Chat customer service

[thyme4change]

I've now dealt with customer service via "Chat" or "IM" three times. One time was a nightmare - but I think the person I was chatting with was just stupid. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten a decent answer if we were face to face, and I had charts, diagrams and a powerpoint presentation. The other two times went well. I like the additional option to do Chat instead of call in. It keeps me from holding their accents against them, and makes me feel like I'm not racist.

What do you think? Have you used chat for customer service? Did it work for you?

[raeoflyte]

I used to work e-care when AT&T@ Home was still in business. Best, easiest job ever. Once I only have to work for benefits and not a paycheck I'm going back to that.

I like it much more than calling in as a customer as well. ;D

[chiver78]

I've used it a bunch, both with banking institutions and the travel agent that manages the cruises I seem to be taking with more frequency as time goes on. I love the chat w/the travel agent, it flows like a chat with friends, with the added bonus of a written record. while the banking chats are not nearly as much fun, I love that I have the option to save a transcript of the chat before I close the window. that saves me the trouble of taking notes, b/c they each hold the same weight in a "he said/she said" argument later on. yes, it's scripted from their side, but so is a phone call. at least this way, I can leave my headphones on.

[deantrip]

With my previous employer I worked E-Care as well as took tech phone calls, escalations, and any number of random catch all crap management decided to on us, we basically covered every other department but never got any help ourselves, made for a miserable time, if all I did was handle chat support it would have been a cake walk, as a result, I kind of have a sour opinion on it.

[lynnerself]

I used it for the first time when getting info about a new credit card. It worked pretty well.
Tho it did sound like she had a script she was working from.

[saveinla]

I love CS chat, since I don't have to enter a bunch of options to get to a CS rep and then get dropped. But I have to say that BOA CS is worse than their phone CS.

[Waffle]

I've used it a few times - I much prefer it to telephone customer service.

[Angel!]

I used it to use it to order internet from comcast & thought it was the biggest pita. Hated it! I order online & didn't realize it the chat was part of the process. Thought I would get through the order in 5 minutes, but then got stuck in this chat & either the guy was really busy & multi-tasking or really slow. It took about 45 minutes & toward the end I would get up & leave the computer for 5 minutes & sit back down to realize the guy still hadn't typed anything new.

Then he kept trying to upsell me using scripts. Have a whole script about what a deal I can get by adding phone or whatever. I would type "No thanks", then wait several minutes for a response "are you sure, with this bundle you will also get...." I didn't need to wait several minutes to have him discount my "no thank"s & repeat the freaking offer. Then have to wait another 5 minutes for him to say something like "great, well let me get started on processing your order". Really, it took you 5 minutes to tell me that? And then I have to wait another few minutes for "Let me verify your address, is it..."

F'ing PITA!!! Maybe most sompany's chats don't run like that, but I have been totally put off from even trying again.

[deantrip]

May 4, 2012 12:10:03 GMT -5 Angel! said:

I used it to use it to order internet from comcast & thought it was the biggest pita. Hated it! I order online & didn't realize it the chat was part of the process. Thought I would get through the order in 5 minutes, but then got stuck in this chat & either the guy was really busy & multi-tasking or really slow. It took about 45 minutes & toward the end I would get up & leave the computer for 5 minutes & sit back down to realize the guy still hadn't typed anything new.

Then he kept trying to upsell me using scripts. Have a whole script about what a deal I can get by adding phone or whatever. I would type "No thanks", then wait several minutes for a response "are you sure, with this bundle you will also get...." I didn't need to wait several minutes to have him discount my "no thank"s & repeat the freaking offer. Then have to wait another 5 minutes for him to say something like "great, well let me get started on processing your order". Really, it took you 5 minutes to tell me that? And then I have to wait another few minutes for "Let me verify your address, is it..."

F'ing PITA!!! Maybe most sompany's chats don't run like that, but I have been totally put off from even trying again.

He was probably handling anywhere from 4-8 customers via chat at that time, that is the industry norm these days, I was typically handling 4 chat support sessions while also taking phone calls, keeping 5 accounts open and accurately notating all of them was a huge PITA!

[Angel!]

May 4, 2012 12:40:40 GMT -5 deantrip said:

He was probably handling anywhere from 4-8 customers via chat at that time, that is the industry norm these days,

That is what I figured, but it sure didn't impress me as a customer. I didn't intend nor want to sit at my computer for 45 minutes because they have an employee multi-tasking. I would think that pisses a lot of people off.

[deantrip]

May 4, 2012 13:16:06 GMT -5 Angel! said:

May 4, 2012 12:40:40 GMT -5 deantrip said:

He was probably handling anywhere from 4-8 customers via chat at that time, that is the industry norm these days,

That is what I figured, but it sure didn't impress me as a customer. I didn't intend nor want to sit at my computer for 45 minutes because they have an employee multi-tasking. I would think that pisses a lot of people off.

Oh it does piss a lot of people off, but management never seemed to care, whether the support agent handles 8 chats at a time and it takes 40 minutes, or one at a time that takes 5 minutes, they will always choose 8 at a time, as it keeps those 7 people from waiting in queue to even interact with an agent, even though when you average it out, the actual customer interaction per person equals out.

I was always a lot more efficient handling one item at a time than multiple items at once and aggregate time would be lower for one at a time than the combined times. I was able to handle tech interactions at a rate of 30-45 seconds per call, but toss in a single chat (with bad software) and that tech interaction jumped up to about 3-4 minutes.

[bean29]

I have used chat several times with Paycycle (intuit Payroll Software). I have used the software for years and am happy enough with it that I have no desire to change, but chatting with their techs is a PIA. They generally open the chat, then claim they are checking on something and are gone a long time, so then I start doing something and I come back and if you don't respond to them instantly they close the chat session.

Also at times, you can tell they have no idea how to resolve your problem b/c they are gone so long. Possibly waiting for their supervisor to help them help you. Sometimes I wonder if I know more about the product than the tech helping me.

I have used Chat with Sprint several times. It is the same kind of PIA - takes quite a while but usually results in my problems being resolved. I do think it reduces costs on the providers side while making the customer wait longer for a resolution.

[raeoflyte]

May 4, 2012 12:40:40 GMT -5 deantrip said:

He was probably handling anywhere from 4-8 customers via chat at that time, that is the industry norm these days, I was typically handling 4 chat support sessions while also taking phone calls, keeping 5 accounts open and accurately notating all of them was a huge PITA!

We had to handle up to 6 chats at a time, but had to respond to each person within 2 minutes. No phone calls though, and mine was all basic tech support. If I had to take phone calls too that would have ruined the appeal of the job.

They do have scripts since pretty much every issue is the same thing. With hot keys I could wrap up an entire conversation in about 20 keystrokes.

Thinking of Dark's thread, I never thought about quitting that job. Except that we needed more money, so of course I did. ;D

[Apple]

I've used the chat function several times and so far have had really good experiences. I hate talking on the phone, and my hearing is horrible, so if someone *does* have an accent it's even harder to understand them.

Once I called the number and started about the same time (the chat said there was a couple minutes wait, so I made the phone call and then just waited for whichever I got through first). I got through with the chat before anyone ever answered the service line (bad day with the internet--didn't want to risk losing the 'net, and then having to call in anyway).

[Deleted]

I’ve used the chat feature a few times and much prefer it to the phone. …mainly because I can save the conversation as a pdf to refer to later if needed. I like to have a paper trail.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

I have used CS chat for the same reasons as Apple. It totally eliminates the anxiety of picking up the phone. I have used it successfully several times with Verizon, and I love that option.