Suretrade uses the live chat tools from eGain Communications, which Misenti says was the only product available, except for a much more expensive LivePerson application, when his company went shopping in May 1999. The chat tool has taken much of the pressure off Suretrade's telephone lines and has far exceeded company expectations, Misenti says. Each rep can handle three to five conversations in the same time as one phone call. Agents also can use co-browsing to help guide customers having a hard time navigating the site. Any interactive, live application naturally needs a live body on the other end to talk to customers.
Companies report an agent can successfully handle multiple customers at one time.
Despite this, Brian Tuller, senior VP of marketing at Brightware Inc., says any interaction with Web customers that requires direct communication with a service representative will prove expensive. The key to live Internet customer service is in designing its use for only the most appropriate, high-value, profitable customers, he says. Using chat as a general means of communications isn't a panacea to Web sites and could prove a costly mistake. A less-costly option lets customers find answers to their questions without human intervention. For example, many vendors offer self-help applications that let customers search a knowledge base for answers to common questions.