Transcript Chapter 1 -- Key Aspects of Customer Service

Chapter 12
The Impact of Globalization on
Customer Service
Objectives
Understand the impact globalization has had on the
world economy and call center hiring trends
Discuss the reasons globalization of customer service
has shifted from an offshore to a homeshore
environment
Describe the extent to which online services are growing
and the challenges facing companies involved in
e-commerce on the Internet
List the multichannel communication methods used by
online shoppers
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Globalization and
Outsourcing of E-commerce
Globalization initiatives ensure that customers
around the world have appropriate and useful
experiences as they communicate, collaborate,
and transact online—regardless of location,
language, culture, or business practices.
Outsourcing is the purchase of labor from a
source outside the company rather than using the
company’s own staff.
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Homeshoring
A work-style trend that companies are
using is hiring U.S. home-based call agents
as an alternative to more expensive inhouse operators or less-qualified offshore
call centers.
According to data from IDC, home-based
phone representatives in the U.S. will grow
to 300,000 by 2010.
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Providing Customer Service
on the Internet
Business advantages of e-commerce
The global market is open 24/7
Customers can conduct price comparisons easily
Feedback to queries regarding the status of orders can
be immediate
FAQ pages provide easy access to self-help customer
support
Companies can gather customer information, analyze
it, and react on the basis of current data
Distribution costs for information are reduced or
eliminated
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Online Shopping Preferences
Effective search tools, express ordering, and
highlighted specials
Assurance of on-time order fulfillment
Order status information or the ability to
securely track their own orders
The ability to exchange items purchased online at
any of the chain’s physical stores
The ability to buy merchandise 24/7
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Relationships with
Online Customers
Five rules to follow when building strong
relationships with online customers
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5.
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Excel at each stage of the customer buying cycle
Empower customers to help themselves
Help customers succeed by empowering them to be in
control of the buying situation
Protect the privacy of consumers
Offer several types of free technical support
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Customer Relationship
Management (CRM)
CRM is a business strategy that integrates the
functions of sales, marketing and customer
service using technology and wide-ranging
databases of information.
Elements of CRM
Knowledge management
Database consolidation
Integration of channels and systems
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Recognizing Online Customer
Service Issues
In response to growing customer complaints,
many e-commerce companies are trying to make
technological “fixes” to the customer service
problems by investing in software and
technology-based systems.
Specifically, they are
Evolving into multichannel customer interaction
centers
Hiring and training e-reps or an online CSR
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Multichannel
Communication Centers
A traditional call center mainly uses the telephone
to contact customers dealing with routine
concerns.
However, the evolving customer contact center is a
technology driven area where customers want to
talk to a CSR only if they cannot successfully
address their situations electronically themselves.
Many e-customers are seeking to avoid human contact.
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Hiring and Training
an Online CSR
Online CSRs are referred to as e-reps.
They interact with customers by using e-mail
and chats that require good oral
communication and accurate and fast
keyboarding skills.
Multi-tasking, a component of work efficiency,
is a critical skill for e-reps.
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