Learn the key differences between asynchronous and synchronous video support and discover which approach delivers better customer satisfaction, reduces resolution times, and cuts operational costs for your business.
In today's digital-first customer service landscape, video has emerged as a powerful tool for resolving issues faster and more effectively. But when implementing video support, businesses face a critical choice: should they focus on synchronous (real-time) video calls or asynchronous (recorded) video messaging?
The answer impacts everything from customer satisfaction scores to operational costs and agent efficiency. This comprehensive guide examines both approaches, drawing from real implementation data to help you determine which video support strategy will best serve your customers and business objectives.
Video support is a customer support method that leverages video technology to deliver personalized and interactive assistance. This approach is crucial for customer satisfaction as it allows for timely and effective resolution of issues in a format that is easy to understand. Whether it’s resolving complex technical problems, providing product demonstrations, or offering tailored support, video support enhances the overall customer experience. By integrating video support, businesses can not only improve customer satisfaction but also reduce the volume of support tickets and foster greater customer loyalty.
Incorporating video into customer support offers several significant benefits:
Before diving into which approach drives better customer satisfaction, let's clarify what each term means:
Synchronous video support happens in real-time, similar to a video conference call. It involves:
As noted in SnapCall's documentation, synchronous support allows agents to "build trust by reading facial expressions and body language to foster genuine connections" and "easily demonstrate product issues and guide customers through solutions."
Asynchronous video support involves recorded video messages exchanged between customers and support teams. Async video enhances customer service by allowing for faster recording and efficient editing, enabling businesses to save time on re-recording and focus more on their customers. It features:
Asynchronous videos play a crucial role in modern team communication, enhancing productivity and accommodating different working styles. They alleviate challenges posed by synchronous meetings, such as Zoom fatigue and logistical concerns, making it easier for employees to communicate effectively without the stress of real-time interactions.
Asynchronous video “allows customers to upload videos at their convenience, making the support process smoother and more flexible,” according to implementation research at companies like Devialet.
Asynchronous video support shines when it comes to convenience. Customers can record videos of their issues whenever they have time, rather than scheduling appointments or waiting in queues. This flexibility allows for customer issue reporting outside of standard business hours, enhancing engagement and efficiency. This flexibility is particularly valuable for:
The data shows impressive operational improvements with asynchronous video support:
These efficiency gains stem from several factors:
Asynchronous video creates a permanent visual record of issues, which serves multiple purposes:
Free PRO, an internet provider, found that asynchronous video clips helped them “minimize the need for on-site interventions” by allowing customers to record and share clips at their convenience.
Asynchronous video communication allows customers to receive support at their convenience, without the need for real-time interaction. Here are some practical examples:
Real-time video calls excel in situations requiring immediate resolution:
Synchronous video support creates stronger human connections through:
While asynchronous video shows strong general performance, synchronous video calls demonstrate exceptional results in certain scenarios:
When it comes to CSAT scores, both approaches show positive impacts:
Effective communication between customer success teams and product teams can lead to faster query resolutions and better overall customer satisfaction.
However, the data suggests that the best approach depends on several key factors rather than one being universally superior.
Time to Resolution (TTR) is a critical customer service metric that measures the duration it takes to resolve a customer issue from the initial contact. TTR is vital for customer satisfaction as it directly impacts customer loyalty and retention. A lower TTR indicates that a business can resolve issues quickly and efficiently, leading to higher satisfaction rates. By focusing on reducing TTR, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, foster loyalty, and decrease the number of support tickets, ultimately improving overall operational efficiency.
The optimal choice between synchronous and asynchronous video support depends on:
Many organizations are finding that a hybrid approach delivers the best overall customer satisfaction. This strategy involves:
Service level agreements outline the expected standards for issue resolution times and are crucial in maintaining customer satisfaction by ensuring timely responses to issues.
Client demonstrates this approach well, supporting 50,000+ customers monthly through a mix of asynchronous video clips and live video calls, achieving a 15% improvement in resolution time.
If you’re just beginning your video support journey:
If you’re already using either synchronous or asynchronous video:
Regardless of which approach you choose, certain technological requirements are essential:
Companies implementing video support report impressive results:
Both synchronous and asynchronous video support drive significant improvements in customer satisfaction, but in different ways and for different scenarios. The data suggests that:
As visual communication continues to evolve, businesses that thoughtfully implement both approaches will be best positioned to meet diverse customer needs while optimizing operational efficiency.
Yes, data shows that video support can reduce resolution times by 32-46% compared to traditional channels, primarily because visual information eliminates back-and-forth communication needed to clarify issues. For example, Devialet achieved a 46% improvement in resolution time using asynchronous video clips, while Free PRO reported a 42% decrease in resolution time using a combination of clips and video calls.
Video support shows strong results across multiple industries, including furniture retail (Bob's Discount Furniture), consumer electronics (Devialet), telecommunications (Free PRO), insurance claims processing, and identity verification services. Retail companies implementing video support have seen returns reduced by up to 32%, while insurance companies report faster claim verification and reduced fraud.
AI analyzes video content to identify products, issues, and potential solutions. It can also extract key information like serial numbers, populate custom fields in your CRM, suggest knowledge base articles, and even generate response templates for agents. Companies using AI-powered video analysis report that agents can handle 11% more tickets on average, with some seeing agent efficiency increases of up to 30%.
Companies report significant ROI through reduced on-site visits, lower call volumes, faster resolution times, and increased first-contact resolution rates. Additional ROI comes from decreased telephony costs and reduced need for in-person technician visits for issues that can be resolved remotely.
Customer satisfaction scores typically increase with video support options. Companies reported a 90% CSAT score, and a 30% annual increase in CSAT after implementing video support. Customer feedback indicates they appreciate the visual clarity, faster resolutions, and flexibility of video support channels.
Asynchronous video support generally shows more significant cost reduction benefits because it allows agents to handle multiple cases simultaneously and leverages AI for automated analysis. Companies implementing asynchronous video report operational cost reductions of 15-40%, while still maintaining high customer satisfaction. For example, Meubles RD saw a 33% increase in one-touch resolution after implementing asynchronous video clips.
Video support solutions like SnapCall integrate seamlessly with major CRM platforms including Zendesk, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Intercom, and LiveChat. The integration allows video interactions to be automatically attached to customer tickets, with AI-generated summaries and suggested responses appearing directly in the agent workflow. This one-click integration ensures minimal disruption to existing processes while enhancing capabilities.
Video support excels at resolving visual product issues including:
Video support outperforms phone support for complex issues by providing visual context that eliminates miscommunication. While phone calls rely solely on verbal descriptions (missing 80% of non-verbal communication), video allows agents to see the actual problem, demonstrate solutions, and confirm proper implementation. Synchronous communication, such as video conferencing and face-to-face conversations, is crucial for real-time interaction, making it highly relevant in these contexts. Companies implementing video for complex support issues report resolution time improvements of 35-46% compared to phone support.
For asynchronous video support, customers need:
For synchronous video calls, requirements include:
Modern video support platforms are designed to work across devices and with minimal bandwidth requirements to ensure accessibility for all customers.
Effective agent training for video support includes:
Most companies report that agents become proficient with video support tools within 1-2 days, with performance continuing to improve over subsequent weeks.
Modern video support solutions address privacy concerns through:
No customer information is shared with third parties, and all video data is handled according to the same security standards as other customer data.
Yes, proactive video support is an emerging trend with strong results. Companies are using asynchronous video messages for:
These proactive approaches show promise for reducing support ticket volume by addressing common issues before they occur.
Video support significantly improves first contact resolution (FCR) rates. Companies implementing video support report FCR improvements of 33-35%, meaning more issues are solved in the first interaction without follow-ups. This improvement stems from the enhanced visual context that helps agents accurately diagnose issues immediately and provide verified solutions.
Key performance indicators for video support include:
Tracking these metrics provides a comprehensive view of video support's impact on both operational efficiency and customer experience.
Research indicates that 80% of communication is non-verbal, which traditional support channels miss entirely. Video support captures this crucial visual component, allowing:
This comprehensive communication leads to fewer misunderstandings and faster resolutions.
While video support shows high effectiveness across demographics, adoption strategies should consider:
Companies like Devialet and Bob's Discount Furniture report 70-90% customer adoption rates when video support is properly implemented and explained.
Asynchronous video support enhances customer convenience through:
This convenience factor is a major driver of the high customer satisfaction scores reported by companies implementing asynchronous video support.
SnapCall is revolutionizing the way businesses interact with their customers. Our suite of products offer a seamless and personalized customer experience. With SnapCall Assist, customers and support teams can easily share photo and videos to explain problems and provide solutions. SnapCall Booking allows for scheduling calls with clients and experts without the need for external conference services. And SnapCall Instant offers audio and video calls with integrated CRM platforms for easy access to customer information.
