Instant chat has cemented itself as an essential form of communication between businesses and consumers. In fact, studies have found that 52% of customers prefer websites that offer an instant chat service.
Did you know 80% of chats are responded to within 40 seconds? We live in an age of instant communication, and websites that offer a chat function live up to that expectation.
So we know having a chat function is important, but the question persists: Chatbot vs live chat?
For clarity, in this blog, my use of ‘live chat’ refers to a human chat interaction. And ‘chatbot’ refers to an AI chat service.
78% of consumers prefer to interact with a human when they contact a business instead of an automated machine. From personal experience, I would state that when it comes to a chatbot vs live chat, 100% of the time I would rather speak to a live person than AI. Chatbots are viewed as an easy way for businesses to engage with both potential and existing customers on-site while saving time and resources. But, are they actually helpful, and should we choose them over human interaction?
When making an instant chat decision for your business, it’s important you know the arguments for and against live chat and chatbots. So let’s dive in!
How do chatbots work?
Chatbots have many desirable features that could attract a business owner. These include:
24/7 availability: Your website traffic is able to interact with your business around the clock. No matter the hour, when a customer or potential prospect interacts with a chatbot, they’ll receive a reply.
Reduction of operational cost: Introducing a chatbot into your business saves you time and money. The cost and time associated with you, or a member of your team replying to every chat is radically reduced when you introduce a chatbot.
Repetitive requirements: Chatbots are able to automate responses over and over again. They can perform tasks that would be timely, repetitive, and perhaps demotivating for a human to perform.
However, a major flaw when it comes to chatbots is the simple fact they are not human. They hold no empathy, so cannot give customers the best emotional support. This can lead to customers receiving an unfulfilling, and unsatisfying experience.
Additionally, they often have issues understanding human verbiage. Therefore, they have to ask multiple questions to understand the issue or the point the customer is trying to get across. In fact, 50 percent of consumers believe it takes too many questions for the bot to recognize it can’t answer their issue.
And guess what happens when it can’t answer?
You’re instructed to contact a human from the business.
Chatbot examples.
An online retailer may have a wide range of products and a diverse customer base. They could struggle to provide 24/7 personalized support and guidance to each customer. To manage this issue, they could invest in a chatbot. For a retail company, the chatbot could collect feedback, help customers with order tracking, and provide further information and support to customers (within reason).
How does live chat work?
Chatbot vs live chat. The main difference? With live chat, there is a real, compassionate person behind the keyboard.
If you’re thinking about handling your own instant chat – of course you won’t be able to handle every chat 24/7, reduce operational costs, or avoid repetitive jobs. However, when you outsource your customer service, a company like AnswerConnect can provide you with all of the above… and more!
So let’s take a look at what live chat could be with professional human virtual receptionists.
24/7 availability: Just like with a chatbot, your website traffic is able to interact with your business around the clock. No matter the hour, when a customer or potential prospect interacts with a live chat, they’ll receive a reply from a human receptionist.
Reduction of operational cost: Introducing a live chat service into your business saves you time and money. The cost and time associated with you, or a member of your team replying to every chat is radically reduced when you hire an answering service.
Repetitive requirements: When you work with a live chat answering service, you don’t have to worry about repetitive tasks. An answering service seamlessly integrates with your CRM system, and friendly virtual receptionists are on top of making sure this all goes smoothly.
Live chat is human: Take a moment to reflect on the best customer experiences you’ve had. I’m sure they’ll be from the friendly waitress, the humorous salesperson who gave you a great deal, or the helpful advisor. I for one, cannot say I’ve ever had an experience from a bot that would have fulfilled me the same way humans have.
There’s no better connection than human connection.
Live chat examples.
A luxury hotel could use live chat to provide guests with 24/7 personalized information, really tailoring to their needs. For the hotel company, live chat can help visitors with recommendations, event planning and coordination, pre-booking assistance and so much more. Using a human allows a better understanding of hotel guests’ wants and needs.
Key takeaways.
| Aspect | Human Answering | AI Answering |
|---|---|---|
| Can send replies around the clock | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reduces operational costs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Handles repetitive requirements | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fulfils the emotional needs of customers | ✓ | ✕ |
| Can understand complex needs | ✓ | ✕ |
| Can easily understand what other humans need support with | ✓ | ✕ |
| Can leave customers feeling frustrated | ✕ | ✓ |
Take the next step.
At AnswerConnect we pledge people, not bots. As part of your monthly plan, you can add a live chat function to your website. All your calls and chats are instantly responded to by our team of professional, virtual receptionists.
Let customers reach you instantly, around the clock.
Want to find out more? Give our team a call at 800-700-8888 or check out our plans and pricing below.
