entrepreneurs who may not have the resources to constantly monitor and respond to messages.

Below are the responses that can be automated in Facebook Messenger:

Instant replies: Automatically send a hello when someone messages you. Customize your message to greet them, share more about your page, or let them know when you’ll get back to them.
Set away schedule and message: Schedule your page’s status to away during specific hours. Keep customers informed when they can expect a response. (Messages received when your page status is away won’t affect your response rate or time.)

Here’s how to set up automated responses for Messenger.

Set Up Messenger Greetings

You can set a custom greeting to welcome anyone starting a conversation with your page. This friendly greeting pops up before any messages are sent and can share helpful info you’d like people to know before they reach out.

Here’s how to set up an automated custom greeting.

Use Saved Replies

Saved replies let you write, save, and reuse messages with ease. They’re super handy for addressing common questions like your business hours, email, or phone number.

You can create a saved reply from any chat in Messenger. Simply click “Insert saved reply” and choose “Add new.”

Try Inbox Suggestions in Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite is your go-to tool for handling everything Meta-related. That includes Inbox, where you can view and manage all your messages in one spot, whether they’re from Messenger, Instagram DM, or comments on Facebook and Instagram.

Plus, Inbox has a nifty tool called suggestions that can help you save time and stay organized. For instance, when you’re chatting with a potential customer, Meta might suggest a reply based on your conversation’s context. You can take this action from your Inbox.

Or, if you find yourself answering the same questions in messages often, Meta might suggest creating a handy FAQ based on your chat history. You can edit the suggested FAQs before saving them.

Learn more about Inbox suggestions in Meta Business Suite.

Start Selling with Facebook Messenger

Now you’re all set on how to sell on Messenger—exciting, right? The rest is in your hands! To offer top-notch customer service to your store visitors, consider adding Facebook Messenger live chat to your marketing tools and see your ecommerce game take off.

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About the author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at Ecwid. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs’ daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.