SalesChat was built to serve as a live chat tool that facilitates sales interactions rather than support tickets directly from a retail brand's website. When it comes to customer support chat vs. having a sales-focused chat available, "[Customer] Support just sort of beat sales to that spot on the website," says Casey. Unlike conventional support chat widgets, SalesChat prioritizes immediate, sales-focused communication, making it a potent tool for driving conversions.

The impetus behind SalesChat’s development was the market gap left by the sunsetting of Hero, a similar virtual shopping tool that was acquired by Klarna in 2021. Hero’s premise, connecting online shoppers with in-store sales associates, proved successful, but left a void when its ownership changed hands. “Without Hero, there’s really no other solution in the market... Everything else is just a support chat,” explains Casey. Recognizing this opportunity, Endear accelerated the development of SalesChat, ensuring that retail teams could continue benefiting from a tool designed to enhance sales rather than merely providing support.

A prime example of SalesChat’s effectiveness is its implementation by men's apparel brand, UNTUCKit. Transitioning from Klarna's Hero product to Endear’s SalesChat, UNTUCKit quickly onboarded and began leveraging the tool to maintain their high level of online customer service and personalization. The ability to connect a store associate with a shopper from anywhere proved to be a big piece of success for UNTUCKit. Since their product is built around the perfect dress shirt, Casey said it best: "They find you the perfect fit shirt...you almost need to be talking to a person, right?” This seamless transition from Hero to Endear, paired with the ease of onboarding and integrating the product, only highlights SalesChat’s capability to sustain and even enhance customer relationships, essential for clienteling.

SalesChat offers numerous advantages for both retail teams and customers. For sales associates, it provides an avenue to engage with customers beyond the physical store, turning downtime into productive sales opportunities. “Store teams tend to have more free time to help answer these kinds of chats,” notes Drake, emphasizing the tool’s role in maximizing associates’ productivity. Additionally, the personal connection forged through SalesChat can lead to repeat business, a core aspect of effective clienteling.

For customers, SalesChat ensures a personalized shopping experience from anywhere. Instead of interacting with generic support agents (or worse: AI-powered robots), customers receive real human interaction from knowledgeable sales associates, just like the in-store experience. This direct line to sales professionals and product experts not only enhances customer satisfaction, but also increases customer confidence and the likelihood of a purchase.

Implementing SalesChat requires addressing certain challenges, primarily around attribution and giving a sales associate credit for the sale. “It’s all about attribution, credit... brands need to have a conversation about how store associates can get attribution for online sales,” advises Casey.

By establishing clear guidelines and incentives, brands can change the conversation from, "My employees won't care about this" to "My team is motivated by this!" and ensure their teams are motivated to engage in online sales activities.

And of course, hiring the right staff is crucial. As we see it, SalesChat is just another tool for those motivated employees to succeed. As Casey puts it, “It’s so important to hire good people... treat the good ones well and put them in positions to succeed [and they'll stick around].” Successful clienteling at any brand hinges on skilled and motivated sales associates who can effectively utilize tools like SalesChat to build lasting customer relationships.

SalesChat as an Endear feature represents a significant advancement in retail marketing and customer engagement, bridging the gap between online and in-store experiences. By prioritizing sales interactions and leveraging the expertise of in-store associates, SalesChat and Endear enhances clienteling efforts and drives real revenue growth. As retail continues to evolve, tools like SalesChat will be instrumental in ensuring brands can meet the demands of modern consumers, providing personalized, efficient, and effective service.