Today, customers use digital media to communicate with companies and give them feedback about products. As customers look for avenues to interact with a company and can leave public comments anywhere on the Internet, companies have been trying to create new customer service tools.

Several customer service channels have been adopted by companies to address customer needs.  For example, Mediacom, a leading ISP, allows you to quickly talk to expert customer representatives by dialing the phone number. To top it, Mediacom Servicio al Cliente specifically caters to Spanish customers.

Thus, it is evident that customer support is one of the key parts of a successful business venture, especially in this digital age. Customer support yields lasting relationships, helping a business grow and prosper. But anything going wrong with customer support can be a pitfall for a company.

However, in this article, we are going to juxtapose two popular tools of customer service, Live Chat, and chatbot. We will try to learn which of these two is better and why.

So, without any further ado, let’s get into it.

What is Live Chat?

As the name implies, Live Chat is a digital communication tool that allows any customer to interact with a business in real-time through messaging. The businesses affix a chat widget on the website, making it feasible for any visitor to reach out to the ever-ready customer service agents and get the information they seek. Moreover, many businesses offer live chat support on messaging platforms such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Benefits of Live Chat

A report suggests that 70% of customers prefer Live Chat and getting answers to their queries in real-time. It justifies why Live Chat is an integral part of every successful business. However, here are some of the benefits of Live Chat.

  • Conversion

According to one study, almost two-thirds of visitors who engage with a chat platform are likely to visit the website and purchase again. And when it comes to live chat, customers get instant responses to their questions, leading them to make quick purchasing decisions.

  • Customer Satisfaction

The users who land websites looking for a product may have questions in their minds. When you can address their concerns timely and elaborate on the matter, it leads to more customer satisfaction.

Down Sides of Live Chat

  • Long Wait Times

There are hundreds of customers seeking instant support from a business. As such there is a queue of requests that customer support agents have to address. With the lack of many agents on the site, the customers will have to wait in line for several minutes, which leads to frustration.

  • Poor User Experience

While it is true that live support leads to more conversion and customer satisfaction, many customers find scripted answers annoying. That is why, a section of customers have a bad experience.

What is a bot?

The other most popular customer support channel is Chatbot, which is a conversational interface that uses artificial intelligence to impersonate a human agent. These bots are deployed on websites to help customers engage, and their key role is to nurture leads and collect customer data. These tools can also be integrated with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, AIM, and other social media channels to help customers get quick support.

Benefits of Chat Bot

  • 24/7 Customer Service

The chatbots are up on the website and social media platforms around the clock. This particular feature allows customers to contact the business no matter what time of the day or night it is.

  • Consistent Support

Chatbots are programmed to provide level-head customer support; they will keep responding no matter how long the conversation goes, what the mood of the customer is, and what the situation is.

Down Sides of Chat Bot

  • Lack of Accuracy

Chatbots are programmed to limited answers so they are most likely to be less accurate when a customer has a unique concern or a complicated question. Consequently, this leads to customers leaving the site in frustration.

  • Lack of Persoanlization

AI toll can never attain the human factor no matter how close it mimics the human. The lack of human understanding makes it struggle to provide customers the support they need, leaving them unsatisfied.

Final Take

Chatbot and live chat are the two most important customer support channels, each of which offers unique benefits. Therefore, a business should offer both options and leave it to the customers to choose the support they want.