Is Customer Chat Support Outsourcing Different from Live Chat Support Outsourcing? 

41% of customers prefer real-time customer service via live chat over phone and email support.

Source: https://digitalmindsbpo.com/blog/live-chat-statistics/ 

Customers today want answers fast,  and businesses are pressured to keep up. Many outsource their chat support to meet growing expectations without overloading their internal teams. 

Two standard options are customer chat support outsourcing and live chat support outsourcing. While they both involve chatting with customers, they’re built for different goals. Knowing how they differ can help you decide what kind of support your business needs smartly.

This article explores what sets these two models apart and how to determine which aligns with your business needs.

Customer Chat Support Outsourcing: The Broader Approach

Customer chat support outsourcing encompasses all text-based customer interactions handled by external service providers. This includes:

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• Asynchronous messaging (emails, ticketing systems)
• SMS and mobile app Messaging
• Social media Messaging
• Live chat Conversations

When businesses outsource customer chat support, they typically gain access to multiple support channels managed by a specialized team at outsourcing companies. This comprehensive solution addresses various customer communication preferences without limiting service to real-time conversations.

Live Chat Support Outsourcing: The Real-Time Focus

Support outsourcing for live chat specifically targets immediate, real-time text conversations between customers and support agents. This service prioritizes:

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• Instant responses during business hours or 24/7
• Quick issue resolution during active browsing sessions
• Converting website visitors through timely assistance

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Outsourcing your live chat function means partnering with specialists who excel at prompt, effective communication in time-sensitive situations.

Customer Chat Support Outsourcing Vs. Live Chat Support Outsourcing 

To find the right solution for your business, you must understand how customer chat support and live chat support differ:

Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Choosing between the two depends on your business model and the type of customer support your audience expects.

Choose Customer Chat Support Outsourcing if you:

• Operate across multiple digital platforms
• Offer complex or technical services
• Need ticket-based workflows and follow-ups
• Require 24/7 support with asynchronous capabilities

Choose Live Chat Support Outsourcing if you:

• Focus heavily on website engagement and online sales
• Need fast responses to drive real-time conversions
• Want to reduce bounce rates or abandoned carts
• Have high website traffic and require proactive engagement

Companies may benefit from combining both models, using live chat to manage instant website support while routing complex queries to a broader chat support team.

Key Considerations Before Outsourcing

Before selecting a provider, consider the following:

• Track Records: Review their performance history, existing clients, and support infrastructure.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure they follow structured QA practices for consistent performance.
• Time Zone Coverage: Choose a vendor that can cover your business hours and off-hours.
• Technology Compatibility: Make sure their tools can integrate with your current CRM or helpdesk platform.
• Agent Training: Confirm that agents are trained in your processes, brand tone, and product knowledge.

FAQs

Why do businesses switch to live chat support outsourcing?

Businesses nowadays outsource live chat support to boost website conversion rates, ensure instant response times, and provide around-the-clock services without scaling their in-house team.

Q2. Does customer chat support outsourcing include live chat?

Yes, live chat is a part of a broader customer chat support offering, but live chat support outsourcing focuses more on the real-time channel.

Q3. How does outsourcing impact customer satisfaction?

With proper training, strong QA processes, and clear SLAs, outsourced chat teams often improve customer satisfaction by ensuring fast, helpful, and consistent responses.

Q4. Is it better to use outsourcing companies or hire an internal team?

Outsourcing offers scalability, cost efficiency, and access to trained staff across time zones. Internal teams offer more control but can be costlier to scale.

Conclusion:

In sum, the Customer chat support and live chat support outsourcing aren’t the same. Choosing the right one depends on your support needs and business goals. Whether you're aiming for full-service coverage or quick, real-time responses, the right model helps you serve customers better while keeping operations efficient.

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