Web ‘becoming primary customer service channel’

The web is becoming a primary customer service channel for businesses including travel as more consumers shop and access information online, according to new research.

Software company Transversal predicts that travel will hit a major peak in the first half of 2007 as holidaymakers increasingly research and buy online.

Figures from Continental Research recently found that 17 million Britons will buy part of their main holiday online, with 21 million using the internet for research (http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1115168.php?mpnlog=1)

These figures highlight the growing customer acceptance of automated, online customer service systems, allowing businesses to benefit from service advantages, cost savings and better management of seasonal customer service peaks, according to Transversal.

The company’s Web Self-Service Index highlights a “sharp increase” in the number of consumers asking questions through web self-service systems to obtain customer service information.

The amount of customers turning to this channel for faster responses to questions has risen 224% from 2004 to 2006 in the quest to avoid calling or emailing contact centres, according to the company.

The trend continued between 2005 and 2006 with the amount of questions asked using web self-service more than doubling. 

Holiday Extras, the airport parking and airport hotel reservations firm, is answering 92% of online customer queries automatically through web self-service, removing the need to call or email a contact centre for the majority of holidaymakers.  Since deploying web self-service, calls to Holiday Extras’ contact centre have dropped by 9% whilst online sales have been increasing simultaneously by 9%.

Transversal’s annual Web Self-Service Index monitors consumer behaviour by analysing usage and volume through client sites, looking both at the overall rate of adoption and the amount of customers and questions handled by individual client applications. It provides a view of the market, supported by specific information on key vertical sectors such as financial services, retail, travel and consumer electronics.  

Comparing the first and second halves of 2006, questions asked through Transversal’s client web self-service applications were up by over a third, with a 39% rise.

The largest seasonal peaks came in retail and consumer electronics in the run up to Christmas. For example, retailer Freemans saw a 29% growth in questions asked through its system, with the majority of this in the six weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

Transversal CEO Davin Yap said: “As use of the internet has increased so has consumer desire to get more intuitive, accurate and fast responses to their questions online.”

He said the Web Self-Service Index is able to show this dramatic growth as the web becomes a fundamental channel for customer service.

“As this increases month by month organisations need to ensure their online customer service provides real differentiation from their competitors if they are to succeed,” he warned.

by Phil Davies