Chatbots Vs. Humans: Which is Best for Your Customer Service?

Chatbots vs. humans is the newest topic under the umbrella of customer service. Companies are now using AI chatbots to improve buyer experience. Chatbots offer immense value. However, it can also lead to unemployment as technology replaces human beings. AI chatbots or humans are comparative arguments to identify the best fit.

Are chatbots better than humans?

Artificial and human intelligence have pros and cons. Thus, it depends on how you look at the situation. Each side has strengths, limitations, and comparisons. For example, an AI chatbot offers excellent customer service because it processes multiple requests at the same time.

Experts say AI is the future. Yet, human staff in customer service are a valuable asset for their forward-thinking and tailored approach. Chatbots will not substitute humans. However, a synergy between the two elements is expected. 

1A Statistical Analysis: Humans vs. Chatbots for Customer Service

Initially, humans were hired as part of the customer service. However, AI chatbots are a newer addition to the industry. Technology is making the customer service department efficient without disturbing human contributions. Here are some characteristics you may find interesting

· 86% of customers wish to talk to a human representative over an AI chatbot.

· According to Invespcro, 4 in ten customers are not bothered if a human or AI chatbot offers assistance.

· Salesforce revealed that 23% of the customer service department is using AI chatbots in some capacity. 

2Strengths of AI Chatbots for Customer Service

Available 24/7

Unlike a human staff member sitting at a desk answering redundant queries, an AI chatbot will never go to sleep. On the other hand, a human customer representative needs time to sleep, eat, and rest so they can perform at their optimal levels. An AI chatbot for customers is present day and night to answer the simplest or most complex questions.

Besides availability, an AI Chat is also more inexpensive to operate than a human. You do not need to give chatbots a monthly salary. A chatbot does not need shelter, clothing, and food. In addition, a chatbot will only have a one-time installation cost. 

Better response time

A human employee will take a few seconds to respond after calibrating the situation. On the other hand, an AI chatbot answers in a few seconds. They will answer a general with information or provide facts with a specific claim. As a result, the customers are more likely to engage with the chatbot.

If you are wondering about AI chatbots or humans, the former fascinates the customers because it is a new technology. The potential buyer will visit the website frequently to submit queries. Moreover, they are also interested in how AI chatbots will develop in the future.

No Language Barrier

The biggest advantage of chatbots is that the machine can operate in many languages. In contrast, a human will only know one or two languages. This prevents the companies from communicating with international customers. Moreover, they cannot enter a new foreign market because the company does not understand the language. AI chatbot will converse in Arabic in the UAE, in French in France, and in Bahasa Indonesia in Southeast Asia. 

Reduced cost

The use of AI chatbots is growing because they are cheaper for the company. When the expenses are reduced, assuming everything else remains the same, a business’s profit increases. The surplus is invested internally to benefit the customers with better chatbots.

When comparing attributes in a chatbot vs. human conversation, the former will automate all tasks. It reduces the burden on the staff significantly. However, the employer may need to train the staff with the chatbot prompts. 

Omnichannel support

Customers are displeased and will quickly move onto the competitor if they can only contact the business through one channel. Buyers appreciate companies who open many lines to collect feedback or complaints. The flexibility is very attractive. A modern-day buyer expects the business to be available on many platforms for interaction. 

A chatbot will combine the different channels for seamless interaction. As a result, there is no miscommunication. In addition, the customers are not waiting impatiently for a response. 

Consistent Support Experience

Buyers will be uneasy when they have to post or type queries repeatedly. They do not wish to annoy the business or the agents every time. The hesitancy results in inconsistencies, which can harm sales, reduce engagement, or shrink the market share. 

Even though the employers train the staff with responses, their answers to the customers may vary. The outcome influences the experience negatively. If you are wondering about chatbots or humans for customer support, go with both options for consistent answers. 

Leads and Sales Generation

AI chatbots will take the lead when answering customers. They will educate the buyer about the product, its history, and its features. One of the reasons businesses are researching chatbots is because an AI chatbot will positively contribute to the sales funnel.

An AI chatbot will generate leads and increase sales. The company’s website will welcome more visitors because their queries are being answered timely. Moreover, complaints and queries are collected to improve the product. 

Improved Customer Engagement

AI chatbots are very intelligent. They intake new information successfully. It is a form of virtual assistant that makes the conversation quick. Buyers are pleased to interact with the business. In addition, they are impressed with the customized approach to serving each customer professionally.

An AI chatbot will answer customers based on their input. Customers will feel heard when they are usually put off by human responses that are unhelpful. It convinces the buyer to stay longer on the website. 

Machine learning technology

AI chatbots in customer service are adaptable. They respond to the customers based on previous responses and customer trends. The answers are cohesive and consistent. Chatbots in customer service are consistently learning to do a better job and save costs at the same time. 

3Strengths of Human Customer Service

Handling complex situations

Many companies wonder about AI chatbots or humans in customer service. Many entities go with the latter approach because humans can comprehend complicated issues more thoughtfully. On the other hand, an AI chatbot has a limited database. Machine learning cannot answer questions that are out of their jurisdiction. 

Customers also prefer talking to another human being. A staff member who can provide tailored service is very valuable to the business. The buyers are pleased with the detailed answer that aligns with their queries. It will improve the experience overall. In addition, detailed human answers will prevent buyers from submitting queries in the future.

Dealing with angry customers

Fortunately, an AI chatbot cannot recognize emotions. It is a tool that is programmed to answer users based on an algorithm. When arguing about chatbots or human support, the biological mind is far superior for handling angry customers that exist in many industries.

A human customer service agent will handle annoyed buyers with utmost care. They will take the time to listen to their problems instead of offering a robotic response. A chatbot does not have the feelings to show empathy, which makes the buyers feel more frustrated. In short, humans suggest solutions that a chatbot cannot.

Empathy 

Most companies have a straightforward answer for AI chatbots or humans because the latter has empathy. Buyers will buy from companies that understand their emotions. They appreciate the seller is attempting to solve issues from their perspective. However, an AI chatbot can adopt the approach because it lacks emotional comprehension.

Human staff showcases empathy, which attracts more customers. A human’s biological programming provokes feelings. This is why having a combination of AI chatbots with humans is necessary to ensure the brand grows. Otherwise, you may see the company falling behind the competitors.

Adaptability

The recent advancement of AI chatbot technology is exemplary. They can process concerns in multiple languages and forward the queries to the relevant parties at the right time. However, customers refrain from talking to a chatbot because they wish to communicate with a human employee.

Humans will adapt to different natures of the customers and their needs. They will offer solutions beyond the rulebook to retain the customers. Furthermore, a human will answer differently in each situation. A human staff will make a huge difference in improving the service funnel.

Physical review and inspection

Unlike the AI chatbots, an employer can review and inspect the performance of the human staff. Unfortunately, not all customer service tasks can be given to chatbot. These require physical inspection from the human mind. Examples are checking defective products, reviewing quality, and service pipeline. After the assessment, humans will offer better solutions.

Product development, research, and manufacturing require human intelligence. The wisdom and previous experiences are crucial to deliver outstanding service. An AI chatbot will work as programmed and propose solutions according to its parameters. 

4Comparison of Chatbots and Humans

When people talk about using AI chatbots or humans for customer service, it is an interesting discussion when you look at the differences. Here are a few points

An AI chatbot does not have emotions. Humans will answer customers with empathy, understanding, and intelligence.

Chatbots do not have the empathy you will find in a human staff member. The latter will step into the buyer’s shoes to remove concerns/complaints.

An AI chatbot will work under its jurisdiction. A human staff member will think outside of the box to resolve complicated issues.

Chatbots cannot understand the context of a new or existing conversation like a human.

The human staff offers customized solutions to retain customers. An AI chatbot will answer according to the algorithm.

Even though chatbots are available in many international languages, it is unable to identify the regional dialect that a human can.

Human answers are inconsistent and may vary. Chatbots answer queries with authority and a consistent tone. 

A human staff offers limited scaling to the business. On the other hand, a chatbot is constantly updated and understands the trends for endless expansion.

A human makes errors. A chatbot has scripted answers free from grammatical errors and punctuation mistakes. 

5When to Use a Chatbot

You can use an AI chatbot in the following circumstances

6Build an AI Chatbot for Free

ChatInsight is a question-and-answer AI chatbot that is ideal for many global industries. It is based on the Large Language Model or LLM. ChatInsight AI chatbot offers accurate answers. It is multilingual and preferred for 24/7 consulting services. You can train ChatInsight for tailored knowledge to provide industry-specific answers. 

Use ChatInsight to advance in the market using an LLM algorithm like ChatGPT. ChatInsight has different modules for sales consultation, staff training, and customer support. It will handle pre-sales queries and offer innovative solutions to post-sales concerns.

Undoubtedly, AI chatbots are revolutionizing customer service. They offer quick answers and do not face linguistic issues. In addition, AI chatbots are also taking over mundane tasks so the staff can pay attention to complex situations.