Ask HN: Use cases of Instant Messaging for business?

[bestan]

We're looking for other uses cases for a product we've built. We based our assumptions on initial false positive feedback, and now considering pivoting.

We've built Seat.im - a professional instant messaging platform for sales. It has really simple client on-boarding as it requires no software and no account registration - with just one click (i.e. in email signature) clients can start interacting with a sales person (IM, video call, screensharing).

Our initial assumption was that both salespeople and their customers want to accelerate communication when working together (email is slow). Initially salespeople we spoke to found it exciting and were happy to try it out, but when running trials we learned that speed of communication isn't a real problem they want to be solved, and immediacy or such availability can actually be harmful for their sales process (i.e. unfulfilled expectations of immediacy results in bad customer experience or inability to prioritize deals etc.).

Can you see other use cases for the product we've built?

[soci]

I like to contact with DM when I have an issue with something product/service I bought. I want someone to be there and I actually like when a real person answers and I get my problem fixes straight away.

However, I think there are many DM services out there. The pain for the company is then the cost associated to have someone there 24/7.

When I had a DM system setup for my own company it was a pain in the ass to stop whatever I was doing to answer my clients in real time. I wanted to help them, but it was a distraction.