IDC report highlights the benefits of online customer service

Research also uncovers the cost of failing to integrate web presence with the contact center

Highlights of the research include:

• Consumer expectations now demand the availability of web self-service and email interaction
• Confirmation of the reduced cost of online channels of customer service over traditional telephone contact - this is estimated at often more than 90%
• Recognition that many companies have failed to connect their website with the contact centre
• Impact of this is mismatch in performance between contact centre and on-line service levels - leading to customer churn and brand erosion
• 30% of companies confirmed resource issues were often at the heart of poor online performance IDC looked at two companies that had successfully implemented online customer service to drive down cost and improve service
• Mistergooddeal.com implemented a web self- service initiative which increased sales but immediately reduced email queries by 30%
• Paris Chamber of Commerce achieved aggressive service level response times through implementing email management. It also reduced the time required by highly paid professionals to answer queries through selective, managed automated response
• Conclusion - joined up customer service requires investment in online strategy and collaboration between e-commerce and contact centre professionals

To download a FREE copy of the IDC White Paper "Web Self-Service and email-management - a winning combination" please visit www.eptica.com.

Press Contacts:

jd marketing:

Kate Hill
kateh@jdmarketing.co.uk
T:+ 44(0) 20 8297 5388

Eptica:

Clare McRobbie
mcrobbie@eptica.com
T:+ 44(0) 7769 978351