1. Use Friendly Web Sites and Electronic Communication
Chapter Five
Use Friendly Web Sites and Electronic Communication

2. The Internet is a new avenue for businesses to deliver customer service
Provides increased exposure and sales
Provides decreased marketing costs
Provides opportunities for better customer service

3. The Web is a “perfect” sales channel AND is an excellent channel for pre-sale and post-sale customer support
Customers have come to assume a Web site for virtually any business

4. Customers can use online knowledge bases to answer their own questions
FAQ’s
responses, searchable by keyword
Customer service postings, searchable by keyword
Self-learning knowledge databases, searchable with multi-word searches

5. Web chat allows customers and service representatives to carry on two-way conversations.
Blogs can serve the same function—real time conversations.
Remember 80/20 rule: the 20% who are reading blogs influence the other 80%
One third of US ‘Net users read online forums

6. Web self-service has significant cost advantages over traditional service channels
Employing only one person to maintain a website
Allowing full-time staff to answer only unusual questions

7. Customization Security Integrity Collaboration Entertainment
Norms of ‘Net Geners
Customization
Security
Integrity
Collaboration
Entertainment
Innovation

8. Poorly managed e-services can eliminate any potential cost savings and result in lost customers.

9. Successful e-service delivery requirements:
Website uptime: have redundant servers
Navigation ease: one click access
Response speed: less than 2-3 seconds to refresh a page
Communication alternatives ( , phone)
Form & function. Appropriate site design, accessibility

10. Successful e-service delivery requirements:
Benchmarking
Traffic monitoring
Adaptive knowledge bases

11. Few companies today can survive without an electronic presence, and today’s Web-mediated customer service offers a low-cost approach for run-of-the-mill customer transactions. Take the opportunity to surprise customers with exceptional e-service.