Using ChatGPT for customer support: advantages and disadvantages

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed customer support, with AI adoption in this sector increasing by over 300% in the past year.

Many businesses now choose to add a chatbot to their website, seeking solutions that can handle queries day and night without human involvement. The AI chatbot for website has become valuable, ensuring quick responses and reducing the workload on customer support teams.

Among these tools is ChatGPT, a language model that can interact in natural, conversational English. It’s not specifically designed as a customer service chatbot, but many businesses find it helpful for basic inquiries. ChatGPT offers a way to engage visitors, answer common questions, and support customer service efforts when paired with other tools.

 However, while ChatGPT can enhance customer engagement, it does have its limitations, especially compared to chatbots developed specifically for website customer support. Balancing the pros and cons is key for businesses considering AI-driven customer support.

Understanding ChatGPT

ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, first appeared in 2020 as an advanced tool designed to simulate human-like conversation. Built on a vast amount of text data, ChatGPT was developed through deep learning techniques that allow it to understand and generate language in a natural, flowing style. The tool has since undergone multiple updates to enhance its capabilities, with each upgrade bringing greater accuracy and context awareness to its responses. OpenAI continually refines ChatGPT to adapt to the evolving needs of its users, making it increasingly reliable for handling diverse conversational tasks.

Businesses today face high customer service demands and often need quick, accessible solutions to manage these interactions effectively. ChatGPT emerged as a viable choice because it can address multiple customer queries at once, providing users with fast, real-time responses.

Many companies choose to add a chatbot to their website that can assist customers around the clock without the need for a full team. ChatGPT’s conversational ability and adaptability make it a practical option for handling basic inquiries, enabling businesses to improve productivity and efficiency.

From retail to tech, companies across various sectors have adopted ChatGPT for customer service to assist with FAQ support, general inquiries, and initial contact management. ChatGPT’s role in customer service highlights a growing shift toward online solutions that help businesses maintain steady, efficient communication with their customers in a digital-first world.

Advantages of Using ChatGPT for Customer Support

There is no denying that, as a small and busy business, using ChatGPT as a chatbot for your website is a neat way to resolve the common time and cost challenges of having a dedicated customer service team. If you’re going to add a chatbot to your website, ChatGPT is the first name that typically comes to mind. Here’s why:

24/7 Availability

One of the strongest advantages of using ChatGPT in customer support is its ability to work around the clock. Unlike human agents, ChatGPT doesn’t need breaks or rest, making it available to customers at any time. For businesses with global reach or extended hours, this continuous support ensures that customers receive immediate assistance, regardless of time zones.

Adding a chatbot to your website with 24/7 availability can reduce wait times and help customers feel supported, even outside regular business hours. This feature helps improve customer satisfaction and fosters a sense of accessibility.

Quick Response Times

ChatGPT offers quick response times, making it an effective tool for handling straightforward customer inquiries. By delivering answers almost instantly, it eliminates the waiting period that can lead to customer frustration. This speed is especially valuable in fields where customers expect rapid assistance, such as retail and tech support.

When businesses add a chatbot to their website, they can rely on ChatGPT to manage multiple conversations simultaneously, providing consistent, efficient service without delay. Fast response times not only increase customer satisfaction but also enhance the perception of a company’s responsiveness.

Cost Efficiency

Using ChatGPT as a customer service solution can be more cost-effective than employing a full-time team to manage support around the clock. ChatGPT provides a scalable solution where businesses can maintain customer engagement without incurring additional labour costs.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, adding a chatbot for website support reduces staffing requirements and allows companies to allocate resources to other essential functions. As an AI-driven tool, ChatGPT offers a sustainable way to manage customer service within budget, supporting businesses in controlling operational costs.

Handling High Volumes

ChatGPT’s capacity to manage high volumes of interactions simultaneously is another significant advantage. During peak times or product launches, customer queries often surge, which can overwhelm a human support team. ChatGPT can handle these spikes with ease, ensuring that all customers receive timely responses.

Businesses that add a chatbot to their website can accommodate a larger customer base without compromising response quality or speed. This high-volume handling makes ChatGPT a practical choice for customer support in sectors that experience unpredictable or seasonal demands.

Consistency in Responses

With ChatGPT, businesses can ensure consistency in customer service responses. Since ChatGPT follows the same guidelines and knowledge base, it provides uniform answers to commonly asked questions. This consistency helps avoid miscommunication and maintains a standardised approach to customer queries.

In industries where accuracy and reliability are critical, such as finance or healthcare, ChatGPT can deliver information in a clear and predictable format. By adding a chatbot to their website, businesses can provide a dependable, consistent customer experience that reinforces their brand’s credibility.

Disadvantages of Using ChatGPT for Customer Support

While it sounds like ChatGPT can be the ideal chatbot for website, it doesn’t necessarily meet the needs of your customers. There has been evidence of ChatGPT being potentially harmful to either customers or businesses in its customer support role.

Lack of Human Empathy

ChatGPT, as an AI language model, lacks the ability to understand and express human emotions. This absence of empathy can lead to interactions that feel impersonal or insensitive, especially when customers are distressed or frustrated.

For instance, a mental health platform has been under fire for using ChatGPT to answer the messages of thousands of users who were left feeling uncared for. 

Limited Understanding of Complex Queries

While ChatGPT excels at handling straightforward questions, it often struggles with complex or nuanced inquiries. Its responses may lack depth or fail to address the specific needs of the customer. For example, some users have reported that ChatGPT provides plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers, especially when dealing with intricate topics.

This can make things complicated in customer service when there are multiple factors to consider simultaneously. A playful customer managed to outsmart a ChatGPT chatbot and got an offer for a brand-new Chevrolet Tahoe worth $58,195 for just $1. While the customer didn’t pursue the unbeatable offer, this is an alarming issue that could have possibly ended in a financial disaster for the company.

Potential for Inaccurate Responses

ChatGPT can generate responses that are factually incorrect or misleading. This issue, known as "hallucination," occurs when the AI produces information that appears credible but is false. For instance, AI chatbots have been known to make up names, dates, and even simple math problems. Such inaccuracies can erode trust and may have serious implications, particularly in industries where precise information is vital.

Data Privacy Concerns

Implementing ChatGPT in customer support raises concerns about data privacy and security. AI systems process large volumes of personal information, and any mishandling or breaches can lead to significant issues. For example, there have been instances where AI chatbots were manipulated by cyber-criminals to defraud users through simple conversations. Ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and safeguarding customer information is a critical challenge when using AI-driven support systems.

Dependence on Training Data

ChatGPT's performance is heavily reliant on the data it was trained on. If the training data lacks diversity or is outdated, the AI may provide biased or irrelevant responses. For instance, ChatGPT has been known to provide inappropriate or harmful advice due to limitations in its training data. This dependence on training data can limit the AI's effectiveness and may require continuous updates to maintain accuracy and relevance.

Comparison: ChatGPT vs. Purpose-Built AI Chatbots

While ChatGPT provides useful conversational abilities, purpose-built AI chatbots offer a more tailored approach to customer service. Below, we’ll explore how these two options compare across key areas to help businesses choose the right fit for their support needs.

Design and Functionality

ChatGPT was created as a general language model, useful for a range of tasks but not specifically designed for customer support. It’s versatile in handling various queries, but lacks features unique to customer service, like ticketing or query tracking.

 In contrast, purpose-built AI chatbots are engineered with specific support functions. They often include tools for routing inquiries, prioritising issues, and managing multiple customer interactions.

This targeted design makes purpose-built chatbots more efficient for ongoing customer service needs, as they’re structured to address common questions and follow established support processes directly.

Integration with Business Systems

While ChatGPT can handle basic customer inquiries, integrating it with complex business systems can be challenging. Many purpose-built chatbots, on the other hand, are developed to link seamlessly with existing business platforms, such as CRM systems, inventory management, and order processing tools.

This integration allows purpose-built chatbots to access and update real-time customer data, providing more relevant and personalised responses.

For businesses needing a chatbot that aligns closely with internal systems, a dedicated chatbot for their website often offers better compatibility and ease of integration than a general AI model like ChatGPT.

Customisation and Scalability

ChatGPT provides a degree of flexibility, but customisation options are limited because it wasn’t designed for specific industry needs. Purpose-built chatbots, however, often allow extensive customisation, from adjusting language style to setting up specialised responses for industry-specific queries.

This customisation lets businesses tailor the chatbot to reflect their brand voice and align with customer expectations. Scalability is another factor where purpose-built chatbots often excel; they’re designed to grow alongside a business, adapting to increased demands and evolving customer service needs.

For larger organisations, this scalability can make a significant difference in managing high volumes while maintaining response quality.

Compliance and Security

With growing concerns about data privacy, compliance is critical in customer support. ChatGPT, while secure, doesn’t come with the same level of compliance assurance as purpose-built chatbots, especially for industries with strict regulations like finance or healthcare. Purpose-built chatbots often offer stronger data handling protocols, ensuring compliance with standards such as GDPR and HIPAA.

Additionally, these dedicated chatbots are usually backed by security measures designed specifically for handling sensitive customer information. For businesses where compliance is a priority, a purpose-built AI chatbot offers a more secure choice, as it’s tailored to meet industry-specific data protection needs.

This comparison highlights how purpose-built AI chatbots can offer a more reliable, scalable, and secure solution for businesses needing robust customer support, while ChatGPT serves as a flexible but more general option.

Why Choose Click4Assistance for Customer Support Instead

Click4Assistance offers a customer support solution designed with the specific needs of businesses in mind. Unlike general-purpose AI models, Click4Assistance focuses on delivering tools that enhance customer interactions while fitting seamlessly into existing workflows.

Below, we’ll explore why Click4Assistance stands out as a reliable option for businesses seeking a specialised, secure, and adaptable chatbot solution. These features ensure a smooth, efficient customer support experience tailored to real-world demands.

Specialised AI Chatbot Solutions

Click4Assistance provides AI chatbots designed specifically for customer support, which means they’re tailored to meet the needs of real-world customer interactions. Unlike general models like ChatGPT, Click4Assistance’s AI solutions focus on customer support functions, such as directing enquiries, collecting user information, and providing relevant resources.

This focus makes Click4Assistance an ideal choice for businesses that need a chatbot for website support, designed with built-in customer service tools. With specialised features, businesses can handle customer queries more effectively, ensuring a smoother support experience for their customers.

Seamless Integration

Click4Assistance offers seamless integration with existing business systems, including CRM, email, and order management software. This compatibility allows the chatbot to pull relevant customer data in real-time, so responses can be tailored to the individual’s needs.

Integrating the Click4Assistance chatbot with other business tools makes it possible to keep all customer interactions connected, ensuring a unified experience across channels.

For businesses seeking an AI chatbot that works within their existing digital ecosystem, our solution provides straightforward integration, saving time and reducing the complexity of implementation.

Enhanced Security Measures

Security is a top priority for Click4Assistance, especially when handling sensitive customer information. Our AI chatbot solutions provided are specifically designed with robust security measures that ensure customer data remains protected. As a UK-based company, we ensure our products are built to adhere to regulatory standards like GDPR, safeguarding you against unauthorised access or data breaches.

With Click4Assistance, businesses can rely on a secure solution for customer support, providing peace of mind for both the company and its customers. Because security is our focus, it makes our chatbot for website a dependable choice for industries where data privacy is essential.

Dedicated Support and Customisation

We go beyond offering a standard chatbot by providing dedicated support and customisation options tailored to each business’s needs. Our team assists clients with setting up and customising the chatbot, ensuring it aligns with the company’s brand and customer expectations.

Businesses can personalise the chatbot’s responses, design, and features, making it a natural extension of their customer support team. This level of dedicated support means that companies are not only implementing an AI solution but are doing so with a partner committed to optimising their customer service strategy.

In conclusion, incorporating AI into customer support offers clear advantages, and ChatGPT has shown potential for handling common customer inquiries. Its 24/7 availability, quick response times, cost efficiency, and consistency can improve support and reduce workloads. However, ChatGPT also has notable limitations in this role. Its lack of human empathy, occasional inaccuracies, limited understanding of complex queries, and data privacy concerns can make it less suitable for customer service, especially in industries where sensitivity and reliability are essential.

For businesses that need a dependable and tailored customer support tool, Click4Assistance provides a specialised solution. Designed with business needs in mind, Click4Assistance’s chatbot can integrate seamlessly with existing systems, handle customer queries securely, and offer a customised approach that reflects a company’s brand and values.

Unlike ChatGPT, Click4Assistance’s chatbots are purpose-built for customer service, ensuring customers receive accurate and contextually relevant responses. This means that you don’t have to worry about your chatbot giving not only incorrect but also dangerous responses to your customers, as it’s been doing for Nabla, for example. Similarly, you don’t need to be concerned about your chatbot sending offers or revealing data that could bankrupt your business on the spot.

While ChatGPT has its strengths, businesses seeking a secure, reliable, and adaptable support tool may find greater value in Click4Assistance. With dedicated features for customer service, Click4Assistance offers a practical, trustworthy alternative, making it a strong choice when you prioritise effective and long-term customer support solutions when you decide to add a chatbot to your website.