Online retailers seem to be moving towards chat vs phone

[HomerJS]

I've noticed getting help with online merchants is moving more towards chat vs a phone call.

Need help with order at Newegg and had to wait 15 min. Recording kept saying for faster response use chat. Problem was too complicated to resolve typing.

Since it still takes a single person the same resources for chat, why this vs talking? In fact communicating via typing is slower.

Anyone else notice this??

 

[MartyMcFly3]

The companies probably feel that the copy pasta on chat is more preferred by customers than a voice obviously reading off of a script, I'm guessing.

 

[TwiceOver]

Sounds good to me. At least I can understand them better.

 

[RedCOMET]

The companies probably feel that the copy pasta on chat is more preferred by customers than a voice obviously reading off of a script, I'm guessing.

What I hate though is when the worker never goes off script and communicates like a robot when their canned responses ar not helpful.

 

[sdifox]

they can handle multiple clients at the same time that way. And accents don't matter.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

they can handle multiple clients at the same time that way. And accents don't matter.

Yup. Thought of this when I saw the thread title.

 

[KeithTalent]

Good. Chat is way faster and easier. Every time I have been able to use chat, my issue has been resolved in at least half the time as it did when using the phone.

KT

 

[EliteRetard]

Chat is vastly superior.
It saves everybody a huge amount of time and money.

I really can't comprehend this disgusting obsession everybody has with phone sex. Pull the friggen vibrator out of your ear and stop trying to hit on whoever is on the other end of the line. I swear the only reason to make a phone call nowadays is to show off your $700 phablet. Nobody cares, they all have one too.

If a company doesn't offer a good chat service they deserve to go out of business.

Oh and by the way, you have have 10 fingers...USE THEM (you'll be surprised how effective it is). Even primates know how to use more than just their thumbs.

 

[HomerJS]

Good. Chat is way faster and easier. Every time I have been able to use chat, my issue has been resolved in at least half the time as it did when using the phone.

KT

Don't see how anyone can type faster then they can talk.

BTW - When I finally got a talking human he said the chat people in the same room weren't doing anything. Don't know why they couldn't handle overflow??

Maybe companies trying to hide the India thing. Methinks non-foreign sounding people get phone

 

[Phoenix86]

they can handle multiple clients at the same time that way. And accents don't matter.

Please do the needful.

 

[Cuda1447]

Yep, I like the chat better too.

 

[Exterous]

At least I can understand them better.

:thumbsup: I also like it when I have to give out my work address. It's 33 characters long (!) and a huge pain in the ass to give to someone over the phone. It also allows me to be more productive while chatting with a rep.

The only real downside is that interactions can take longer and I find grievances are sometimes best dealt with via phone although chat does make it easier to point out the expressed promises.

 

[RossMAN]

I like chat when you don't have to wait forever (10+ minutes) and you have a written transcript in case there are any discrepancies.

Last week I had an isssue with a NewEgg RMA they charged me a restocking fee on a brand new UNOPENED laptop, WTF? After a quick chat, they issued a new RMA, took care of the restocking fee and it only took about 5 minutes from start to finish.

I spend more time with the stupid verification questions than I do resolving the issue. What is your order number, your customer number, your name, your mailing address, your shipping address, your phone number, your e-mail address, the last 4 digits of your SSN, etc. son of a !!!

 

[SparkyJJO]

I prefer the chat. I don't have the phone stuck to my ear (so I can be easily doing something else while I'm waiting on hold), no annoying elevator music either, no problems with any accents or poor connections making it hard to understand the other person, any details like RMA numbers are already in type so there is no risk of mishearing and writing it down wrong, and I get a full copy of the log in my email when done. Win, win, win, and win.

 

[gevorg]

I prefer chat since in most cases you can have them email you the chat log for records keeping. Makes life easier in future disputes. Can't do that with a phone since voice recording is a can of worms.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I find chat is better because of the reasons mentioned. It also goes better if I need to copy and paste an error or something. Instead of reading it outloud I just paste it in.

 

[Imp]

No yelling, instant transcript, farmable to India and untraceable... why not?

I prefer email at work too versus calling people up.

 

[Leros]

I've usually gotten better service over chat than on the phone.