{"id":15440,"date":"2021-02-02T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=15440"},"modified":"2023-01-17T10:25:14","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:25:14","slug":"chatbot-vs-live-chat-whats-the-difference-when-should-you-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/chatbot-vs-live-chat-whats-the-difference-when-should-you-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Chatbot vs Live Chat: What\u2019s The Difference & When Should You Use Them?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Live chat and chatbot features are now commonplace across the web. These chat systems are both great options for facilitating rapid, contactless, customer service and customer support. Taking communications online takes a tremendous amount of strain off business contact centres.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leveraging chat technology effectively can, therefore help businesses save money, save resources, and boost conversions. But, as yet, there is no all-encompassing solution to text-based customer communications. Live chat offers the human touch. Bots boast speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Did you know? By 2021, <\/span>47% of organisations<\/span><\/a> are expected to start implementing chatbot solutions for their customer services. And the growth of chatbot technology is not slowing down anytime soon. It is predicted that the worldwide market size for chatbot technology will exceed <\/span>$1.3 billion by 2024<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As customers get used to these conveniences (<\/span>41% now expect live chat options<\/span><\/a>), both chatbots<\/a> and live chat software are great options for your business. But which one should you pick? Human-centred live chat or automated chatbot technology?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you out, we\u2019ve put together a go-to guide on all things digital communication. So, let\u2019s get cracking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by <\/span>REVE\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What is a Chatbot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Chatbots are becoming <\/span>increasingly popular<\/a><\/strong> as we continue to make strides in artificial intelligence technology. A Chatbot is a tool used to communicate with customers online via computer-generated responses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Businesses and customers interact online across a chat interface, and AI software will review and answer customer questions. The idea is to overcome human limitations and speed up customer care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by <\/span>Ubisend<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Chatbots aren\u2019t perfect yet, but they\u2019re well on their way to becoming sophisticated customer service tools. Some newer chatbot software has the capability for efficient, intelligent responses beyond the limited response library associated with chatbots of the past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In their current form, most bots function well as mechanisms to answer straightforward, frequently asked questions. Customers can now receive instant answers to common questions about product features, prices, and delivery. But rapid improvement promises a future in which bots boast much more complex capabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by<\/span> SalesForce<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Chatbots free up the customer care team to use their time productively. Customers and service reps no longer have to waste time on calls about simple, easy-to-answer questions. What\u2019s more, as an automated service, a chatbot is available 24\/7 – a great feature for online shoppers!<\/span><\/p>\n

But chatbots are not perfect. They lack room for personalisation. Only the most advanced bots can hold life-like conversations, and most are limited in their response settings. Either way, bots are facilitating conversational marketing trends, and customers seem to love it.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, <\/span>57% of consumers<\/span><\/a> in the United Kingdom now know what a chatbot is, and the global market size for chatbots is expected to reach <\/span>$1.25 billion by 2025<\/span><\/a>. Customer service is well on its way to becoming a perfect combination of automation and human interaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by <\/span>REVE Chart\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What is Live Chat?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So, what is live chat, and how does it work? Chatbots and live chats share a similar purpose, but function very differently. Live chats make up for the personalisation lost when relying on chatbots. That\u2019s because real customer service agents man lives chat interfaces.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prospective customers ask a question, and a member of the service team will reply to them via chat when available. When there\u2019s no agent available, customers are invited to leave an email address and will receive a response at a later date or time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RingCentral\u2019s <\/span>live chat features<\/a><\/strong> help clients know where their customers are coming from by facilitating easy, direct communications. Customisable chat windows help brands make their live chat interface unique and memorable, and behavioural targeting means agents can strike up conversations with their customers just at the right moment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Live chat is the most effective text-based communication method for getting to the heart of your customer\u2019s needs. A real person can understand where their customers are coming from and strike up conversations at just the right moment. That\u2019s why many believe live chat provides <\/span>unbeatable customer service<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by<\/span> ManyChat<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

But for a living chat to be useful, businesses must not ignore customers when they reach out. Did you know that<\/span> 21% of live chat support requests<\/span><\/a> go ignored? That\u2019s a sure-fire way to lose customer loyalty. Some customers trust live chat more than bots. So make sure you\u2019re there for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Live chat boasts many options for personalisation, but it is sometimes harder to guarantee instant responses. To avoid customers becoming frustrated by delayed response times, it\u2019s important to make sure live chat channels are manned as efficiently and comprehensively across multiple time zones. Alternatively, they can be paired with a chatbot to ensure some online support is always available.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image by<\/span> FinancesOnline.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Why chatbots and live chat are a great match\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

More and more businesses are mobilising chatbots alongside live chat and other communications tools to keep customer care running smoothly and rapidly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RingCentral helps businesses build stronger relationships with their customers using <\/span>omnichannel customer engagement platforms<\/strong>. <\/span><\/a>Businesses can cover social media, messaging, live chat, and email, all in one place, making customer care as easy as talking to a friend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefits associated with using chatbots as part of an omnichannel customer engagement strategy are many. Let\u2019s take a look at some of their best features.<\/span><\/p>\n