Email Alerts
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3-2-1 Contact: The call center in a multichannel world
Contact centers can’t live in the past, and agents today need to respond to several growing customer channels: social media, instant messages and live Web chats. That’s a lot to handle! This handbook offers insight into how you can modernize your mul... E-Handbook
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New contact center metrics recommended to fit new customer channels
With the telephone no longer the only customer channel on the block, new contact center metrics are called for to measure the handling of new channels. Feature
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Contact center strives for strategic role in customer experience management
It may live on the front lines of day-to-day customer interaction, but the contact center is not always a pivotal piece of companies' customer experience management (CEM) plans. Here's how to transform the contact center into a strategic CEM asset. Feature
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Customer Experience Exchange
Guide
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Volume 1 Nov/Dec 2011: Making CEM a priority
Guide
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Call center contest: How did you impact the customer experience?
The editors at SearchCRM.com want to know about your most rewarding experience as a customer service rep – our panel of judges will nominate their favorite stories and the top three will win American Express Gift Cards. Contest
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How to use Web 2.0 technology for customer service, marketing, sales
As more customers head to the Web to review products, make purchases and find information, forward-thinking companies need to learn how to leverage Web 2.0 to stay competitive. Here are a few ways you can use Web 2.0 technologies to improve your cust... Special Report
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Call center chatting: Top 10 buzzwords
Today's customers are going to the Web instead of the phone when they need to place an order, pay a bill or get an answer to a question. Because of this, chat technology, which allows call center agents to communicate with customers online, has becom... Top Buzzwords
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Customer self-service case studies
These customer self-service case studies examine how other companies have implemented self service and what challenges and benefits they've encountered. Learning Guide
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Self service and the customer experience
This section of the Customer Self Service Learning Guide provides tips on putting customer self-service technology into practice. Learning Guide
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Customer Self-Service Learning Guide
This guide introduces the fundamentals and benefits of customer self service through articles, examples of best practices, case studies and expert advice. Learning Guide
- See more Essential Knowledge on Online customer service
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Cross-channel communication CEM support: A work in progress
Industry experts say companies need to step up plans for cross-channel customer service or risk damaging customer experience management strategies. News | 29 Mar 2012
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Gartner: Marketing, customer service must merge
Customers now own the business relationship, so companies need a coordinated approach to hear them, according to Gartner analysts at the research group’s annual conference. News | 20 Mar 2012
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Claims of customer focus mostly talk, report finds
A recent report finds that while many companies claim to be customer focused, they lack the technology, processes and focus on data to deliver. News | 07 Mar 2012
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Web content management’s new role: Targeted customer experience
Integrating CRM with revamped Web content management strategy is pushing WCM into a more prominent role as companies aim for highly personalized and targeted customer experiences. News | 07 Mar 2012
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Virtual agents go from service to sales for antivirus software maker
Better technology and consumers eager to avoid phone calls are increasing the use of virtual agents for customer service, but one pioneer is adding them to online sales as well. News | 27 Feb 2012
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Employee focus transforms customer experience management strategies
CEM initiatives suffer when employees can’t provide their perspectives on customer concerns. News | 05 Jan 2012
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Social channels changing contact center certification
Contact centers will see overhauled programs for certifications next year that address the full range of channels, with emphasis on social media technology. News | 05 Dec 2011
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Businesses scramble as users clamor for mobile customer service
As more customers use mobile devices, more companies are trying to deliver customer service to smartphones and tablets. News | 21 Nov 2011
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Sirius, Match.com, DirecTV share social customer service, mobile plans
Customer service groups push forward with mobile, social plans to meet customers on their platforms of choice. News | 10 Nov 2011
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Column: RightNow key to Oracle’s customer experience management plans
CRM industry expert Denis Pombriant asserts the Oracle acquisition of RightNow is good news for customers, industry. News | 03 Nov 2011
- See more News on Online customer service
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FTUB boosts business with Decision Support
DQmart is a Web-based data mart solution that provides access to pre-defined reports. Tip
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GoldMine helps int'l company get in synch
GoldMine helps int'l company get in synch Tip
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Manufacturer tackles sales and marketing
Manufacturer takes over its own sales and marketing in this case study on Allianz Life and Point Information Systems. Tip
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Talking to customers on the Web
Case study on Las Vegas' Venetian hotel Tip
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Give agents varied challenges during contact center downtimes
Contact center managers can give agents a change of pace with varied tasks to take on during idle time. Answer
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Using click-to-call vs. click-to-chat software
Learn the pros and cons of using click- to-call vs. click-to-chat software and find out which is best for reducing costs and improving the customer experience. Ask the Expert
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Tips for deploying online self-service technology
Learn some tips for implementing online self-service technology effectively and making the most of customer self-service data in this expert tip. Ask the Expert
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Improving website usability and the online customer experience
Discover the best way to improve website usability and the online customer experience in this tip. Learn about the importance of the multichannel customer. Ask the Expert
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Building customer trust online: Tips for success
Building customer trust online can be tricky -- Don Peppers lists a few ways to maintain your customer's trust over the Internet in this expert tip. Ask the Expert
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Building a call center for an online travel company
Read advice from Donna Fluss on starting a call center for an online travel company, including what call center software to acquire and how to best design the call center to meet the organization's needs. Ask the Expert
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Can online customer service drive customer loyalty?
Learn about the pros and cons of online customer service and how it can drive customer loyalty in this tip from Lior Arussy. Ask the Expert
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Resources to make an in-house cost-per-call service model
Ask the Expert
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How to increase recognition to loyalty scheme members
Ask the Expert
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Call center dilemma: How to reduce hold times without adding staff
In this tip from Lori Bocklund, learn to reduce average hold times in the call center without adding call center agents. Ask the Expert
- See more Expert Advice on Online customer service
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Web self-service
Web self-service is a type of electronic support (e-support) that allows customers and employees to access information and perform routine tasks over the Internet, without requiring any interaction with a representative of an enterprise. Web self-ser... Definition
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Contact Center: Glossary
Browse through contact center vocabulary in a handy printable glossary. Definition
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customer service and support (CSS)
Customer service and support (CSS) is the part of a company's customer relationship management (CRM) department that interacts with a customer for their immediate benefit, including components such as the contact center, the help desk, and the call m... Definition
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e-support
Part of the growing trend toward online customer relationship management (CRM), e-support is the electronic (usually Web-based) version of customer service that would otherwise have required either a visit to a company or a telephone call. Definition
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Tarp consultant John Goodman on voice of the customer challenges
Tarp consultant and vice chairman John Goodman asserts that basic customer service is key to any voice of the customer program. Video
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Kate Leggett on what the Oracle RightNow acquisition means
Kate Leggett of Forrester Research discusses the effects of Oracle’s acquisition of RightNow. Podcast
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Hard Rock shares its customer service, social tips
Hard Rock, staffs its customer service department with just three people, who still manage to respond to up to 30,000 customer inquiries a month. Video
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Voices of CRM: Building a business case for self-service
While some of self-service technology's benefits are obvious, some executives still need to be convinced of the ROI. The SSPA's John Ragsdale explains how in this podcast. Podcast
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Gartner's Adam Sarner on B2B communities
What if your company wants to start a customer community but makes drill bits? SearchCRM.com caught up with Adam Sarner at the Gartner CRM summit to discuss B2B customer communities. Video
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Building a business case for self-service
Get tips for using self-service technology effectively in this podcast. Best practices for building a business case for self-service and getting upper-management support for a self-service technology initiative are also discussed. Podcasts
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Building an ecommerce website that works: How to offer customers a superior online experience
Get tips for building a customer-focused ecommerce website in this podcast. Learn about ecommerce website development and how ecommerce websites can improve the customer experience. Podcasts
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Secrets to success in using technology to optimize your online customer experience
Get tips for optimizing the online customer experience through technology in this podcast with expert Martha Rogers. Learn how to deploy online self-service technology effectively. Podcast
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Tying trust to customer values with Don Peppers
In this podcast, you'll hear from Don Peppers on tying trust to customer values. He answers questions from readers on building customer trust online, in person, and through an outsourced call center. He also identifies two rules that every organizati... Podcast
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New contact center metrics recommended to fit new customer channels
With the telephone no longer the only customer channel on the block, new contact center metrics are called for to measure the handling of new channels. Feature
-
3-2-1 Contact: The call center in a multichannel world
Contact centers can’t live in the past, and agents today need to respond to several growing customer channels: social media, instant messages and live Web chats. That’s a lot to handle! This handbook offers insight into how you can modernize your mul... E-Handbook
-
Cross-channel communication CEM support: A work in progress
Industry experts say companies need to step up plans for cross-channel customer service or risk damaging customer experience management strategies. News
-
Contact center strives for strategic role in customer experience management
It may live on the front lines of day-to-day customer interaction, but the contact center is not always a pivotal piece of companies' customer experience management (CEM) plans. Here's how to transform the contact center into a strategic CEM asset. Feature
-
Gartner: Marketing, customer service must merge
Customers now own the business relationship, so companies need a coordinated approach to hear them, according to Gartner analysts at the research group’s annual conference. News
-
Claims of customer focus mostly talk, report finds
A recent report finds that while many companies claim to be customer focused, they lack the technology, processes and focus on data to deliver. News
-
Web content management’s new role: Targeted customer experience
Integrating CRM with revamped Web content management strategy is pushing WCM into a more prominent role as companies aim for highly personalized and targeted customer experiences. News
-
Virtual agents go from service to sales for antivirus software maker
Better technology and consumers eager to avoid phone calls are increasing the use of virtual agents for customer service, but one pioneer is adding them to online sales as well. News
-
Employee focus transforms customer experience management strategies
CEM initiatives suffer when employees can’t provide their perspectives on customer concerns. News
-
Social channels changing contact center certification
Contact centers will see overhauled programs for certifications next year that address the full range of channels, with emphasis on social media technology. News
- See more All on Online customer service
About Online customer service
This online customer service topic section features resources to help you define the pros and cons of online customer service and evaluate vendors. Learn how to get started with using self-service technology and discover web-based customer service best practices. Read case studies from organizations that are finding success with e-service technology and how call centers are using chat effectively. Read online customer service news about self-service vendors and market trends, plus find advice and resources to improve your call center's online customer service strategy.