When you're running a business, you're always on the lookout for ways to improve customer experience. One area to consider is your communication channels, specifically your chat options. Chat tools are an excellent way to increase customer experience. Let's explore the different options for chat tools and the pros and cons of each.

Live Chat

Live chat is a real-time conversation between a customer and a customer support representative. Typically, customers chat with a human via the business's website. Live chat, like HubSpot’s Live Chat, is ideal for providing personalized support and addressing customer questions or concerns quickly and accurately.

Live Chat Pros:

• Human Interaction: Live chat allows customers to interact with a real person, which can be more personal and provide a higher level of customer service.
• Emotional Intelligence: Live chat agents can use emotional intelligence and empathy to understand customers' needs and provide personalized support.
• Adapt to complex situations: Live chat can handle complex queries, while chatbots may not have the ability to understand the nuances of human language and respond appropriately.

Live Chat Cons:

• Resource Intensive: Requires staff to manage and respond, costing time, staff, and financial resources.
• Limited Availability: Live chat is typically only available during certain hours, which can be a disadvantage for customers who need support outside of those hours.
• Inconsistent Quality: The quality of live chat support can vary depending on the skills and experience of the staff responding.
• Scalability: The more a chat is used, the more resources are required to respond, making scalability costly.

Chat Tools

There are various forms of chat tools, with chatbots and social media chat being the two most popular.

Chatbots are automated messaging tools that use AI or pre-set answers to communicate with customers. They can answer common questions, provide assistance, and collect information from users.

Social media chat is when a social media platform's chat is integrated into another platform. For example, a website using Facebook Messenger on their website.

These tools can be useful for providing basic support or answering frequently asked questions, without the need for staff intervention. Some popular chatbot tools include Manychat and HubSpot Chatbot Builder.

Chat Tool Pros:

• Cost-effective: Fewer costs than live chat since they don't require staffing.
• Availability: Can provide support 24/7, which can be convenient for customers in different time zones.
• Response Time: Provide fast and efficient support, with no waiting time.
• Consistency: Quality remains consistent as there is no variation in skills or experience.
• Great Scalability: Once created, these tools can help numerous users at once while not using any more resources.

Chat Tool Cons:

• Limited Capabilities: Chatbots may not be able to handle more complex questions.
• Impersonal Interactions: A lack of emotional intelligence and empathy can lead to a less personal and engaging user experience.
• Technical Limitations: Chatbots may have technical limitations, such as not being able to understand certain accents or slang.

AI Chat Tools

As AI continues to develop, so do the tools that use AI, including chatbots. This growing field is an exciting new frontier in customer support, with the potential to revolutionize the way businesses interact with their customers. AI chat tools can be highly effective at understanding natural language and providing accurate responses. However, it is important to remember that AI chat tools are a relatively recent development in the field of chat tools, but they show great potential for further development, especially in creating more personal interactions. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend checking out 18 of the Best AI Chatbots for 2023.

HubSpot Chat Options

For businesses that use any tier of HubSpot, there are various helpful tools such as the HubSpot Live Chat and Chatbot Builder. The Live Chat tool allows businesses to engage with customers in real-time and track conversations in one central location. The Chatbot Builder allows businesses to build custom chatbots to automate routine conversations and free up time for staff to handle more complex inquiries.

When deciding between live chat and chat tools, consider your business's needs and goals. Live chat is best for offering personalized customer support and direct communication with staff, but may not be as efficient as chat tools for handling high volumes of inquiries. Chat tools are highly efficient and scalable, making them ideal for automating routine conversations and freeing up staff time for complex inquiries. Check out our services or contact us to learn more and experiment with different options to find the best fit for your business and customers.