What is the difference between Live Chat and Messaging?

Businesses have transformed today. They are more customer centric. Customers are vocal about their wants and needs and make informed decisions. Customer interactions with businesses have increased over time, and technology has facilitated this. 

Recent studies have shown that a majority of customers are willing to pay more for a greater customer experience. To facilitate that, there are tools that make the business more accessible to the customers. 

Live chat and messaging are mediums through which customers can interact with the business. But aren’t they the same? Nope. Not at all. 

In this blog, we’ll look at what live chat and messaging are, compare them, and determine which will be better for your business, along with a few recommendations. 

What is Live Chat? 

A live chat is a platform where there is a customer and a live chat agent having a conversation in real time. The customer usually sends a message conveying they would like to speak to a live chat agent. An agent is then assigned to the chat, and the customer and agent can converse. Once the interaction is done, the customer and agent part ways. 

Once a chat session is done, if the customer wants to have another interaction with live chat, it is very rare that they get the same agent.  

What is Messaging? 

Unlike a live chat, where there is a real-time conversation, messaging is a bit different. A customer might send a message to the business, and they may receive a message saying that the business typically responds within a certain amount of time. 

A response to a customer query is not immediate in messaging. There are times when a customer service representative is available, and a real-time conversation takes place. However, it is not expected to get an immediate response.  

There is no end of conversation in messaging.  

Comparison of Live Chat and Messaging 

Both forms of communication might seem similar, but we can delve a little deeper into them. Live chat and messaging can be compared with various factors: 

Availability 

Live Chat	Messaging
Customer will get disconnected from the live chat if there are internet connection errors.  Customers get disconnected if they take too long to respond  Once disconnected, the customer might have to explain the issue again to another agent.  If an issue is unresolved, a new chat session must be initiated.	Customers and agents can message each other at any time.  There is no time limit for responding to a message or requirement of a stable internet connection.  Agents and customers reply and message when they’re available.  This helps the customer service team serve more customers and prioritize customers.  If the customer and agent are online at the same time, it can be turned into a live chat.

Communication History 

Live Chat	Messaging
Conversation can only be seen during live chat sessions.  Once the chat is done, an email with a transcript is sent to the customer if the customer has provided an email address.  If no email is provided, no transcript is provided.  Thus, customers lose their chat history if they don’t provide their details.	The chat window acts like a mini inbox for customers.  History of the conversation is available for the customer.  An email is sent out to the customer regarding any update on a message.  Customers can go through previous conversations by scrolling through chats.

Cross-Device 

Live Chat	Messaging
It is confined to a single session on a single device.  There is no switching between devices for live chat.	Messaging allows customers to access conversation history across multiple devices.  Switching devices in between conversations is possible.

Customer Experience 

Live Chat	Messaging
Customers can only talk to a live chat agent when they’re available.  Customers may get frustrated if the live chat agent takes longer to respond.	Expectations are made clear from the beginning.  This helps reduce disappointment.  Customers can make an informed decision on whether to wait for a reply or seek alternate methods of interaction.

Resources 

Live Chat	Messaging
It is important to have resources available for live chat.  Customer must be provided with instant responses and solutions which will result in instant gratification.  A bot may be used for live chat as long as it is accomplishing the task.	Messaging gives the business flexibility on resources.  Short-staffed businesses do not require a team sitting round the clock to monitor messages.  The business can help the customer when convenient and when there is time.

Reporting and Feedback 

Live Chat	Messaging
Live chats have a clearly defined endpoint.   This allows the system to archive the chat and ask the customer for feedback.  With feedback, the system can then generate reports on how effective the live chat was.	Messaging sessions do not have a clear endpoint.  Sessions can be dragged on for days. The system archives the messages after a certain amount of time and asks the customer for feedback.  Here, the feedback may not represent the customer’s entire journey, making the report inaccurate.

Messaging or Live Chat for your Business? 

Having a good system for interaction with the customer ensures customer retention. Repeat customers are increased and they act as spokespersons to attract new customers. 

Now, before a business can choose between a live chat and messaging, they must ask themselves two questions: 

1. What kind of business do they have? 

   
   

If the business is one where the customers visit the website and leave after a short while, it is important to have instant responses to queries. The window to make a sale and interact with a customer is critical in this business. Here, live chat is the way to go. 

If the business is one where the customers visit the website multiple times and spend a substantial amount of time on it, it is ok to have delayed responses to queries. Here, messaging is the way to go. 

2. What resources do they have? How much money can they invest? 

   
   

Live chat is an expensive feature. It requires an agent to be present 24/7 to respond to queries. Live chat agents must also be trained to respond appropriately to customers. Delayed responses are not something the customer prefers here. 

Messaging is a more cost-effective solution. Businesses do not have to invest in resources to stay 24/7 to respond to customers. There is no expectation of immediacy from the customers’ side as well. Messaging helps the business prioritize queries. 

Recommendation for Businesses 

Now, here are a few recommendations based on the type of business: 

E-Commerce Business 

Customers visiting an e-commerce website expect an immediate response to queries to make decisions on purchases at the moment. If the business is not able to provide them with a satisfactory answer quickly, they may lose a customer. 

Thus, it is important to have a live chat system when running an e-commerce business. This also helps engage with the customer, upsell, and cross-sell. 

SaaS Business 

SaaS questions are usually support-related and can take a while to diagnose and respond. Thus, there is no expectation of an immediate response.  

In this case, messaging is a more convenient form of communication with the customer. It gives the business enough time to respond accurately and get a history of the issue as well.  

In case the business is new and may involve demos, it is paramount to have a live chat as the quick response might be the difference between making or breaking the sale. 

Conclusion 

Live chat and messaging might seem the same at a glance, but they function very differently. The way each platform interacts with a customer is different, and the types of customers they target are different as well. 

Live chats require more resources and attention whereas messaging platforms require less resources and attention. Live chat s may provide a more personalized experience, but messaging helps in prioritizing queries.  

Businesses must evaluate themselves and look at their business requirements before choosing between a live chat and messaging platform. In addition to that, they must assess their capabilities and resources when it comes to choosing the means of communication. 

Both forms of communication are advantageous to a business. You must assess which will suit you better and deploy the right platform. 

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