Creating the Ultimate Online Customer-Service

Experience

Stefan Beeli, Vice President

ESP Computer Services

Choosing the proper level of Technology

A look at some of your options

OverviewOnline Customer Service-benefits/concerns.

Create the ultimate site for you Bronze - No Database Interaction Silver- Simple Database Interaction Gold – Sophisticated DB & tools

Tips and Tricks

Potential BenefitsCustomer benefits: 24/7 availability Online access to account information Immediate resolution Customer self service and confirmation

Publisher benefits: Satisfied customer Sell more products/subscriptions and cross-sell Gain more demographics Analyze purchasing patterns Reduce costs

Think about…You have to offer online customer service. Know the answers before starting. Does it matter if there are a few problems? Isn’t something better than nothing? Doesn’t your cousin do this stuff? How do I know it’s working? How do I maintain it?

ConcernsStuff Happens - Downtime, Paypal, Google, anyone.Poor Customer Service can result in: Lost sales Lost reputation/brand loyalty

Development costs can get out of handOngoing maintenance/managementDifficult to test all environmentsSecurity Risks – credit cards, customer dataLack of visibility into what’s happening System error notifications – real time is best… Reporting of lost sales and transactions –incomplete

transactions

Bronze - FeaturesFeatures FAQ Customer Service contact info General inquiry forms Basic Forms - New, COA, Renew, Pay Bill

Bronze

Bronze BenefitsBenefits– Better Customer Service Reduce confusion, inquiries, immediate answers 24/7 Availability. Self Service – maybe lower costs Perception of your company

Bronze

Bronze ConcernsConcerns– No Database interaction – can’t: Customize renewal offers Verify amount due Automate transactions - more effort/same work Maintenance of site

Bronze

Silver Features

Features – Database Interaction with site Account overview Tailor navigation to customer Automation of transaction processing Ability to share information across the web Customized confirmation emails and letters

Silver

Silver Benefits

Benefits Personalize offers /navigation/messaging Custom renewal/Correct amount due Expose data in real-time (gate-keeping) Easier to order additional products Simple up-sell opportunities

Silver

Silver Concerns

Concerns Need to authenticate user Expose current client data to others Interaction is more expensive to maintain More complex to develop new services Testing and visibility become more difficult

Silver

Gold FeaturesFeatures– Ultimate Online XML Web Services Integrated database Interaction Additional self-service tools Customized pop-ups and messaging Custom pricing based on other purchases, demographics,

etc.. Management and reporting tools

Gold

Gold BenefitsBenefits– Ultimate customer service

Tailored to customers perceived needs Cross-up/selling logic based on complete account view

Open standard (XML) used to interact with sites/processes Customer service for group accounts - Warner Invoices generated from recent order; receipts generated

from recent payment. Need a real-time database. Real-time and summary reporting

Gold

Gold ConcernsConcerns– Interaction is more expensive to maintain Additional security concerns Additional complexity to manage Works best with real-time integrated database

Gold

Tips and TricksKeep it Simple If your goal is paid subscriptions, beware of:

Confusing offers/Discount codes Trying to capture too many demographics Required fields (phone, email, fax, etc)

Keep customer comfort level in mind. Is web site secure ? How easy is it to complete the transaction ? Is there confirmation and follow-up?

Tips and TricksList customer service contacts on every page.

Always Test your site – Often Use different browsers & computers Develop a checklist for regression testing Web server should trap errors and notify in real-time via

email or pager Monitor and collect data throughout the transaction process.

Problems/Payup stats.

Use Analytics – Google Analytics is free!

Have someone outside your work test and evaluate

Conclusions

Online Customer Service has great benefits and also costs. Take them

into consideration and choose a model that works for you.

Thanks!

Stefan Beeli, Vice President

ESP Computer Services