Chat vs Search: Which Should I Use?

Resly offers both conversational chat and instant search. Here’s when to use each—or both together.

Conversational Chat Widget

Best For

• Customers who don’t know where to start
• Multi-step processes that need guidance
• Questions requiring actions (refunds, order checks, ticket creation)
• General support inquiries
• Situations where you want to ask clarifying questions
• Building rapport and understanding customer needs

###Example Queries

• “I need help with my order”
• “How do I get started?”
• “Can you process a refund?”
• “I have a problem with…”

Strengths

✓ Conversational - Natural back-and-forth dialogue ✓ Contextual - Remembers previous messages ✓ Actionable - Can check orders, create tickets, process refunds ✓ Guided - Asks clarifying questions when needed ✓ Supportive - Feels like talking to a support agent

Limitations

• Slower than search for quick facts
• Requires more customer engagement
• Best when customers have time to chat

Instant Search Experience

Best For

• Customers who know exactly what they’re looking for
• Quick fact lookups
• Documentation browsing
• API reference searches
• FAQ-style questions
• Speed-focused interactions

Example Queries

• “API authentication”
• “Pricing plans”
• “How to deploy widget”
• “GDPR compliance”

Strengths

✓ Fast - Sub-second results ✓ Direct - Straight to the answer ✓ Self-service - No conversation needed ✓ Browsable - Multiple results shown ✓ Efficient - Perfect for documentation

Limitations

• No automated actions (can’t process refunds, create tickets, etc.)
• Less personalized
• Better for documented facts than complex troubleshooting

Using Both Together

Many companies deploy both on the same page for maximum flexibility.

Recommended Setup

Chat widget: Bottom-right corner

• For general support and conversational needs
• Handles actions like order checks and refunds
• Escalates to human support when needed

Search launcher: Bottom-left corner

• For quick documentation lookups
• Perfect for browsing help articles
• Faster for customers who know what they want

Benefits of Dual Deployment

1. Meets all preferences - Some customers prefer chat, others prefer search
2. Different use cases - Chat for complex issues, search for quick lookups
3. Complementary strengths - Each excels at different scenarios
4. More insights - See what customers search for AND what they ask

Shared Knowledge Base

Both experiences use the same knowledge base:

• Upload content once
• Powers both chat and search automatically
• No duplicate work
• Consistent answers across both channels

Decision Matrix

Use this table to decide which to deploy:

Analytics Benefits

Each mode provides unique insights:

Chat Analytics

• Customer sentiment from conversations
• Common pain points that need human support
• Workflow effectiveness - which actions are most used
• Escalation patterns - when and why customers need human help

Search Analytics

• Popular topics customers search for
• Content gaps - searches with no good results
• Documentation usage - which articles are most helpful
• User intent - what information customers seek

Performance Comparison

Making the Choice

Start with Chat if:

• Your support involves taking actions (refunds, order lookups)
• Customers need guidance through processes
• You want to escalate smoothly to human support
• Your FAQs are conversational rather than technical
• You serve customers who prefer human-like interaction

Start with Search if:

• You have extensive documentation (50+ articles)
• Customers typically know what they’re looking for
• Your content is reference material (API docs, specs)
• Speed is critical - customers want instant answers
• Your audience is self-service oriented (developers, tech-savvy)

Deploy Both if:

• You have diverse customer preferences
• You serve both technical and non-technical users
• You want maximum coverage of interaction styles
• You have resources to monitor both channels
• Your knowledge base is comprehensive enough to support both

Migration Path

Start with One, Add the Other

Most companies follow this path:

1. Deploy chat first (weeks 1-4)

   • Build knowledge base
   • Test with customers
   • Gather feedback

2. Analyze usage (weeks 4-8)

   • Review common questions
   • Identify patterns
   • Note speed-focused queries

3. Add search (week 8+)

   • Configure search settings
   • Test alongside chat
   • Monitor dual-channel analytics

Example Evolution

Month 1: Chat only

• 80% of queries resolved
• Some customers ask for “quick lookup” feature

Month 2: Add search launcher

• Search handles 40% of interactions
• Chat focuses on complex issues
• Overall resolution improves to 90%

Month 3: Optimize both

• Refine knowledge base based on search analytics
• Improve chat workflows based on conversation patterns
• Achieve 94% resolution rate

Next Steps

• Deploy chat widget for conversational support
• Deploy search experience for quick lookups
• Review use cases for industry-specific examples
• Check best practices for optimization strategies