Chatbot vs Live Chat. What are the Differences?
Compare chatbots and live chat for customer service, and learn how to create your own AI chatbot with GaliChat and combine it with human help.
AI Chatbot vs Traditional Chatbot
What Are the Differences Between a Chatbot and Live Chat?
How To Use a Chatbot Together With Live Chat
How To Choose Your Customer Service Solution for Your Business
Introduction
When it comes to improving customer service, live chat, and chatbots are already commonplace tools for businesses. However, which one is ideal for your company's circumstances? Chatbots offer impersonal, fast responses, whereas live chat allows for a more human connection in real-time.
Because of the benefits of both choices, making a final decision may prove challenging. To assist you in making a choice, we have outlined the key distinctions in this article.
And, to make things even easier, we will also teach you how to use GaliChat, a platform that eliminates the need to know how to code to build your own chatbot.
What is a Chatbot?
Simply put, a chatbot is an artificial intelligence program that can mimic and parse human speech and text to make technology seem more human-like while interacting with users. A chatbot can range from basic software that responds with a single line to a highly complex digital assistant that learns and adapts to provide more personalized service based on the data it collects and processes.
You’ve likely encountered a chatbot in more ways than you realize – recent studies have shown that 67% of consumers already use chatbots to get quick answers.
For instance, a chat window might ask if you need assistance while browsing an online store. Or, maybe you've texted a service to order dinner on your way home, receiving a confirmation instantly. Even booking a doctor's appointment via chat or asking for delivery updates on a package could involve a chatbot.
AI Chatbot vs Traditional Chatbot
Traditional chatbots, or rule-based chatbots, rely on predefined rules to respond to user inputs, often following a decision-tree structure. These bots are easy to create, maintain, and control, making them cost-effective for small businesses. However, their limited adaptability and inability to handle complex conversations can result in rigid, impersonal interactions.
AI-powered chatbots, on the other hand, utilize natural language processing and machine learning to understand user intent, allowing for more dynamic, personalized conversations. While they are more resource-intensive to develop, they offer enhanced flexibility, scalability, and more human-like interactions.
What Is Live Chat?
Live chat allows users to communicate with a real customer service agent. This enables your users to address problems as they arise. Customers can receive prompt responses through live chat. They won't have to waste time searching your website's knowledge base or waiting for an answer.
While chatbots and live chat have the commonality of being real-time support communication platforms, that is essentially where the similarities end. Live chat allows users to communicate with a real person who works in customer service. And a chatbot, well, it's a bot.
What Are the Differences Between a Chatbot and Live Chat?
While both serve the purpose of helping your customers and enhancing their experience with your company, that is where a lot of the similarities end. When choosing whether to use live chat agents, a chatbot, or a combination of both, it’s important to understand the extent of their differences.
| Live Chat | Chatbot | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Limited to business hours and agent availability. | 24/7 availability, always accessible. |
| Response Time | Delayed if live chat agents are busy or unavailable. | Immediate, responds instantly. |
| Handling Complexity | Best for complex, personalized inquiries. | Struggles with complex issues, depending on AI sophistication. |
| Productivity | Limited by the number of agents. | Can handle numerous interactions simultaneously. |
| Costs | High due to staffing and training expenses. | More cost-effective, once set up. |
| Consistency | Since it relies on human intervention, it varies depending on agent performance. | Consistent responses according to pre-defined rules or AI learning. |
| Learning Capability | No automatic learning or improvement. | AI chatbots can learn and improve over time. |
How To Use a Chatbot Together With Live Chat
Live chat and chatbots complement each other when it comes to efficient customer support. The secret is to know when to make the switch from one to the other according to the user’s needs.
Automated chatbots are capable of handling pre-programmed queries, such as simple, initial inquiries. Even in more complex situations, they can help collect crucial client information quickly. After that, they will be transferred to operators available for live chat. They bring unique human traits to the table that can enrich the experience. If this strategy is successful, it might lead to more conversions and positive feedback from satisfied customers.
A combination of a chatbot and live chat operators can still achieve lower expenses, 24/7 availability, happy customers, and improved sales.
Chatbot + LiveChat GaliChat Tutorial
With GaliChat, you can integrate a highly efficient AI chatbot into your website that will handle more than 60% of user queries. This will streamline your operations and lower the workload of your customer agents, who will only handle the complex issues that arise.
To do that, follow these steps:
1 - Create Your GaliChat Account
The first step in creating a chatbot with GaliChat is to go to https://galichat.com/signup and make an account.
This will allow you to use the platform to build, train, and personalize your chatbot, as well as generate the code you will need to integrate it into your website when it is ready to deploy.
2 - Create and Train Your Chatbot
All chatbot creation takes place on the “My Chatbots” page. The interface is straightforward and easy to use, whether you want to add a new chatbot, or work more on an older one.
There are also plenty of resources to consult when first getting started with GaliChat. Even if you do not go through the documentation, the journey is clearly explained every step of the way. Once you’ve clicked on “Create Chatbot”, you will start by providing all necessary resources for bot training.
You can crawl your website for relevant links, add them manually, upload files, or input text. GaliChat will use all of this information to train your Chatbot. Make sure the information you provide is as comprehensive as possible, as it will determine how well-equipped your bot is to answer customer inquiries from the get-go.
Once your chatbot is created, you will be able to see this page:
From here you can always add more training resources for your bot, as well as monitor important data such as Analytics, Message History, or Leads. You can also view and test your chatbot to make sure it turns out the way it’s supposed to before adding it to your website.
3 - Enable “Human Help”
Now that the chatbot component of your customer service is created, it’s time to make sure it seamlessly blends in with live chat when necessary. Your GaliChat bot can encourage users to ask for Human Help and collect all necessary information to pass on to your live chat agents.
First, “Human Help” needs to be enabled from “Action Buttons” in the “Visual Look” menu:
Then, it is time to customize the human help chat widget. To do so, select “Human Form”.
There, you will be able to personalize the name of your human form button, as well as placeholder text for the information you will collect (name, email, phone number, etc.). This form provides your customer service agents with the necessary information to reach out to the customer and continue the conversation that the AI chatbot started.
How To Choose Your Customer Service Solution for Your Business
Choosing what platform to use when building your chatbot will determine how much room your business has to scale and evolve when it comes to its customer service. There are several key factors to keep in mind when making this decision, which we will break down.
- Identify Your Business Needs
Before selecting a chatbot platform, it’s important to clearly define your specific goals. Are you looking to automate customer service, provide support round the clock, or assist with appointment scheduling? Understanding your pain points and what you aim to achieve will guide you in choosing a platform that aligns with your needs.
- Evaluate Scalability
As your business grows, so will your chatbot requirements. Choose a platform that can scale with your business, allowing you to add more features, handle increased traffic, and integrate advanced functionalities without the need to switch platforms in the future.
- Consider Ease of Use
The usability of the platform is key to successful implementation. A no-code or low-code chatbot builder makes it easier for teams without technical expertise to create and customize bots. Opting for a user-friendly platform ensures faster deployment and smoother team collaboration.
- Look for Customization Options
Every business has unique needs, and a customizable chatbot platform allows you to tailor everything from the bot’s appearance to its behavior. Whether you need personalized messages, custom prompts, or branded designs, a flexible platform will offer more value.
- Assess Reporting and Analytics
Data is crucial for understanding customer interactions and improving your chatbot’s performance. Ensure the platform offers robust reporting and analytics tools to track user engagement, identify trends, and fine-tune the chatbot’s responses for better outcomes.
Looking To Improve Your Customer Services With AI?
In conclusion, the choice between chatbots and live chat boils down to the needs and goals of your business. Chatbots are ideal for handling routine inquiries, providing instant 24/7 support, and automating repetitive tasks.
On the other hand, live chat offers a more personalized touch, allowing for deeper human interaction and tailored customer service, particularly in complex or nuanced situations. Both have their strengths and in many cases, a combination of the two can offer the best customer experience.
For businesses looking to streamline communication without sacrificing personalization, GaliChat offers a no-code platform to easily create and customize chatbots.
With its user-friendly interface and robust customization features, GaliChat helps businesses build chatbots that improve customer engagement while freeing up human resources for more in-depth interactions.
Explore GaliChat Use Cases
Discover how GaliChat can be used for different business needs: