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Christmas shopping: Watch out for the e-mail trap
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40 percent more online customer queries in this year’s run-up to Christmas
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Few e-commerce companies are equipped to deal with the rush
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Hamburg, Germany, 16th December, 2003 –
Customer services departments for online retail outlets are set to receive more customer e-mail inquiries during the Christmas season in 2003 than ever before. novomind AG predicts that about 40 percent more e-mails are expected compared to the previous year. The reason: December generates more turnover than any other calendar month for e-commerce companies. About 25 percent of a company’s total yearly turnover is generated in the run-up to Christmas. However, customers who send their queries to customer service agents via e-mail are in for a long and frustrating wait. Even before the Christmas rush set in, many online retailers were struggling to cope with customer inquiries. Half of them either answered only brieflly, provided an incomplete reponse or did not respond at all to service-related customer e-mail inquiries – and failed to address specific customer problems. This is the bleak picture painted by M&Oh Research Services, based on research focussing on internet responses from 100 large companies across Germany, of which 10 were online retailers.
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Amazon, Germany and Bertelsmann-Der Club were the only two online retailers who recognized and dealt with customer problems effectively. Every day, over 1,000 e-mails enter the customer service inboxes of e-commerce companies. To make things easier for the customer, mails are often sent to a single, central services address. At peak times during the run-up to Christmas, it is impossible for companies to keep up without technical assistance, leaving many customer queries unsorted, unread and unanswered.
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Innovative software is needed to take the pressure of sorting and distributing incoming e-mail traffic off customer service agents,- e-mail response management software like novomind iMail™. For example, by implementing novomind iMail™, Bertelsmann-Der Club cut processing times by 30 percent. In 80 percent of all cases, the software automatically sorts customer queries into categories and sends them on to specialist customer service agents. The iMail™ software acts as an automatic logistics center. Using AI methodology, it scans e-mail content for keywords and logistical links. The software recognizes semantic structures and connections, comparing the data received with information from the Knowledge Packs customized according to the client’s individual needs. Standard responses can be generated for standard queries, completely bypassing manual processing. For specific queries, novomind iMail™ provides customer services agents with interactive support by generating suggested response texts.
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novomind AG provides software for the customer communications sector, enabling optimized processes and lower costs. The solution focuses on future-oriented service, efficient and personalized communication and higher-performance administration. The self-service solutions provide e-mail management, real time communication and automated customer services via virtual assistants known as novomind IQ agents™. Leading companies from across the market sectors – including Bertelsmann, Otto, Sparkasse Erlangen, BKK Zollern-Alb, Travelocity and T-Systems – have already successfully implemented novomind systems to optimize customer loyalty and boost turnover.
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