Are your customers happy with how they talk to your support team? Do they get frustrated waiting for help? Every business wants to make it easy for customers to get help. But there are so many options for customer support, including messaging and webchat. The differences might seem small, but picking the right option can make a huge difference in how customer satisfaction.
What is webchat? What is messaging? What are the differences between them? And which one can really increase the satisfaction of your customers? Let’s take a look.
Chat and Customer Support
Chat has played a major role in the world of customer support. Embedded in websites, chat was initially called ‘webchat’, and quickly became the main real-time support channel. It’s no wonder, since it allowed people to communicate with companies directly without having to make a phone call!
Fast forward to today and the convenience of messaging has helped it become the most popular means of communication. Now that messaging has become so widespread and a channel of choice, the webchat channel also needs to change. In fact, messaging has brought about a dramatic change in the nature of personal and business-to-business communication.
Especially after the covid-19 pandemic, messaging traffic has skyrocketed. This has led to the rapid proliferation of messaging apps such as LINE, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Messaging app platforms are actively providing APIs to the enterprise side, and companies are using them for chat and messaging.
By introducing messaging into customer support, businesses are directly improving customer experience for their customers who want to communicate through their preferred apps and channels. This allows them to meet their customers where they are.
Let’s look a little deeper into why messaging has so much potential as a game changer in communication between individuals and businesses. What is the difference between webchat and messaging in the first place?
What Is Messaging?
What exactly is messaging? Without out overly complicating things, messaging can be described as a form of ‘asynchronous communication’ (in other words, communication that doesn’t have to happen in real-time). Common examples of messaging are SMS (or texting) as well as apps such as WhatsApp, Apple Messages, Facebook Messenger, and so forth.
To better understand this, let’s first consider the communication tools we have used in the past. In the case of telephony, we needed to speak to each other at the same time, always communicating in real time. The same is true of early text chat. You had to set up a session once and send each other text messages within that session. It was, so to speak, ‘synchronous communication’.
Messaging is also often referred to as chat, so people may confuse the two, but there is a clear difference between messaging and session-based chat. The advent of messaging applications has changed the form of communication between individuals. Messaging does not require both participants to be ‘present’ in the interaction. Messages can be sent and received at the convenience of the participants and an immediate response is not required.
What Is Webchat?
You may have noticed the chat boxes that are often present on websites such as for online banking or government services, offering the customer the chance to speak with a live agent if necessary. This is an example of a webchat engagement window.
Webchat allows you to begin sending messages on the spot, by creating a session between you and the support agent. The session is set up so that the company support agent and the customer are on the same footing and can start talking to each other.
At the end of the chat session, when the support agent closes the session, it is then terminated forever, and usually a transcription of the chat is sent to the customer. This means that if you forget to ask another question related to the issue you were discussing, the session has to be re-started, most likely with a different agent, and the customer will have to explain the context of their query again.
Messaging vs. Webchat
Messaging is also synonymous with Webchat in the sense that textual information is exchanged. However, messaging allows time-independent communication. In other words, you can send messages when you want to send them, and the recipient can reply at their own pace.
One distinct difference from webchat is that it keeps a history, much like when using apps like WhatsApp or Facebook messenger. It is a form of asynchronous communication and does not require both parties to be ‘present’ in real-time for the communication to continue.
At this point however, you may be wondering which is the best method for customer support – webchat or messaging? To make the decision that’s best for your business, it is important to have a thorough knowledge of both methods.
You may be thinking, “but webchat and messaging are almost the same”. While this might seem like the case on the surface, messaging is in fact very different from chat, albeit in nuances. It’s most apt to describe messaging as the ‘next generation’ communication channel. Influenced by social networking, messaging has features not found in chat and webchat.
Examples of where messaging as a channel may be superior include features such as an indicator that the other person is typing, a read indicator and group chats. And as mentioned prior, asynchronous communication allows users to start and stop conversations whenever they want, and a history is kept so that contextual conversations can be resumed on the fly.
In the context of customer support, this brings benefits not only on the customer side, but also on the agent side. This is because it eliminates the need for extra staffing during peak hours.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the benefits of messaging and web chat.
Webchat Benefits
The real-time nature is the biggest selling point of web chat, and it certainly benefits both customers and companies, allowing for quick customer response. You can thus improve customer retention on your website and also build an efficient customer support team with personnel available to handle multiple chats.
Webchat offers a suite of advantages for businesses seeking to provide immediate support:
- Instant Communication: Customers don’t have to wait; they can receive help in real-time, enhancing their satisfaction and reducing frustration.
- Multi-Tasking for Agents: With webchat, agents can handle multiple customer queries simultaneously, improving efficiency.
Better Issue Resolution: Synchronous communication often leads to faster resolution times, as customers and agents are in continuous dialogue until the issue is solved.
Messaging Benefits
Unlike webchat, asynchronous communication is the greatest benefit of messaging, which eliminates the real-time nature. Neither customers nor operators are bound by time, and both can continue to communicate at their own pace. This is why it has been accepted by so many users in practice and has firmly established itself as the main communication method today.
Customers can use messaging on any device, whether it is their own channel or a third-party channel. The ability to communicate through this customer-preferred channel is of great convenience for the customer. In Europe and the US, certain demographics (especially among Generation Z), are more likely to buy from a brand if they have messaging.
In terms of operators or agents, the introduction of messaging has been shown to reduce turnover and attrition rates. This is partly because with telephone calls, the agent is connected to the customer in real time and has to listen and react to what they are saying on the spot. The agent has to make important decisions in real-time and may sometimes even have to deal with abuse from customers.
Messaging allows agents to take time and provide a considered response. They don’t have to deal with the stress of facing an angry or abusive customer. Above all, they aren’t limited to dealing with just one customer in real-time but have more mental space and flexibility to deal with multiple customer enquiries at the same time.
The feature of messaging history is also not to be overlooked. With messaging, the conversation history is stored until you receive a suggestion that actually solves or improves the problem. If you try an improvement suggestion and it doesn’t work, you can immediately return to the conversation with customer support at that point. You can send questions whenever you think of them and receive replies when the person in charge is available. In this way the customer experience is much improved.
Messaging provides an adaptable, customer-friendly approach that caters to modern, mobile-first users:
- Flexible Communication: Customers can send messages anytime, which is particularly useful for issues that don’t require immediate responses.
- Documented Interactions: Messaging leaves a history that customers can refer back to, which can help in more complex situations or where follow-up is needed.
- Higher Engagement Rates: With messaging, companies can reach customers on platforms they already use, making it more likely for them to engage.
Comparison Table: Messaging vs. Webchat
| Feature | Webchat | Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Communication | Synchronous | Asynchronous |
| Availability | Typically office hours | 24/7 access |
| Best for | Immediate queries | Complex issues |
| Customer wait time | Minimal | Varies |
| Platform dependence | Website-based | Multi-platform |
| Communication history | Often unavailable | Always available |
Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business
Choosing between webchat and messaging depends on various factors, including the nature of your business, customer expectations, and resource availability. Here are some considerations to help guide your decision:
- If you prioritize quick resolution times and real-time interaction, webchat might be the way to go.
- If you value flexibility and extended availability, messaging could be a better fit.
Messaging, a Tool with Potential
With messaging, you can communicate with companies using the same app you use to contact your friends. Moreover, you can receive personalized support from the company via the app at any time.
From the company’s point of view, the introduction of messaging as a communication channel with customers has the advantage that it can respond efficiently to spikes in call volumes. Messaging channels fit in with flexible working practices, such as telecommuting, as they do not necessarily require an immediate response; AI and chatbots can be implemented to automate the initial response. The result is increased customer convenience, customer experience and superior customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Each has its strengths. Webchat excels in real-time support, while messaging is better for convenience and complex issue resolution.
Messaging allows customers to initiate communication at any time and offers asynchronous responses, eliminating the need for them to wait in line during busy hours.
Yes, many businesses adopt both solutions to offer a range of support options, improving customer satisfaction across different preferences and needs.
Yes, messaging can be used like real-time webchat if you like. Adopting the technology now will allow for the flexibility to incorporate more asynchronous messaging in the future.
Conclusion
Providing support to customers on the channel they prefer will be the future of the customer experience and will boost customer satisfaction. Messaging is not a passing means of communication.
Of course, this does not mean that the existing channels such as telephone and email will disappear. Telephone and email will continue to function as customer contact points as they always have. However, by introducing messaging, you can provide a more personalized customer experience and boost customer experience and satisfaction.
Make your customer support environment accessible through any channel – website, app or social networking site. Enhance customer communication through messaging.
Use messaging to create a superior customer experience in customer support.
Next Steps: Find Your Perfect Customer Support Solution
Still not sure whether messaging or webchat is right for your business? With 18 years of experience in customer service innovation, we can help you make the right choice. Our experts will analyze your unique business needs, customer preferences, and team capabilities to recommend the perfect communication platform.
Whether you’re leaning towards the immediacy of webchat or the flexibility of messaging, we offer both solutions and can guide you to the one that will boost your customer satisfaction. Request your free consultation today and take the first step toward transforming your customer support experience.
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This post was updated on October 23, 2024.
