Multi-channel Service Design: Deploying Internet Along Other Contact Channels

An ancient Chinese text already shows an impassioned plea for customer oriented service as a way to develop customer relations and guarantee future business. This is similar to recent Customer Relationship Management literature which describes service encounters as ¿the moments of truth¿ in which service providers can make or break future customer value. Still, inside large firms, call centers often focus on cost efficiencies, the Internet department may well look like an IT department and account managers are most likely focused on selling enough new products to meet the next quarterly targets. Orchestrating the efforts of these departments into an enchanting serenade for the customer is quite a challenge. The rise of the Internet has introduced new possibilities for firms to serve customers. But how to position those new Internet services in relation to other contact channels? And which departments should be involved, and how? This book describes a fast and effective method to design new Internet services that really add value for customers and create service coherence across channels. As such, it should be useful to Internet- and other channel professionals.