Here at rezora we know a thing or two about chat support. As one of the core values of our organization is being Humbly Confident, I can humbly say I'm confident that we're pretty good at it!
But for a lot of folks out there, interacting with chat support is something that can feel new or scary. Many people are more comfortable with a phone call, or are OK with waiting for a bit of a turnaround on an email. But when urgency is needed, and chat support is an option for you, maybe it's time to take the plunge and take advantage of this excellent service!
I took the opportunity to write about a similar topic previously, Four Ways To Receive Better Customer Support, but in this article I want to take a deeper dive Into chat support specifically, peel back the curtain a bit to show you how it works, and how you, as an end user seeking support, can use this behind-the-scenes look to your advantage. But first...
The Elephant in the Room
You may have thought it, some of you may have experienced it, we've definitely heard it, "Primus Chat support sucks!"
And you're not TOTALLY wrong. Chat support can be painful. Chatting with your internet provider, or with a massive online retailer about your missing package can often feel like a losing battle. You get transferred around to several different representatives, run into robots posing as humans, have to repeat yourself over and over to hopefully, maybe, if you're lucky, find an actual solution.
However, I would ask you to consider one thing - is it chat support that's awful here, or is it those companies themselves and their overall lack of prioritizing really good support? More often than not, it's the latter, and if you had called them or emailed them, you'd likely have received just as frustrating support. I'd even argue that chat support may be the most superior here, as you can keep a text log of your interaction. You have their commitments and promises in writing, should the issue arise again in the future.
The Good Ones
Putting those ones away, those companies we all know too well that simply provide terrible support, let's look at how chat support works for companies that truly care about the support they provide to their users.
At its best, chat support gives you several advantages over other mediums. To name a few:
- Transparency and accuracy
- [as] Fast [as you want it] communication
- Ability to share technical information, links, videos/images, etc.
- A record of your conversation
Personally, I also find a good chat experience to be far more stress-free than a phone call. I have time to compose myself, gather any resources, try suggested steps from the agent, all without any awkward silence that I may endure on a phone call. There's usually no need to rush here, so take your time, and even if you're a slow typer, don't worry - the chat agent has seen it all and has helped folks just like yourself with a similar issue.
As an end user, it can also mean the service you're paying for will be cheaper for it. Chat support is scalable in a way that phone support isn't - a good chat rep can handle at least 2 chats at once without anyone on the end being the wiser. That means less staffing needs, which means you may get a cheaper service - win-win!
You Oughta Know
Finally, let's talk about some things that folks may not be aware of with chat support, that you'd only know if you've worked on the other side of it. Knowing these things can help you have a better and more successful experience when using chat support with any company, even the bad ones.
- If they're taking a while to respond, they're working on your issue in the background. Sometimes the agent isn't communicating as fast as you'd like, but chances are they are researching your issue, pulling up various screens of information that they'll need to help troubleshoot it, typing up a long response of the steps they'll want you to take, or gathering a heft of resources to share with you. Assume the best here and give them a bit of time to reply.
- If you expect you'll need a follow-up, make sure they have your good contact info. Usually that means your email address, so don't be afraid to share it with them freely.
- Need a transcript? Most services will send you one automatically (see above on making sure they have your email address), but not all will. If you need it for your records, it maybe best to copy it manually and save it in a notepad or word document. There is not much worse than being promised an adjustment on your internet bill that never happens, then having no record of that commitment that the chat agent made to you. Make sure you have a record of the important stuff.
- Be careful of what you start to say - many chat services will allow the agent to read what you're typing before you hit send. Did that make your stomach drop a bit? This is a controversial one for sure. Please know that at rezora, we do not take part in this. When you chat with us, your messages are safe and secret until you hit send. We feel that to read your message before you hit send would be unethical and show disregard for your privacy. With more and more privacy laws going into effect, this has also been a bit of a legal gray area.
That said, assume the worst here - that the chat agent can ready everything you write before you send it, so be mindful. If knowing this causes you stress, you may prefer to type your response into a notepad or word document, and then copy it into your chat when you're ready to send. - Don't accuse them of being a robot unless you're certain! There's little that's more demoralizing to a support representative than taking the time to research the issue, curate resources, and put together a thoughtful response, only to be accused of not being a real person. Assume the best here: assume the agent on the other end is a real person who is determined to help you, and your interaction will only be better for it.
Chat support can be the best of both worlds, a perfect middle ground between email and phone support. While it may be intimidating to some, we encourage you to try it out where it's available, especially with us. Next time you have a question about your rezora account, give our chat line a ring and we'll be eager to help.
