Live Chat vs Chatbot: Which is the Best Option for Customer Support?

Priya Bawa

She has started her career as a Content Writer and writes on blogs related to career.

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Ensuring prompt responses to customer queries is vital for maintaining customer satisfaction. However, this is not always achieved, even with efficient channels like live chat. Let me clarify that live chat is an exceptional technology and one of the renowned features of the Acquire customer interaction platform. When utilized effectively, it can significantly expedite the customer journey through the sales funnel. As per Econsultancy, a remarkable 79 percent of clients prefer live chat services due to their ability to bypass waiting queues and receive immediate answers to their questions.

Source: Safalta

Failing to carefully consider this aspect and ensure that customer service representatives are prepared to respond promptly may result in customers waiting for extended periods and feeling disappointed.
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Table of Contents:
 What exactly is live chat?
 What exactly is a chatbot?
 Chatbots versus live chat:
How to Make a Decision Between Live Chat and Chatbot:

What exactly is live chat?

Live chat is a type of online communication system that allows you and your website users to communicate in real-time. This messaging software appears as a pop-up window on websites and allows users to quickly ask customer support professionals inquiries. Internet chat is an excellent substitute for phone conversations or emails. All you or your users have to do is put the message into the chatbox and press the send button. The chat feature can assist you in recreating the in-store experience online. You may also message your visitors and ask, "How can I assist you?"This is a statement that will help to increase their engagement. According to our research on important live chat data, more than 43% of buyers choose real-time customer care via live chat over all other communication modes.  Download these Free EBooks:
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What exactly is a chatbot?
A chatbot, at its most basic, is computer software that replicates and processes human interaction (either written or spoken), allowing humans to communicate with digital devices as if they were speaking with a real person. Chatbots can range from simple programs that respond to a single-line question to complex digital assistants that learn and adapt to provide greater degrees of personalization as they receive and analyze data. Chatbots versus live chat:
Live chat brings empathy to support interactions by allowing for human-to-human engagement, whereas chatbots improve the support experience by providing fast replies and automated solutions to help concerns. Live chat and chatbots work in tandem to supply your consumers with excellent customer service. Live conversation:
Live chat is a type of digital transmission medium that enables businesses to communicate with consumers in real-time through messaging. Customers may simply contact your representatives and get their questions answered with a chat widget installed on your website. Support for live chat can also be provided via messaging services like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and Apple Business Chat.
  • Human agents can handle up to four concurrent conversations at once
  • All live chat discussions are handled entirely by people, regardless of the magnitude of the query/issue
  • Help discussions are handled by human operators that understand the emotions of customers
  • Human agents must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Chatbots:
Chatbots are conversational interfaces that replicate human consumer interactions. They may interact with customers, nurture leads, and gather customer data. Chatbots may also be linked with messaging platforms like as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and ABC to communicate with clients through their chosen channels.
  • Chatbots are more efficient at addressing routine/repetitive inquiries, freeing up agents to deal with more complicated issues.
  • Chatbots provide round-the-clock assistance at no extra expense.
  • Machines manage support chats, and in certain situations, chatbots are enabled by AI/ML to facilitate human interactions.
  • There are no restrictions on how many chats a chatbot may conduct at once.
How to Make a Decision Between Live Chat and Chatbot:

Implementation time and usability:
Chatbots are a type of live chat.
When it comes to implementation, both alternatives are quite straightforward. Live chat and chatbots are simple to set up and can be up and running in minutes. Freshchat, for example, requires no coding and can be installed and operational on your website in seconds. There is no need for support agents to receive training to operate with live chat or chatbots. These solutions are capable of integrating with a variety of other powerful tools such as CRM, ticketing software, calendars, and so on. Learn more about implementing a chat.

Consumer loyalty and satisfaction
Live Chat = Chatbots Live chat is an excellent method for providing real-time support to your consumers while maintaining a human touch. Human agents are capable of recognizing the mood and tone of the consumer and are experienced at providing the appropriate help. They have the potential to spark meaningful dialogue and boost consumer involvement. Creating a relationship with consumers enhances customer happiness and brand loyalty. But, we've discovered that rapid replies enhance consumer happiness, and chatbots are particularly adept at this. Moreover, AI chatbots can now initiate small conversations and engage with clients. This boosts engagement by making the dialogue sound less robotic. It all comes down to what your clients anticipate from your brand and which gives greater advantages to both customers and agents.

Individualized replies
When it comes to tailored replies, live chat driven by human operators is a clear victor. A human agent behind a live chat not only can bring up consumer data at any moment and deliver personalized messages to each client, but they can also conduct human interactions with customers and sympathize in a very genuine way.
  • AI-powered chatbots, on the other hand, preserve customer data, give contextual help, send proactive messages to your consumers, and even propose solutions depending on the purpose behind a client's communications. Chatbots may also instantly collect consumer data and send prompted messages to urge your customers to buy or assist them with any problems.
  • Klarna, a Swedish financial startup, was able to continue satisfying its consumers with Freshchat even when the volume of transactions climbed to 1 million per day. They integrated with technologies that assisted in the retrieval of data from CRM and third-party apps. This gives an entire background for the agents to deliver individualized help and have an informed chat session.s may
  • Yet, the optimal option is a hybrid of the two, in which consumers may obtain responses personalized to their prior interactions from bots while simultaneously being referred to live agents if necessary to continue the discussion.
Rapid reaction
Live Chatbots > Chatbots
When it comes to providing rapid replies to clients, chatbots take the lead. When you have a chatbot on your website, it may answer any consumer who contacts you at the same time. Chatbots can also help you eliminate client wait times. Customers using live chat would have to wait a few minutes before being connected to the appropriate person. Live chat may reduce wait times if your chat support team is well-equipped and staffed to manage the volume of incoming inquiries. Nevertheless, with preset replies and access to chat scripts, your agents can provide live chat help in real-time. Consider the following if you need to provide immediate assistance:
  • You have an experienced support crew that works only to provide customer help during business hours, and ticket volumes are steady. A simple live chat will suffice.
  • If you have a small support team that wears several hats and your ticket traffic is increasing, a chatbot can relieve the strain of quick response and only bring difficult issues to the team.
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Chatbots at a Low Cost
Chatbots > Live Chat
According to studies, chatbots may help firms cut their operating expenses by 30%. For example, a single chatbot may replace 20 or more agents, which might represent a small business's whole support workforce. Furthermore, using chatbots eliminates the need for infrastructure and salaries, both of which would be required in live chat. Consider the following if you are seeking low-cost assistance options:
  • Live chat is the ideal choice for small businesses with modest chat volumes since it connects directly to business owners. It saves money while improving the client experience. Choose the appropriate instrument.
  • Chatbots are ideal for firms that want to expand quickly and have a high volume of incoming inquiries.

Live chat is a form of online communication system that allows you and visitors to your website to speak in real time. This messaging software shows on websites as a pop-up window and allows consumers to instantly ask customer service personnel questions. Internet chat is a great replacement for phone calls or emails. Simply enter the text into the chatbox and push the send button. The chat tool can help you replicate the in-store experience online. You may also message your visitors and ask, "How can I assist you?" This will help to enhance their interaction. More than 43% of purchasers prefer real-time customer service, according to our study on vital live chat statistics.

Read More: CPC in Digital Marketing: What, Why, and How It Works
 

Are chatbots useful in customer service?

Chatbots may reduce customer service expenses by up to 30% while also shortening response times. 95% of people feel that chatbots will benefit customer service the most. Chatbots are expected to save corporations $8 billion.

In your perspective, are chatbots more effective or less effective than phone calls for customer service?

Chatbots and live chat workers can respond to simple client inquiries faster than phone assistance. Want to increase sales? In contrast to phone assistance, live chat operators can begin discussions with consumers while they are browsing the organization's website. This strategy may allow agents to close a deal.
 

Why do customers choose live chat?

Customers choose live chat alternatives because they expect an instant response to an issue. Customers say the most common reason they initiate a live chat is to get an instant answer to a query. They would rather do this than make a phone call or write an email.
 

Why is a chatbot superior than live chat?

Live chat brings empathy to support interactions by allowing for human-to-human engagement, whereas chatbots improve the support experience by providing fast replies and automated solutions to help concerns.
 

What are the drawbacks of using chatbots in customer service?

The following are the disadvantages of chatbots:
One of the biggest disadvantages of chatbots is the limited amount of inquiries they can answer. To overcome the concerns, it will need to connect to a real human at some point. They also have a limited number of responses and answers, which may leave a client dissatisfied.
 

Do consumers prefer to communicate via chat or phone?

Using live chat to increase customer satisfaction, The good news is that responding immediately increases overall satisfaction rates. According to Comm100, 82% of consumers were pleased with their live chat experience, compared to 61% of email users and a concerning 44% of phone users.
 

Why are customers drawn to chatbots?

They have access to customer assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to a poll conducted by MyClever Agency, 64% of clients feel that chatbots' capacity to provide 24/7 assistance is a key value. Chatbots should be given simple duties so that they may help consumers when agents are absent.
 

Chatbots improve client happiness.

Chatbots save operational expenses, increase support team efficiency, and, of course, improve customer pleasure.
 

Does live chat boost sales?

Not only can online chatting enhance overall conversion rates, it's also been proved to raise the value of individual transactions. According to research, when customers participate in live chat before making a purchase, their average order value increases by 10%.
 

What are the drawbacks of chats?

  • People online may try to take advantage of you if you are feeling vulnerable.
  • Building ties online might lead to less time spent with friends and family.
  • You can't be certain that other individuals are being truthful or that they are who they claim to be.

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