Technology

Top story

16 February 2012

What does social customer service mean?

Less than 20% of what is now called ‘social customer service’ is actually run by customer service departments. ‘Social’ topics such as ‘peer to peer customer support’, ‘social media monitoring’ and ‘triage management’ are yet to be widely understood processes and competencies within call centre communities around the world. Instead these are issues that marketing teams have been driving for the last few years. Martin Hill Wilson questions whether marketing is the right function to take operational control of customer service issues when they arrive via a social channel.

Multi-channel development

15 February 2012

Can web chat revolutionise the customer experience?

Since the broadband roll out back in 2003, the evolution of technology has continued to enhance online two-way communication, leading many sectors to reach out to customers in different ways. There are countless commentators who have claimed that web chat and video will revolutionise the customer experience. But are we ready for it, asks James Eyre, and where could it be used most effectively?

Business Insight & Analytics

13 February 2012

Cloud hosting finds its sweet spot

In the late 90s it was common to hear friends and colleagues asking “what’s your dot.com idea?” as if a rudimentary knowledge of technology and a tad of creative thinking were the only requirements for online success. Sadly, and as many dot.coms subsequently found to their cost, that’s not the case. Fifteen years on and all the talk is of Cloud. Michael Gray wonders if history is repeating itself.