According to Forbes, texting is the #1 preferred communication channel for millennials. And with good reason! It allows people to respond on their own time, there is no need for formality, it’s quick, and it’s more convenient than calling someone to convey just a few words.
The massive usage statistic of messaging apps on mobile devices has shown the world the power of texting. This has pushed app developers and product managers from all industries to include in-app chat in their products.
The success of in-app chat is not credited solely to texting. Both voice and video calling features that are included with in-app chat permit users to communicate on their terms. All of this in tandem make in-app chat the perfect addition to any business.
In this blog, we’ll talk about 11 use cases where in-app chat & messaging is essential for today's businesses. It goes without saying that in-app chat will include text messaging along with voice and video calling but there are features that can improve overall user experience and boost engagement for your app or website.
1. Online Marketplace
With people constantly buying and reselling online, marketplaces become a gathering of local communities that do business with one another. From selling a used bed to homemade eye creams, marketplaces host a wide array of products.
In-App chat use case for marketplace:
The buyers and sellers can contact each other using In-App Chat to ‘seal the deal’. They make sure that both parties are legitimate, discuss prices, and confirm the mode of exchange. In-App chat is an enabler for good trade.
Examples: Facebook Marketplace and eBay
Features to Use:
Image Upload: The seller can share more images upon request.
Video Calling: Both parties can see each other before a sale is made.
File Attachment: This way sellers can upload warranties or product related documents before the buyer buys it.
2. On-Demand Services
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There are many on-demand services out there - some deliver everything under the sun, from food and beverages to a laptop you may have left at home. Some exclusively deliver clothes, and some get you a cab on demand. With apps that have so many people involved, In-App Chat is key.
In-App chat use case for on-demand services:
You can use In-App Chat in multiple ways, but all of these uses act as a communication device between different people. For example, if the user has asked for a delivery agent to pick up a laptop from their home and deliver it to their location, they might need to contact the agent to convey any further information. Messaging will also help in informing the user about any updates on their service.
Examples: Uber, Zomato, and Dunzo
Features to Use:
Voice Calling: The user or the agent can call the user to make sure the task has been understood correctly.
Image Sharing: The user can show the agent exactly what to pick up, or the agent can upload the image to show that the product has been delivered.
Location Sharing: The agent can share their location to show that they’re at the pick-up point or the user can show the exact drop-off point.
3. The Telehealth Industry
The healthcare industry uses messaging very frequently to convey test reports and appointment schedules. Due to the pandemic, therapy and counseling have also gone online. The healthcare industry even has special HIPAA compliance when it comes to messaging patients.
In-App chat use case for telehealth:
In-app messaging will help patients connect with their doctors on their personal hand-held devices while still maintaining complete privacy. Doctors can also send test reports over the app that patients can then download. It’s not limited to doctors either, if the client is connecting with their dietician, they can quickly ask if they’re okay to eat a certain kind of food as well.
Examples: Practo, iCliniq, and PlushCare
Features to Use:
File Sharing: Easily allow doctors to share test reports and diet charts.
Image Sharing: The patients can share images of rashes and acne to inform their caretaker of the condition and progress.
Video Calling: This can help therapists and counselors to have sessions with their patients easily.
Voice Notes: This feature is for patients to be able to vocally describe their troubles.
4. Banking
Banking is a very customer centric business and banks receive thousands of support calls on a daily basis. With the changing population demographic and a rise in texting amongst them, texting will soon become a way to contact banks for regular queries.
In-App chat use case for banking:
Since banks have to deal with a lot of support calls, in-app chat can help cut down support time significantly by integrating it on their mobile banking apps and portals. This can help connect customers and bankers very easily and take care of frequent tasks.
Examples: Ecobank and First Bank
Features to Use:
Video Calling: Bankers can take care of e-verification through video calling for opening a new bank account or expanding the services on an existing account.
File Sharing: Customers can request their statements in chat and also submit their virtual identification with ease.
Webhooks: These can be used to easily convey wait times and ques with the bank by sending automated messages when a customer contacts the banks using In-App Chat.
5. Virtual Events
The pandemic has pushed several firms to conduct events online. From career fairs to training sessions, virtual events are dealing with it all. With more people than ever attending virtual events, the communication gap is slowly increasing. In-App chat helps in bridging that gap successfully. HeySummit is a successful business that uses In-App Chat, check out this case study to see how they do it.
Examples: HeySummit, Brella, and Hubilo
In-App chat Use case for virtual events :
For career based events, In-App chat can help create chatrooms where people can talk one-on-one or in groups to network and make connections. This chatroom strategy can also be used for a personal meet and greet with the hosts. Along with that, here are some more features that can be used:
Features to Use:
Message Translator: With events attracting people from across the globe, the auto-translator can allow everyone to converse easily.
File Sharing: During a virtual event if there is a need to share resumes for networking or worksheets for training workshops, this feature can allow people to share the important stuff.
Video Calling: This would be especially useful for meet and greets as well as group training workshops where people need to see each other.
Profanity Filter: This feature would help keep the conversation in chatrooms appropriate and safe for all attendees.
6. Virtual Broadcasting (Live)
Going Live and screening a movie are different because the audience can interact with a live, not with a movie. The ability to live comment on a virtual broadcast and the hosts ability to answer user submitted questions is what sets it apart from other visual platforms. These features make Instagram Live a unique experience when compared to watching a YouTube video.
In-App chat use case for live streaming:
In-App Chat allows the users to talk to the hosts by live texting on a broadcast and this makes them feel like a part of a larger community. Seeing a celebrity read your text out loud is an exciting feeling for several people, and a virtual broadcast, like a webinar makes the one to many conversation easy. All of it from the comfort of your home.
Examples: Instagram and Twitch Live
Features to Use:
Video Broadcast: Just press a button and your app will take care of broadcasting everything from your camera. A feature vital for virtual broadcasting.
Profanity Filter: Make sure that everyone participating in the live chat is keeping it appropriate for the event.
Reactions: People can react to each other’s messages and feel engaged in the live space without them feeling like they’re being talked at.
7. Online Gaming [In-Game Chat]
Today, games are available for people of all ages and more and more games are offering multiplayer support. From RPGs to Battle Royale style games, being able to communicate with your team, guild, or partner in the game has become the norm. Take a look at how gamers are creating communities online.
In-App chat use case for gaming:
In-App chat can be used to contact other players for help, or letting them know what you do. For example, if players were about to trade items in-game, they would need to exchange words. If they need help from their guildmates, they could inform them through the in-game chat.
Examples: PUBG, Elder Scrolls Online, and Genshin Impact
Features to Use:
Dedicated Chatroom: Many games are known to have different rooms for chatting, for example, 1 for the guild, 1 for the region, 1 for the world, and 1 for friends. The ability to make a dedicated chatroom will be very useful in games.
Profanity Filter: Since video games are played with people of all ages, this would be an invaluable tool to keep your game friendly for everyone.
Voice Calling: Gamers can contact keep regular contact with their teammates by speaking to them so that their hands don’t have to move away from the WASD.
8. Online Dating
Any online dating app has two central pillars that can determine its success. A good matching algorithm and a good in-app chat. After all, how are people supposed to find suitable partners without talking to them?
In-App chat use case for dating
In the case of online dating, In-App Chat is fairly simple, once people want to talk to each other, they’ll send a message, or make a call! The 1-on-1 chats between the users is perfect for online dating platforms.
Examples: Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble
Features to Use:
Rich Media Attachment: The ability to share GIFs and Emojis can help create a dynamic conversation between the users.
Video Calling: Catfishing is common in online dating platforms and the easiest way to overcome it is by a simple video call between the users before they decide to meet in real life.
Webhooks: People share about themselves through songs, restaurants, and movies. Webhooks can allow users to share links between apps with ease.
9. Enterprise Communication
All businesses, regardless of their size, use some form of messaging to keep the team members informed and give mass updates throughout the company. While e-mailing is used for most official communication, there is a need for a lot of informal and instant communication that only Chat Apps can provide for. Relying solely on e-mails can lead to increase in silos within a company.
In-App chat use case for enterprise communication:
Businesses can set up an internal messaging system in a matter of minutes and give their employees the freedom to create groups and personal chats for any informal communication. This is especially useful when a business has multiple offices that need to speak with each other.
Features to Use:
File Sharing: From images to reports, everything can be shared right over chat without sending a long formal email along with it.
Extensions and Polls: You can enable different extensions for the employees to use, like polling. This can be easily used to get the firm’s daily mood or ask an opinion poll.
Video Conferencing and Screen Sharing: People can bring presentations to everyone’s screens in a matter of seconds with this feature. With everyone online at the same time, making sure people are on the same page will be easy.
10. E-Learning (Virtual Classroom)
It’s not just the schools that have gone online during the pandemic. Coaching and extra classes have gone online, several colleges now offer remote learning degrees, and online certificate courses are getting visitors at an all-time high.
In-App Chat use case for e-learning:
E-Learning requires in-app video calling so that students can talk to each other as well as the facilitator or teacher. Every day, more and more learning is happening in groups which has created the need to have group conversations in class. In-App chat can also help with that.
Examples: Udemy and Coursera
Features to Use:
Video Calling: E-Learning is not exclusive to large sized classes. Online tutors can make use of it to give 1-on-1 attention to students as well.
File and Image Sharing: Students can submit their homework or solutions through In-App Chat’s file sharing feature.
Voice Notes and Audio Sharing: This is great for classes where audio assignments are popular, like language classes.
Quiz and Polls: This is a great way to ask the class a common question and get answers without a chaotic cacophony of replies when students unmute themselves - like doing an on-spot Quiz.
11. Social Communities
A social community consists of people from all walks of life and from across the globe. All you need to build a social community are people with similar interests. If you’re an app developer, including in-app chat when building a social community app is a must. If you’re looking for ways to monetize your social community app, check out this blog.
In-App chat use case for social community:
Social Communities like Facebook and Instagram do on thing well - they connect people. When folks want to reach out to old friends or find people with similar interests online, social communities are the way to go.
Examples: WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord
Features to Use:
Voice and Video Calling: This will allow people to reach out to friends and family and video calls in groups can bring people together.
Rich Media Attachments: People can share their favorite memes and videos.
Stickers: While emojis are still very popular, stickers are also gaining popularity amongst users.
Building in-app chat with CometChat
If you’re wondering how to build so many features for your in-app chat requirement, check out CometChat - a secure, robust and easily integrable in-app chat SDK !! It can be integrated with any app or website within minutes with minimal coding and great support - Talk to our experts to schedule a call.
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Pronoy Roy
CometChat
