Left-click here, right-click there

Self-service gas, automated teller machines, on-line trading-each is an example of eliminating face-to-face interaction. Eachempowers customers and makes them more self-reliant. Many of us have a "fix-it-myself" gene that dominates our "fix it-for-me" gene, and with that resourceful attitude in mind, Silknet Software created its customer care package, eServices.

Silknet developed its service after recognizing that traditional call center employees spend most of their time focusing on increasing efficiency through internal automation and systems integration. By using metrics such as abandon rate and average hold time, call centers were discounting customers' ability to help themselves. Silknet recognized that integrating the customer into on-line services offered the highest potential cost savings.

eServices is a Web-based customer care package that helps customers solve their own problems. It was designed for markets with large call centers that spend much of their time answering generic, routine questions. Rather than wasting service representatives' time as well as customers' time spent on hold, eServices pushes the Web user to heal thyself.

Built for the Internet and on Internet-based components, eServices packages on-line techniques, such as frequently asked questions, help screens, video cameras, audio messages and e-mail into one multimedia-rich database. If a user is dialing in using a 56K modem but connecting at a lower speed, eServices will guide the customer through the possible reasons for this problem. It will also give instructions for the customer to e-mail or call if they desire.

"We try to bring all touch points into the same system," said Mark Green, vice president of sales at Silknet. "We want to give customers a choice for contacting us, and we want to be able to accommodate all types of customers."

Bell Advanced Communications, which provides customer support for Internet services for Bell Canada, has been using eServices to reduce the number of telephone calls to its call center. In addition to being able to support more customers without adding customer representatives, BAC has seen a 25% decrease in technical help e-mail. And the e-mails that are sent can be answered more quickly because the eServices' mail module forces customers to provide relevant information. Within one year, BAC has recovered its up-front costs, said Maggi Williams, director of business development.

With eServices, BAC has not had to incur costs to increase technical staff either. "It uses off-the-shelf applications and architecture that were familiar to our personnel. It wasn't rocket science," said Williams.

eServices contains several modules that can be bought separately or as a unit. These include an interaction management center, phone services, Web services, e-mail management services and a knowledge manager. eServices is built on eBusiness System, an enterprise relationship management architecture that allows companies to build and deploy customer service, marketing and sales applications across separate business operations.

"With eServices, we were focused on the application, then we realized that companies wanted a platform to build applications that would help them manage relationships," said Green. "We made eBusiness to be a scalable, robust, browser-based platform."

SBC Internet Services is using eServices for its 350,000 customers. As SBC continues to add services across its many divisions, it plans to create one point of contact for its customers. SBC is considering using eBusiness as the platform to build the application. SBC developers are currently working in a market trial, which includes a combination of home-grown applications and best-of-breed components using the eBusiness architecture. "Silknet always tries to be good Netizens. They have been responsible to our unique needs, and they have an excellent methodology for implementation," said Williams.

CENTIGRAM REVAMPS SUPPORT Centigram Communications, a messaging and communications developer, has redesigned its customer support package. It added new warranty entitlements, application support services, standardized implementation services and a simplified pricing structure. The customer care program now provides systems support, remote operations support and application support.

COSMO CALLING CosmoCall 2.0 from CosmoCom. integrates automatic call distribution, interactive voice response and unified messaging. The call center tool includes intelligent routing and access blending of any incoming telephone calls, Internet calls, fax and e-mail. All incoming messages, regardless of their origin, are translated to IP and transferred to a CSR's workstation.