Life without a chat client is very ... slow.

Want to ask someone a question? You have to actually walk over there and talk to them. Worse yet, you might have to call them. Chatting is so wonderfully quick and impersonal and up to the contactee's discretion, while allowing you to be in touch and personal at the same time. I know, impersonal and personal at the same time? Yes. Can't really explain it better than that.