When talking about chatbots or their implementation, we often forget that there is Live Chat. Discover the differences and advantages of each one and how a Customer Service can be much more efficient with the presence of both.
Chatbot Solution
Besides, as more companies have these options, we see an increasing number of users willing to take advantage of automated chat solutions.
But what is a chatbot? Well, a chatbot is a virtual agent that helps companies automate certain processes. The most common is related to frequently asked questions. These FAQs can be easily programmed.
Basically, a “chatbot” is a chat robot. That is a robot with which we can talk, and it answers, without the need for human intervention.
Studies show that 69% of users prefer to contact brands through messaging platforms. This percentage supports the decision to implement these solutions.
Companies increasingly use these solutions and optimize Customer Services since most requests and questions are for direct response and quick solution.
Live Chat Solution
On the other hand, the Live Chat option concerns human agents who help clients through online chat platforms. Think of calls to contact centers, but in this case, by messages.
Live Chat is usually connected to the software used by companies. In this way, assistants can directly (or almost directly) access customers’ cases and solve their questions.
However, although it’s a good solution for Customer Support, it fails in certain aspects, namely, the time of service.
As is often the case with telephone calls, there are countless queues, and the time it takes to be answered is quite long. This hurts companies a lot, as customers become dissatisfied and may look for other alternative services/products.
Additionally, like contact centers, these services are mostly only available at certain times on working days. In other words, if a customer has an issue outside that period, they will have to wait until the next business day.
The Differences between Chatbot and Live Chat
We have already told you about the most obvious difference – virtual agents vs. human agents. However, some distinctions can still be made between the two chat options.
Chatbot
24/7 Service
Virtual agents are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Even if it’s not a business day, customers can solve their issues themselves.
Reduced waiting time
As already mentioned, queues in contact centers can be very long. In chatbots, this doesn’t happen since their responses are instantaneous, and the customer is served as soon as they have the first interaction with the bot.
Fast scalability
The bots are easily scalable. They have no user limit, so there are no service changes when the number of customers suddenly increases. Furthermore, scalability allows their operation to remain active even when human assistants are not available.
Complex order triage
Chatbots, even with Artificial Intelligence, may not know how to respond to more complex problems. In such cases, they refer the user to a human assistant. Still, before that, the bot can sort according to the client’s question and send it to an agent specialized in that subject.
It should be noted that the chatbots we talk about in this article have recourse to Artificial Intelligence. Still, some chatbots don’t have it and help in the same way the Customer Care services. Know which type of chatbot best fits your company.
Live Chat
Specialized Service
In Live Chat, the human factor is essential. The knowledge of the world that a person has cannot be compared with a chatbot’s. People understand the non-verbal clues, even through messaging and can tailor their service to the person on the other side.
More Complex Requests Resolution
Linked to the previous point, the knowledge of the world and the access to the clients’ case makes that only the human assistants can solve more complex requests that involve more details.
The Advantages of Having Chatbot and Live Chat
We have seen that there are differences between virtual and human agents. However, the separate use of one and the other is not as advantageous as the two options’ symbiosis.
Where one fails, the other complements, and it’s on the investment of this set that your company should focus.
On the one hand, a chatbot can solve the questions and requests of low complexity and the most frequent questions. Therefore, customers get answers immediately and don’t have to wait indefinitely for a simple solution.
Additionally, the volume of questions is shared between a bot and human agents. Customers are only referred to human assistants when the bot cannot answer the question or when the User expressly asks for it.
On the other hand, in Live Chat, an assistant can simultaneously answer several users, increasing employee productivity and service efficiency. Unlike what happens in other situations, where an assistant can only answer one person at a time.
In conclusion, the chatbot and Live Chat are good solutions separately, but together they are the best solution. This article showed you some reasons for how each option complements the other and the gains that your company can obtain.
Emailbots: The Solution for Emails
We have already told you about the chat option and how it can improve your Customer Service. However, the same can happen in your email channel.
Companies’ email channels are usually bogged down, and it becomes difficult to respond quickly to customers. Another challenge is forwarding to the right departments. Most of the time, emails go to a more general address, and then employees have to proceed with routing to the right departments.
Well, that’s where email bots help. With this automation solution, the sorting of emails, their categorization, and forwarding is done automatically.
Moreover, in cases where not all the necessary information for the resolution of the process is present, the bot makes this request. Only after having all the details, it proceeds with the forwarding to the assistant. To know more about this solution, go to Email Bots: How to Automate Your Mailbox.
If you want to know more details about Visor.ai solutions, contact us now!
Design: Marta Ramos; Text: Filipa Perdigão
