orb22by 22nd Floororb22 / Voice assistant vs text chat widget
Voice assistant or text chat widget: which is better for an online store?
A text chat widget waits for visitors to type. A voice assistant like orb22 talks with them out loud, asks questions and recommends a product as the conversation goes. Voice suits visitors who would rather ask than type, and text suits quiet settings. orb22 is voice-first, so visitors allow the microphone.
How they differ for a visitor
| Text chat widget | Voice assistant (orb22) | |
|---|---|---|
| How the visitor interacts | Types a question and waits for a reply. | Speaks, hears a spoken answer and can interrupt. |
| Who starts the conversation | The visitor opens the box and writes first. | The assistant greets the visitor and asks the right questions out loud. |
| A typical answer | Often a link to the FAQ. | A spoken answer, then a recommended product and its page. |
| What the visitor needs | Nothing special. | A modern browser and permission to use the microphone. |
| Quiet or noisy settings | Works silently. | Needs a place where the visitor can speak and listen. |
Where a voice assistant helps
- A visitor reads a page, wonders about something and leaves with a question. A voice assistant is there on the page to answer out loud.
- It asks the right questions first, so the recommendation fits what the visitor said.
- Someone ready to buy is helped right away. It is never a form.
When text is the better choice
Text works where people cannot speak or listen, such as a quiet office or a crowded train, and it needs no microphone permission. A voice assistant needs a modern browser and a visitor who allows the microphone. Inside apps that block the microphone, such as Instagram's browser, orb22 shows a two-step guide to open the page in a normal browser.
What orb22 adds on the business side
- A transcript, the answers, the email and the source for every call.
- Stats on calls, emails, clicks and minutes, so you can see where people drop off.
- Download your leads as a CSV file: all of them, or only Hot, Warm or Cold.
- It always says it is an AI when asked, and it answers only from the knowledge you gave it.
Frequently asked questions
Is a voice assistant better than a text chat widget?
Neither is better for every visitor. A voice assistant talks with visitors out loud and asks questions, while a text widget waits for them to type. Voice needs the microphone and a modern browser, and text works silently.
Can visitors interrupt a voice assistant?
With orb22, yes. It speaks with a live, natural voice, and visitors can interrupt it the way they would a person.
Does orb22 need microphone access?
Yes. Visitors agree before the microphone turns on, with a link to your privacy policy.
Does orb22 say it is an AI?
Yes. If a visitor asks whether it is an AI, it always says yes.