PUTTING TOGETHER THE INTERACTIVITY PUZZLE.(Customer service Web page)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)

The benefits of providing good Web-based customer service options to consumers, sales prospects, and supply-chain partners are compelling, but the means of getting there are a bit daunting.

Although it's common today to have a frequently asked questions page, companies will begin installing knowledge bases to fill their shoes. These areas will allow customers to query a support database, automatically answer an e-mail query, or produce some form of trouble ticket to track ongoing support issues. Ultimately, though, companies will need to integrate sales and marketing efforts with their support applications across all communication channels -- Web, phone, e-mail, chat, …