Humans vs machines: it’s a debate that rages across almost every sector. Who is more efficient, more empathetic, more reliable?
And when it comes to Artificial Intelligence mimicking human tasks that incorporate speech, the arguments for and against become yet more heated.
Live chat on websites, via social media, or through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp has transformed how customers contact the businesses they want to buy from. However, with this omni channel deluge of enquiries, comes a more arduous process for organisations to manage.
Enter the chatbot…
AI has been leveraged by those wanting to be able to quickly reply or respond to customers for a while now, but with varying success. Using chatbots to undertake simple functions, such as to direct website visitors to a specific area of a website, or to provide contact info can work beautifully and take the strain off the customer service or sales teams.
How complex a chatbot’s tasks are entirely depends on how it’s used. It can simply be used as a way to welcome customers to your site and collect data. Or can be programmed to answer frequently asked questions, or to provide them with links to certain pages of a site based on keywords from their query.
However, when people want specific information, chatbots can frustrate, confuse, and ultimately disappoint your customers.
Of course, a business can still very much make use of live chat without introducing AI chatbots. One option is simply to manage live chat in house, just like you do email and phone enquiries. This can be an effective way to quickly assess a lead and answer questions.
One of the biggest appeals of live chat to many users is the fact that it’s accessible at any time. In fact, around 54% of live chats are started out of usual operational hours. While chat functionality can be turned off when you’re not in the office, for users this can again lead to a frustrating experience.
This is where using a manned, and outsourced, live chat service can be extremely beneficial. Human operators will answer and manage live chat on your website for you – making your business, in effect, a 24hr lead machine.
Here at Yomdel, we offer an expert 24/7 fully managed chat service. This means that you get the benefit of a real human to answer your website’s live chat queries, without having to man it yourself or rely on robots.
We work with you to create a knowledge bank to answer the most frequently asked questions and enquiries, helping you to create demand even when the office is closed. We help to qualify leads, optimise conversions and ultimately satisfy your potential customers.
And what’s more – this service is not just for your website. We can provide 24/7 support on Facebook Messenger and link to live chat from email, social media, SMS and even printed campaigns.
Our customer experience services are designed to help speed up the lead qualification process, letting you focus on what you do best.
If you haven't yet looked into a 24/7 managed live chat service, or you'd just like to know more about the options available to you, don’t hesitate to get in touch, we would be happy to chat.