However, it offers a number of advantages. Additionally, call centers can employ more sophisticated electronic mail features, such as automated electronic mailing lists. Many organizations use mailing lists to distribute newsletters or other periodic announcements via e- mail. The WWW can serve as an electronic distribution mechanism for multimedia marketing collateral that is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Not only does this decrease the cost of producing and mailing printed material, but the availability of the material also increases the level of customer service.
Internet users can immediately access online collateral, rather than wait to receive it in the mail.
The concept of allowing customers to receive an automated response to specific queries is not new to call centers. The type of information that call centers make available over the phone through IVR systems can also be made available through the richer graphical interface of an internet browser. Recent innovations in the WWW have focused on allowing information publishers to offer more interactive, customized, and secure content. Today, even organizations with highly sensitive data, including many financial institutions, are allowing their customers to access and update account information over the internet. Internet Call-Back Imagine a prospect exploring the WWW and learning about an organization s products and services.