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Gone are the days of long phone hold times and unanswered customer emails. Chat is on the rise. An estimated 42% of consumers now turn to online chat as their preferred method of support over calling a company to speak to a representative. Live chat support has become increasingly popular among consumers as an alternative to traditional methods like phone calls and emails. It offers several advantages such as immediate response times, convenience, and the ability to multitask. With the growing demand for chat support and the advancement in chat features, it’s essential to determine which method will provide the best features without jeopardizing your customer’s experience.

What is a Chat Bot?

Chat Bot is an AI feature that uses software to complete online chats with automated responses in place of a live human. The responses are preprogrammed with basic information based on a company’s FAQs or everyday customer conversations.
  • Pros of a Chat Bot AI features help manage multiple channels simultaneously by eliminating long wait times often associated with customer phone calls. Since chatbots are automated to handle simple requests such as hours of operation, return policy questions, or basic product features, they free up live representatives for more in-depth customer situations.
  • Cons of a Chat Bot Chatbots are transactional and impersonal and can only perform within the scope of their software programming. Bot features can cause customer service gaps with their inability to problem solve and handle more complex customer issues.

What is Live Chat?

Live chat is talking with a human over text in real time. A Live chat service offers the full benefits of using chat while incorporating traditional phone support’s attention and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Pros of Live Chat Customers still prefer to speak with a human over interacting with AI when seeking assistance. Overall, consumers experience an 82% higher level of satisfaction when using live chat over other service methods. The benefits of live chat services extend beyond customer service. Companies that provide live chat saw improvements in their bottom line as well. Live chat agents are familiar with products, features, and specials that match a customer’s needs and customize the interaction and experience for each consumer. Companies saw an increase of 48% in revenue and conversion rates as high as 40% due to using live chat.
  • Cons of Live Chat Live chat requires thorough training on the business and its offerings, attention to detail, and multitasking skills. Speed is also essential. Similar to answering a phone call,  customers expect a live chat response within 7 seconds to 2 minutes. Slow chat responses can cause customer satisfaction to drop, and 1 in 5 customers are willing to stop using a product or service for slow response times via online chat.
So what’s the best customer experience for your business? One that meets the customer’s needs where they are. Whether using live chat or incorporating chatbot features, it’s important to provide customers full support. Responsive Answering Service’s professional staff offers live chat support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that you can offer your customers the support they want without having to expand your team. We have a dedicated team to provide your customers with personal and knowledgeable support with the tools and latest technology that ensure your customers receive a faster response every time. Demand for chat services will continue to grow. Responsive Answering Service has affordable, quality live chat support from experienced agents. Contact us to get your customer service online today.