Let`s face it: while you always want to be there to provide customer service to your clients, the truth of the matter is that you can`t be glued to your desk. Answering everyone`s questions and concerns could mean having a 24/7 job – without time to sleep or eat.

This is why answering services and

live chat

services come in handy. You can hand over the responsibility of customer service to someone else so you can focus on other tasks and maybe sneak in a sandwich. But when deciding on which type of service is best, you`ll need to take several pros and cons into consideration before you choose the one that`s right for your business.

Telephone Answering Service Pros

Telephone answering

services provide you with the ability to make sure there`s always someone there to take a customer`s phone call, day or night. While that customer may not get to talk to you right away, it`s an excellent way to assuage customer dissatisfaction while filtering out some of the unnecessary spam calls that often come with a business line. Using an answering service means that customers get to talk to a live person – not a machine – which can help increase customer satisfaction as well as offer a professional impression 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

Telephone Answering Service Cons

While an answering service can definitely help improve customer service by allowing clients an outlet at any time during the day or night, it may not be the perfect solution for every office. Unfortunately, while answering services may have access to rudimentary client information, they won`t have the same personal relationship you have with each and every customer you deal with. While they`ll get a live persona to talk to, clients may still want to talk to you. Therefore, an answering service is really best for taking non-emergency phone calls and filtering them to the right people.

Live Chat Service Pros

When it comes to the customer service of the future, live chat is a handy tool that you might want to consider adding to your website. After all, there`s a good chance customers are already visiting your site to get contact information – why not chat with an agent instead of calling? It`s a service that cuts down on the cost of running 24/7 customer service and it makes questions and answers simple for online storefronts. Live chat also allows flexibility, since the chat agent can be online anywhere and in any time zone to answer questions. For customers who hate contacting customer service, it`s a low-stress way to get answers without having to leave the computer.

Live Chat Service Cons

It`s difficult to find a few reasons why live chats may not be the most appropriate way to serve your customers, but there are a few downfalls. Live chats are often less personal than talking to someone on the phone, which can be a problem for some customers who prefer more detailed attention. What`s more, it`s sometimes hard to decipher tone and intent over the phone, which means that customers may have a different perception on how they were served. And, since websites are open 24/7, your chat should have long hours as well, which can increase the cost of your services.

Both live chat and telephone answering services have their place in customer service. By using either one, you offer customers the ability to connect with a live person any time, day or night. Depending on the type of business you operate, one may be more appropriate than the other, but they`ll both offer top-notch services that will keep your customers happy.

Author Bio: Marianne S. Ross is a freelance blogger with an interest in business and technology. You can contact her via email at mariannesross@gmail.com.