On the Web, a dissatisfied customer is only a click away from a better deal or better service. That's precisely the challenge iMotors faces. "Since our product is a big-ticket item, customers need to develop a relationship with us," says Jacque Silver, vice president of technology at one of the Web's first used car dealers. Because iMotors salespeople can't be there in person to woo would-be buyers, customer service is critical to the company's survival.
With that in mind, iMotors invested in a customer relationship management solution from E.piphany. The sophisticated software tracks customer e-mail and fax requests, updates the information with iMotors' order department, and gives the company access to real-time information, all of which allows it to keep up with its customers' every need.
As customer loyalty becomes more important, all kinds of businessesâ€"from traditional enterprises to Internet-only outfitsâ€"are betting on CRM technology to help them do a better job.
The CRM systems they are using range from relatively simple e-mail management programs that help handle customer queries to comprehensive systems of databases, report generators, and customer history tracking, as in the case of iMotors.
The need for more sophisticated customer service tools at most companies is painfully clear too. In a recent GartnerGroup survey of the 50 top e-tail sites, none received an excellent or good customer service rating. Just 23 percent of the companies evaluated were judged average, while 73 percent rated fairâ€"and the click-and-mortar businesses in the survey were ranked even more poorly.
So how do you find the CRM package that will best serve your customers, online and off? Ziff Davis Smart Business Labs audited iMotors and three other companies with unique customer service needs. Dollar Rent A Car Systems needed a system to serve both its traditional and its burgeoning Web clientele, while Proflowers.com faced the challenge of keeping up with huge customer demand during the holiday season. And Staff Leasing, the country's largest professional employer organization, had to find a way to better handle its constant stream of phone calls. Here's how they chose the best customer service technology for their companiesâ€"and how you can too.
