Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses interact and engage with their customers. Marketing industry experts have predicted that by the end of 2020, nearly 80% of consumers will be managing their relationships with brands without human interaction. More and more businesses are responding and seeing the benefits of using chatbots on their website. If given a choice between chatbots or live chat, which one delivers a better customer service experience? Both add immediate value by addressing customer questions in real-time. Let’s take a closer look at Chatbots vs. Live Chat to see which is best for your business?
Why Live Chat Works
Live chat allows your audience to connect with sales and support reps in real-time. When it comes to real-time support, live chat is the best choice. Live chat results much higher customer satisfaction when compared to email and phone. It makes sense – nobody likes waiting. Aside from real-time solutions, live chat does two things extraordinarily well:
- Handles Complexity – Some questions require elaboration and discussion. When your audience chats with a live agent, a complex issue can be handled in seconds or a few minutes. No tickets. No holds. Just seamless solutions.
- More Efficient – Live chat improves your team efficiency by allowing staff to handle multiple conversations at the same time. You can identify chats and route them to the right team member for the most efficient solution.
Why Chatbots Work
Chatbots, like live chat, are designed for improving the customer experience. The difference is chatbots are not “real” people. They’re just as the name suggests – bots. But don’t let that discourage their usefulness. The greatest value chatbots bring to the table is that they are always on and ready to engage with customers 24×7.
Chatbots have the ability to engage with customers across websites, applications, and messaging apps like Facebook Messenger. Artificial intelligence has advanced to the degree that chatbots are smart enough to answer even complex questions with accuracy. Chatbots can improve customer service by:
- Availability – With chatbots, you can engage your customers 24×7.
- Easy Scalability – Bots have no limit and can easily scale to increased customer volume.
- Accuracy – Chatbots are designed to lead customers in a way that eliminates errors and results in speedy and accurate answers to customer questions.
How Do You Decide Between Live Chat and Chatbots?
Both live chat and chatbots are used by businesses to assist and engage customers and can work well together. However, there may be times when it’s more appropriate to just use one over the other. The next part of this article will look at different variables that play a factor in determining if live chat or chatbots make more sense.
Response Time
If your business needs to respond to customers in 30 seconds or less, a chatbot will get the job done every time. If your customers prefer talking to a real human, then having live chat is a better choice. You can also start out by using a chatbot and route more complex questions to a live support team.
Affordability
Cost-effective decisions are paramount in running a profitable business. If you’re a start-up and on a tight budget, a chatbot could be the better solution. Chatbots help automate business operations without hiring live support teams or taking time away from team members.
Accuracy
If your business requires handling FAQs fast, then chatbots can get the best solution to manage first-level support. When customers reach out with complex questions, live chat is the way to go. Remember, chatbots can redirect complex questions to a live team member for an accurate answer.
Human Touch
Sometimes customers prefer a human touch. If human interaction is important for your customers, then a live chat solution is the answer. Having live chat is like having a brick and motor store online and welcoming customers as they come in. It feels more friendly, and sometimes people need someone else to initiate the conversation.
Need Help with Deciding Which Chat Method is Best for your Website? We can help, contact Doohickey today!