Glenn, have you ever heard of Blue Nile? <vbg>
.Superior Service
Compelling Online Experiences Drive Repeat Business
The value of building and maintaining customer loyalty has long been recognized as key to business success. Managers well understand the return on investment from making sure that current customers remain customers. However, the challenge has always been how to put customer retention principles into operation within the organization. This challenge is increased on the Internet, where the world is made up of short attention spans, heavy competition for that limited time, and increasingly transparent business operations where successes-and mistakes-are quickly noted.
DataMonitor reported that last year e-retailers lost over $6 billion of online sales due to poor customer service. Specifically, 7.8 percent of abandoned virtual shopping carts could have been recovered through better customer service. Given the stakes, one would expect to find b-to-c e-retailers at the forefront of rapid, well-executed e-service. However, according to the Talisma E-service Index, which monitors the electronic customer service performance of nearly 200 top U.S. firms, that is not often the case. The most current index shows that 70 percent of these e-retail sites need improvement.
"Simply put, those companies that provide superior service on the Net are going to survive; those that don't will perish," says Mike McClure, vice president of product marketing for Talisma Corporation. Since 1994, Talisma, headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, has pioneered easy and powerful solutions that help companies create long-lasting and profitable online customer relationships through effective e-service, e-marketing, and e-sales.
E-retailers need to exploit all electronic communication options-e-mail, chat, Web self-help, and voice over the Internet-to accomplish three primary objectives: create a superior online experience, make it easy for the Internet agent to deliver powerful service, and balance cost with the revenue opportunity. Seattle-based Blue Nile, Inc., an online leader in the diamond and fine jewelry category, set out to do just that when it selected Talisma's eCRM solution.
Blue Nile's Web site offers in-depth education about diamonds and fine jewelry, guiding customers toward making informed purchases with confidence. When customers have questions or need more assistance, e-mail and"chat" are just a click away. Shoppers have direct access to highly trained gemologists and customer service associates who can now respond in an even more timely, personalized, and relevant manner. Because the Talisma solution is easy to use, the Blue Nile team can deliver superior service, close sales, and deliver personalized marketing messages automatically.
"Talisma is a vital strategic partner with a strong interest in understanding our business, a robust product offering, and a careful eye on the future," says Bob Paquin, Blue Nile's COO/CIO."We were looking for operational efficiencies, but were more concerned about our customers' shopping experiences. Offering electronic alternatives meant opening new ways to serve them better, not a means to eliminate telephone call volume." For example, when an order ships, the system automatically sends an e-mail to the customer-no telephone calls needed-along with the FedEx tracking number and Internet link. Customers can click at their leisure to check the delivery status."This new process represents an efficiency on our end, and an enhanced service on behalf of our customer," says Paquin.
In the e-channel, if there is no trust, there is no sale. Every electronic contact represents an opportunity to build a customer relationship upon which trust is based."Providing a great customer experience with intelligent, personalized, and efficient communication helps build credibility, allows us to deliver on our promise of quality and confidence, and further gains us trust," says Paquin."With Talisma's eCRM solutions, this is a mission they're helping us achieve." |
