Chatbot vs live chat
The worst chatbot is the one you can't get past
Live chat puts a person on every conversation, which a small business can't staff around the clock. A chatbot answers instantly at any hour, but a chatbot that traps people in a loop loses them.
A hybrid gives you both: the assistant handles what it can answer, and anything that needs you comes to you with the context attached, instead of the customer having to start again.
How it works
From "can I speak to someone?" to your phone
The customer asks, or it knows to stop
A "Talk to a person" button is always under the chat. It also hands over when it doesn't know, when someone is frustrated, or for complaints, refunds, injuries and legal disputes.
It takes their details
It asks for a name and a way to reach them, and only promises a response time if you've set one.
You're alerted
A text and email saying someone asked for you, with their question and details, and a link to the conversation. Complaints and urgent problems are marked urgent.
What it does
A handoff that doesn't lose the customer
Always a way out
"Talk to a person" is on screen in every chat, before the customer has typed a word.
Honest about what happened
The chat only says a person has been notified once your alert has actually been delivered.
Your promise, not ours
Set a callback promise, like "within an hour", and it tells customers exactly that. Without one, it never invents a response time.
Everything on Home
Handed-over questions appear on Home with the full conversation, why it handed over, and an "I handled this" button.
Answer it once
If it handed over because it didn't know, answer the question once as an FAQ and it can answer it next time.
Clearly an AI
Every chat shows "AI assistant for" your business at the top, so customers know when they're talking to software.
In practice
A complaint goes straight to a person
- My color came out patchy yesterday and I'm really not happy.
- I'm sorry to hear that. I'll get this to the salon team so they can sort it out with you. What's your name and the best number to reach you?
A complaint is handed over, not argued with
- Jo Evans, (555) 010-0456.
- URGENT: Asked for you (Studio Nine Salon): Jo Evans (555) 010-0456 / "My color came out patchy yesterday..."
What it won't do
What handoff isn't
It gets the conversation to you. It isn't a live chat desk.
- You can't type into the customer's chat from the dashboard. You call or email them.
- It doesn't route to different staff members, Slack or Teams.
- It doesn't transfer a phone call.
- Handoff alerts aren't repeated as reminders or sent to your backup contact.
Questions
Human handoff questions
What does human handoff mean in a chatbot?
The chatbot passes a conversation to a person when it should. Ours does that by taking the customer's details and alerting you with what they asked.
When should a chatbot hand over to a human?
When the customer asks for a person, when it doesn't have the answer, when someone is frustrated, and for complaints, refunds, injuries and legal disputes. Ours hands over in all of those cases.
What's the difference between live chat and a chatbot?
Live chat is a person typing replies, so someone has to be available. A chatbot replies instantly on its own. A hybrid chatbot like ours answers what it can and hands the rest to you.
What happens if I don't reply?
The question stays on Home until you mark it handled. If the customer left their details, it also appears on your Leads page.
What is a hybrid chatbot?
A chatbot that handles common questions itself and brings in a person for the rest, instead of trying to answer everything.
Keep exploring
Other features
- Answers from your websiteReplies from your own pages, and says when it doesn't know.
- Lead alertsNew leads sent to your phone and inbox in seconds.
- BookingsYour booking page or Google Calendar, right in the chat.
- Test and correctCheck its answers before customers see them.
- ResultsWhat it adds, measured against visitors who never saw it.
- Chat widget and pageA chat bubble for your site and a link to share anywhere.