Annoyed that the site wasn't working the day she tried it, she called customer service. A patient representative immediately took her order by phone. My expectations are pretty high. The online world is so impersonal. To call and get a friendly, educated person on the other end of the line, that's great.
Online retailers know that sluggish responses can be their undoing.
Ashford uses e-mail software to answer most customer queries within two hours. E-tailers looking to improve customer service don't have to go it alone. LivePerson, Brigade Solutions and FaceTime provide real-time communications applications such as chat and instant messaging. Other companies are promoting next-generation technologies. HearMe and Lipstream are major providers of Internet Protocol technology, which enables computers, or computers and telephones, to communicate so that buyers and customer service staff can have real-time conversations.