The Support Station widget can operate in two modes: Support Form and AI Chat. This guide helps you choose the right mode for your needs.

Quick Comparison

Aspect	Support Form	AI Chat
Customer experience	Fill out form	Conversational
Response time	When team responds	Instant (AI)
Ticket creation	Always	Only if needed
AI credits used	No	Yes
Plan requirement	All plans	Starter+

Support Form Mode

How It Works

Customer clicks the widget
Form appears with fields for email, subject, description
Customer fills out and submits
Ticket is created in Support Station
Team responds when available

Advantages

Simplicity

Customers know exactly what to do
No learning curve
Predictable interaction

No AI costs

Doesn't use AI credits
Available on all plans including Free

Complete information

Structured fields ensure you get what you need
Subject line helps with routing
Description can be detailed

Good for complex issues

Customers can explain in full
Attach relevant files
No AI interpretation needed

Disadvantages

No instant help

Customers wait for human response
Can't resolve simple questions immediately
Higher ticket volume

Less engaging

Static form experience
No conversation
Feels transactional

Best For

Teams without AI credits
Complex support scenarios
B2B with detailed support needs
Situations where every inquiry needs human review

AI Chat Mode

How It Works

Customer clicks the widget
Chat interface opens
Customer asks a question naturally
AI searches knowledge base and responds
Customer can ask follow-ups
If AI can't help, escalates to ticket

Advantages

Instant answers

Many questions resolved immediately
24/7 availability
No waiting for business hours

Reduced ticket volume

Simple questions handled by AI
Team focuses on complex issues
Better resource utilization

Engaging experience

Conversational interface
Natural language interaction
Feels helpful and modern

Context preserved

If escalation needed, conversation included
No repeat explanations
Team sees what was already discussed

Disadvantages

Uses AI credits

Each interaction consumes credits
Requires Starter plan or higher
Costs if you exceed included credits

Depends on KB quality

AI is only as good as your articles
Sparse KB = limited AI helpfulness
Requires content investment

May frustrate some users

Some prefer talking to humans
Complex issues may need immediate escalation
AI has limitations

Best For

Teams with comprehensive knowledge bases
High-volume support
Common questions that repeat
Self-service oriented customers

Choosing Your Mode

Choose Support Form If:

✓ You're on the Free plan ✓ Your KB isn't comprehensive yet ✓ Most inquiries need human attention anyway ✓ You prefer structured intake ✓ Your customers expect human-only support

Choose AI Chat If:

✓ You're on Starter plan or higher ✓ You have a solid knowledge base ✓ Many questions have documented answers ✓ You want to reduce ticket volume ✓ Customers want instant answers

Consider Both Modes If:

✓ You want customers to choose ✓ Different use cases need different approaches ✓ You're transitioning from form to AI ✓ You want AI first with easy escalation

Using Both Modes

You can offer both options:

Tabbed Interface

"Chat with AI" tab
"Submit Request" tab
Customer picks their preference

AI with Easy Escalation

Start with AI chat
Prominent "Contact Support" option
Best of both worlds

Page-Specific Modes

AI chat on help pages
Form on contact page
Customized per context

Measuring Success

For Support Form

Track:

Ticket volume trends
First response time
Resolution time
Customer satisfaction

For AI Chat

Track:

AI deflection rate (questions resolved without tickets)
Escalation rate
AI credit usage
Customer ratings of AI responses

Comparing Modes

If testing both:

A/B test with different user segments
Compare ticket volume changes
Measure satisfaction for each path
Calculate cost per resolution

Migration Path

Starting with Form, Moving to AI

Build your KB first - AI needs content
Enable AI chat - Start with both options
Monitor AI performance - Track deflection
Adjust as needed - Improve KB gaps
Optionally default to AI - As confidence grows

Starting Fresh with AI

Write core articles - FAQ, getting started
Enable AI chat - Let customers try it
Monitor escalations - Identify KB gaps
Iterate on content - Fill gaps, improve answers
Scale up - Add more content over time