June 21, 2023

Online Customer Support: Are You Doing it Right?

Online customer support is a vital component of any successful business. Even more so in today’s mobile-driven world. As technology advanced through the years, we’ve seen more options for providing exceptional customer service via online support. 

The truth is if your online support is tacky or less than acceptable, it can negatively impact your business, customer satisfaction levels and sales.

When creating online support, many businesses opt for various options including email, chatbot, phone support, live chat and social media interactions. While these options are great, live chat and phone support are two of the most popular options.

But with the current changes and developments in various industries, are you sure that your online customer support adequately provides for your customer’s needs?

In this article we will compare and argue the effectiveness of phone support and live chat for customer support, helping you determine if the choice you made is right for you. 

Phone Support

For many years, phone support has been a conventional means of providing customer support. The process entails customers contacting businesses via phone calls to seek assistance or resolve issues. The channel of phone support presents a multitude of benefits that render it a highly valuable means of customer interaction.

Benefits of Phone Support 

Firstly, phone support offers a distinct advantage in that it provides a personal touch that cannot be replicated through other means of communication. Customers are provided with the unique opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversation with support representatives of a business, ensuring that their concerns are addressed in a personalized and empathetic manner. 

When customers are greeted by a friendly and empathetic voice on the other end of the phone, it can provide them with a sense of comfort and confidence that their issues are being acknowledged and addressed with utmost sincerity.

Secondly, utilizing phone support provides an immediate and live mode of communication. Clients can expect to receive immediate assistance and have their queries addressed without any delay when they get in touch with an agent. This makes problem-solving easier for the customer.

Drawbacks of Phone Support

Although phone support is a valuable resource, it does have certain limitations. One of the main disadvantages of this service is the possibility of extended waiting periods, particularly during high-volume periods. 

Extended hold times and complex automated menus can lead to customer frustration when attempting to reach a live representative. Excessive waiting periods can have an adverse effect on the overall customer experience, resulting in discontentment and even a negative brand reputation

Furthermore, providing customer support through phone calls requires a significant amount of resources. For businesses to effectively manage incoming calls, it is essential to have a specialized team of support representatives at their disposal. 

For businesses that receive a large number of customer inquiries, investing in staff phone lines can be a significant expense. It is worth noting that phone support can hinder the multitasking abilities of the support team, as they are only able to manage a single call at any given moment. 

Live Chat Support

Live chat support is a modern and convenient method of providing customer assistance through real-time text-based communication. It has gained popularity in recent years due to its numerous advantages and effectiveness in resolving customer queries and issues promptly. 

Benefits of Live Chat Support 

One of the primary advantages of live chat support is its responsiveness. Customers can initiate a chat session and receive immediate assistance from a support representative. Unlike phone support, which may involve waiting on hold or navigating through automated menus, live chat allows customers to quickly connect with a representative without any delays. This instant response time enhances customer satisfaction and provides a positive experience.

Moreover, live chat support offers convenience to both customers and support representatives. Customers can engage in a chat session from anywhere, using their preferred device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. They can multitask while seeking assistance, allowing them to continue with their other activities without interruption.

For support representatives, live chat helps them manage multiple chat conversations simultaneously, ensuring a faster resolution for customers. It also provides written documentation of the conversation. 

Both the customer and the support representative have a record of the chat session, which can be referred to in the future if needed. This feature eliminates misunderstandings and provides a clear reference point for both parties. Support agents can access customer information, including previous interactions and purchase history, to provide tailored assistance. This personalized approach enhances the customer experience and fosters a sense of loyalty towards the brand.

In addition to its responsiveness and convenience, live chat support allows for better resource allocation. Unlike phone support, which requires dedicated phone lines and equipment, live chat can be seamlessly integrated into existing digital platforms and websites. This makes it a cost-effective solution for businesses, especially those operating on a budget or with limited resources.

However, it is important to note that live chat support also has some limitations. Since it relies on written communication, it may lack the personal touch and emotional connection that can be established through voice communication in phone support. 

Additionally, there may be instances where complex issues or detailed explanations are better suited for a phone call, where tone and inflection can aid in effective communication.

Comparison of Phone & Live Chat Support 

In terms of providing the best online support in today’s world, it is important to understand which of these options are relevant for your business. When comparing phone support and live chat support, several factors come into play.

• Response time: Live chat support excels in this aspect, providing near-instantaneous responses. Phone support may have longer response times due to potential wait times.

• Personalization: Phone support allows for more personalized interactions, as customers can directly communicate with support representatives. Live chat support, although convenient, may feel impersonal due to text-based conversations.

• Multitasking capabilities: Live chat support enables support representatives to handle multiple conversations simultaneously, improving efficiency. Phone support typically limits representatives to one call at a time.

• Cost-effectiveness: Live chat support can be more cost-effective, as it requires fewer resources compared to phone support, which involves phone lines and equipment.

Overall, both phone support and live chat support have their advantages and disadvantages. The ideal approach is to integrate these methods to offer customers a comprehensive support experience. 

Analysing Your Online Customer Support Effectiveness

Now that you understand the benefits of both live chat and phone support, the next step is to analyse your own support system and determine the changes to make.

Most industries are brimming with new trends that have strong impact on customer interactions. 

Ask yourself what trends are currently impacting your industries and how are your customers reacting to it. 

For instance, in the furniture manufacturing industry, augmented reality has a strong impact on how customers shop for furniture. When dealing with support issues relating to such, put yourself in the customer’s shoes and ask if their concerns are better served via phone or can be quickly resolved via live chat. 

To ensure effective online customer support, businesses should consider the following best practices:

1. Integrating phone support and live chat: Provide customers with the option to choose their preferred support method based on their preferences and the nature of their inquiries.
2. Training customer support representatives: Equip support representatives with the necessary skills to handle customer inquiries effectively and provide personalized assistance.
3. Collecting customer feedback: Regularly gather feedback from customers to identify areas for improvement and enhance the customer support experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, online customer support plays a critical role in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Both phone support and live chat support have their strengths and weaknesses. Phone support offers a personal touch but can be time-consuming, while live chat support provides quick responses and multitasking capabilities but may lack human touch. By combining these methods and implementing best practices, businesses can ensure they are offering optimal online customer support to meet customer expectations and enhance their overall experience.