It’s 9:30 on a Tuesday morning and you’ve just made your first coffee of the day. The shop’s quiet. Your inbox is (miraculously) under control. Then, a small ping from your website dashboard. Someone’s sent a message through the live chat.
They’ve asked a question about one of your products. Maybe they’re just browsing. Maybe they’re deadly serious about buying. You don’t know yet. And that’s the beauty of it, in this moment, you’ve got a chance to turn a quick “just looking” into an actual sale. The only question is: how?
In Australia’s retail and service game, this moment is more than just customer service. It’s the digital equivalent of someone walking through your shop door and looking you straight in the eye. It’s an opportunity, wrapped in pixels and a few well-chosen words. And like any opportunity, it’s all about what you do next.
Why website chats are a goldmine you’re probably ignoring
Website chats are not new. They’ve been floating around on e-commerce sites for years, usually lurking in the bottom corner, manned by a sleepy “We’ll reply in 24 hours” bot. But used the right way, they’re a direct line to your customer’s wallet.
Unlike emails or phone calls, chat has immediacy. It’s the customer saying, “I’m here now, I have a question now, and I might buy now, convince me.” That’s powerful.
Think of it this way. If someone’s willing to open a chat box, they’ve already invested a small amount of time in you. That’s like stopping at a market stall and picking up the product to inspect it. All you have to do is lean in, start the conversation, and guide them towards a decision.
The art of answering like a human, not a robot
There’s a strange thing that happens when some business owners use live chat: they suddenly sound like a corporate instruction manual. Stiff. Formal. Lifeless. In reality, the best chats feel natural.
When someone asks, “Does this come in another size?” you could reply, “Yes. We offer small, medium, and large.”
Or, you could say, “Absolutely! We’ve got small, medium, and large. The medium tends to fit most people perfectly, can I ask what you’ll be using it for?”
The second response feels like a conversation. It creates a reason for the customer to keep talking. The more they talk, the more you understand their needs, and the easier it is to guide them to a product or service that makes sense for them.
A clever trick here is to borrow the rhythm of in-person sales. If you wouldn’t say it face-to-face with a smile, don’t say it in a chat box.
Speed matters, but so does style
In the world of online chats, speed is king. If you leave someone hanging for more than a minute or two, they’re probably gone. But speed alone isn’t enough. A lightning-fast response that feels cold won’t close a sale.
What you want is fast warmth, a quick reply that shows you’re not just ticking boxes, but genuinely interested. If you’re using tools like HubSpot for your web development, you can set up smart alerts so your phone or desktop pings instantly when a chat comes in. And if you’re integrating something like WhatsApp into HubSpot, you can reply on the go without having to be chained to a desk.
In practice, that means you’re ready to respond like a friend who just saw your text, promptly, but with personality.
Turning questions into buying signals
Here’s a little secret: not every question in a chat is really a question. Often, it’s a buying signal in disguise.
When someone says, “Do you have free delivery?” what they might really mean is, “I’m interested, but I’m checking the final details before I commit.”
When they ask, “Is it in stock right now?” they’re picturing themselves owning it.
Your job is to recognise these moments and act accordingly. If someone is asking delivery questions, give them the answer — then nudge them closer. For example:
“Yes, we do free delivery Australia-wide, and if you order today, it’ll be at your door by Thursday. Want me to pop through the order link for you now?”
The faster you can bridge the gap between their curiosity and the purchase, the better.
Storytelling sells more than specs
If all you do in a chat is list features, you’re missing the emotional hook. People buy stories, not specs.
Let’s say you sell handmade leather bags. A customer messages to ask about durability. Sure, you could say, “It’s made from full-grain leather and has reinforced stitching.” Or you could say, “We’ve got customers who’ve been using the same bag every day for the past five years, it just gets softer and better-looking with time.”
Which one do you think they’ll remember?
Adding a human anecdote or customer story into your chat not only answers their question but also plants the seed of ownership in their mind.
How to use chat to upsell without being pushy
The beauty of a chat conversation is that you can drop in little suggestions naturally. If someone’s buying a lawn mower, you can mention the mulching kit. If they’re booking a service, you can offer a maintenance package.
The trick is to position it as helpful, not as an add-on. Something like, “Since you’re getting this model, most of our customers also grab the mulching kit, saves you time on clean-up. Want me to add that in?” feels like friendly advice, not a hard sell.
Follow-up turns a maybe into a yes
Not every chat will end in a sale. But that doesn’t mean it’s over. The follow-up is where many businesses drop the ball.
If you’ve captured their contact details (with permission), you can send a quick personalised message later. This is where tools like WhatsApp HubSpot integration shine. You can log the conversation, set a reminder, and send a message that feels like a continuation, not a cold call.
Something as simple as, “Hi Mark, just checking in, did you still want to go ahead with that coffee machine we spoke about?” can tip the scales.
Creating a chat culture in your business
If you’re the only one handling chats, it’s worth training your team to jump in too. Consistency is key. You want every chat to feel like the same friendly, knowledgeable person is on the other side, even if it’s actually three different staff members taking turns.
Role-playing common scenarios is a surprisingly effective way to get better at this. Yes, it might feel a bit like drama class, but when your staff can smoothly handle anything from “Where’s my order?” to “Can you beat this price?”, you’ll see the results in your sales numbers.
Measuring the impact of chat on sales
To know if your chat strategy is actually working, you’ll need to track it. Most chat tools (including HubSpot’s) can show you how many chats lead to sales, the average response time, and common questions.
When you start looking at the data, you’ll notice patterns. Maybe customers who ask about shipping tend to buy. Maybe people drop off after you send them a link. These insights let you tweak your approach and close more deals.
And remember, even if a chat doesn’t result in an immediate sale, it can still build brand goodwill that pays off later. People remember a helpful conversation, even if they don’t buy straight away.
Final thoughts: treat every chat like a handshake
At the end of the day, a website chat is just another form of human connection. It’s not about scripts or corporate speak. It’s about listening, responding, and guiding.
If you treat each chat like someone has walked into your store and extended their hand, you’ll naturally start to have conversations that lead to sales. It’s about being present, personable, and just a little bit proactive.
So next time you hear that little ping from your website, don’t think of it as an interruption. Think of it as an opportunity wrapped in text bubbles, one that could be the start of your next sale.