Chatbot vs live chat - top opportunities and limitations of both

If you are looking for modern and effective ways to engage your website visitors, you have two major ways to go in 2024 - either get an AI website chatbot or a live chat with a support agent.

Both have their pros and cons, and you need to consider several factors while making your pick.

Let’s go over all aspects of AI chatbots vs live chats.

Benefits of an AI chatbot

Always on

One of the primary benefits of an AI chatbot is its ability to be on 24/7, in all timezones imaginable. 

Unlike human operators, chatbots don't need breaks or time off, ensuring that customer queries can be addressed at any time of the day or night.

Volume-ready

AI chatbots are capable of handling multiple inquiries simultaneously. 

This scalability allows businesses to manage high volumes of customer interactions without the need for additional staff, leading to significant cost savings.

Consistent quality

Another advantage is the consistent quality of service provided by AI website chatbots. They are trained to respond in a specific way, eliminating the risk of human error or mood influencing the customer experience. 

AI Chatbots can answer up to 80% of standard questions, so you have to leverage that in your business.

Multi-lingual support

AI chatbots can also be programmed to understand and respond to multiple languages, which makes them an excellent tool for global businesses. 

Chatbit supports over 80 languages - and you can get all that cross-continent power even with a free installation!

Constant learning

AI chatbots can learn and improve over time using conversational GPT technology. They can analyze past interactions to understand customer behavior better and provide more personalized responses.

Gateway to rich data

AI chatbots can help in collecting and analyzing customer data. They can track your website visitor behavior and preferences, providing valuable insights that can be used to improve products, services, and marketing strategies.

Downsides of AI chatbots

May miss nuances and hints

No matter how well you train your chatbot, it will sometimes fail to understand context or nuances in human conversation. While they can learn to respond to specific inputs, they often struggle with ambiguous queries or complex language structures.

To minimize any potential negative effects of that, make sure to regularly go through past conversations and optimize chatbot responses.

May miss the tone

Another limitation is the lack of personal touch. Although AI chatbots can hold a conversation, some of the older tech will lack the emotional intelligence that human operators possess. 

To avoid that, go with the latest conversational AI products like Chatbit.

They will be able to empathize with a customer's situation or adapt their tone of voice to match the user's mood. This can make interactions feel more personal and less robotic.

Advanced models require upkeep

Custom multichannel AI chatbots also require a significant investment of time and resources to set up and maintain. They need to be constantly updated and trained with new data to improve their performance. This can be a challenge for smaller businesses that may not have the necessary resources.

Luckily, modern and robust solutions like Chatbit can be tuned and installed on your site in minutes - and they run very well with minimal training and tune-ups.

Need data for training

AI chatbots are dependent on the quality and quantity of the data they are trained on. If the data is biased or incomplete, the chatbot's responses can also be biased or inaccurate.

However, a livechat rep needs training as well - so you will have to be ready to invest some time into drafting SoPs in any case.

Benefits of a live chat with a human agent

Only 0.5% of customers prefer using chatbots over other customer service channels.

Live chat with a human agent offers the advantage of real-time, personalized interaction. 

Customers can ask complex questions and receive either immediate tailored responses or thoroughly researched replies. 

This level of personalization can lead to higher customer satisfaction rates and a more positive overall user experience.

Human agents are capable of understanding nuances, emotions, and context in a conversation, something that chatbots may struggle with. This allows them to empathize with customers, understand their frustrations, and provide appropriate solutions. 

Emotional intelligence can help build stronger relationships with customers and improve brand loyalty. 44% Of consumers say that having a live person answer their questions during an online purchase is one of the most important features a website can offer. 

However, to be fair, these surveys work with people mostly used to robotic conditional chat bots - many consumers would have a hard time telling a live person from the best modern AI chatbots like Chatbit.

Another advantage of live chat is the ability to handle complex issues that require nuanced critical thinking. While chatbots are great for answering frequently asked questions, they may not be able to solve intricate problems. Human agents, on the other hand, can think outside the box and provide creative solutions.

Lastly, live chat with a human agent can provide a sense of trust and security for customers. Only 14% of customers would trust the responses generated by a chatbot in an emergency, but with live reps it’s different. 

Knowing that there's a real person on the other end of the chat can make customers feel more comfortable sharing their concerns or issues. Considering that you can instruct your AI chatbot to specifically state that the visitor’s query can be escalated to a live representative at any time.

Downsides of live chats

The main downside of live chat is how much it costs to run one, considering the need for human resources. 

Unlike chatbots, live chats require a human operator to be available to respond to customer inquiries. 

This can lead to increased operational costs and can be a challenge for businesses that operate 24/7 or in multiple time zones. An offline livechat is extremely offputting to consumers.

Another limitation of live chat is the potential for long wait times. If there are a high number of inquiries or if there are not enough operators available, customers may have to wait for a response. This can lead to customer dissatisfaction and potential loss of business.

Live chat can also be limited in the number of customers it can handle at one time. While chatbots can engage with multiple users simultaneously, a human operator can typically only handle one or two chats at a time. This limitation can lead to slower response times during peak periods.

Unlike chatbots, live chat operators can make errors due to fatigue or misunderstanding. They may provide incorrect information or misunderstand a customer's question, leading to potential customer dissatisfaction.

Finally, live chat can lack the ability to provide instant responses. While chatbots can provide immediate answers to common questions, live chat operators may need time to research or consult with others before they can provide a response. This can slow down the customer service process and lead to a less efficient user experience.

AI Chatbot vs live chat for YOUR goals

When it comes to convenience and simplicity, solutions like Chatbit take the cake. Developed with the user in mind, our chat is a swift and straightforward on-site chat option to deploy.

The choice between a chatbot and a live chat largely depends on your specific goals. 

If you prioritize scalability, cost-effectiveness, and round-the-clock service, AI chatbots could be the way to go. 

Sign up to Chatbit today and see how easy it is to train and add to your website!