Return to sender

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

An auto response that ignores a customer's issue comes off as a rebuff or a cavalier lack of concern. The inevitable result: lost customers or customers who won't buy as much. As a result, enterprises that have experience deploying e-service applications are moving away from auto-response. "In the past, we saw more companies using auto-response because they were thinking about managing online growth instead of thinking about the long-term value of the customer," says eGain's Subramaniam. But as online activity matured, companies learned that auto-response was counter-productive for retention, and they now don't use it as much, he adds. Many service-oriented enterprises find that replacing valued customers is just too expensive to risk alienating them with an auto-response system. Auto-response is chiefly a risk when it's pushed beyond its limited capabilities. If used properly, it can still be a valuable customer service tool. Here are five guidelines to setting up a successful auto-response system: 1. Keep it simple. "Start by looking for high volume, low complexity activities. Those are perfect for self-service," says Timothy Hickernell senior program director at the Meta Group. 2. Manage expectations. Avoid using language that indicates that an auto-response is a certain answer. Auto-responses work best when they are positioned as suggestions. They may help customers solve the problem so they don't have to wait for a thorough response from a customer service agent. 3. Build a strong knowledge base. "Any auto response is only going to be as good as the system's search capability and knowledge base. If it's only a FAQ, it won't work," says Joanie Rufo, research director at AMR Research. 4. Test. Test the auto-response system thoroughly before unleashing it on customers. The best way to test answers is use them in auto-suggest implementations that support live customer service agents by proposing potential solutions that the agent can use to respond to customers. 5. Make it easy to escalate. When customers are stymied by an auto-response, they will quickly look for a way to contact a real person who can better evaluate their situation. The best way to prevent customers from becoming frustrated is by facilitating real contact with an obvious button or link. Above all, keep in mind that auto-response is not an end in itself but only one option within e-service. Enterprises don't need auto-response at all to get the benefits of e-service. And unless auto-response is used carefully, it's probably wise to avoid it.
Have your say instantly in the Tech Update forum. Find out what's where in the new Tech Update with our Guided Tour. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

apexwm

I don't understand why there cannot be a slight pause during the boot process so the user can press a key. Many operating systems do this, even if...

47 minutes ago by apexwm on Windows 8 start-up speed forces USB boot workaround
Gavin Goodman

You can now buy the Xi3 modular computer in the UK at http://www.ocdistribution.com . This can be bought with the Tand3m software, pricing and...

1 hour ago by Gavin Goodman on CES 2012: Xi3 microSERV3R
Phil at Cloud4

I agree: Mike Lynch can clearly build a business and manage strategy. I suspect the exit of Mike is more likely the end of a planned handover...

5 hours ago by Phil at Cloud4 on HP cuts 27,000 staff as Autonomy chief Lynch leaves
Phil at Cloud4

This is unbeleivable government wastage with only one winner... Microsoft 1 - Tax payer Nil!

5 hours ago by Phil at Cloud4 on 6 million wasted licences and £1,200 PCs: welcome to government IT
Mispam

So what do you do when you can't boot into windows? Why can't I just hold Shift while I power up instead of having to boot into windows and click a...

6 hours ago by Mispam on Windows 8 start-up speed forces USB boot workaround
apexwm

I've also seen that Mac OS X for Intel machines is supposed to run in VirtualBox, which would also be a nice solution. I've never tried it though.

7 hours ago by apexwm on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows
dave heasman

What I wonder is why when companies are caught bang to rights in not providing contracted services, people bend over to smear the customers? Surely...

8 hours ago by dave heasman on Virgin throttles broadband for high-speed customers
pjc158

Strange statement from HP regarding Mike Lynch and not capable of scaling a company. Autonomy was a $7bn purchase which started as a small company...

8 hours ago by pjc158 on HP cuts 27,000 staff as Autonomy chief Lynch leaves
lojolondon

Or - possibly, they will destroy business by ensuring people do not invest where there is no return. Another socialist idea, well beyond it's...

11 hours ago by lojolondon on Open Data Institute will act as biz incubator
J.A. Watson

Good stuff Jake, very interesting. Thanks. jw

12 hours ago by J.A. Watson on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows
openhgs

"the cost of a second LCD screen is about the same as one day of an office worker's time, so this should soon be recouped in extra productivity."...

13 hours ago by openhgs on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
Thomas Gellhaus

I also installed the KDE version; I also will probably try out razorqt since I really haven't had a chance to before. I'm looking forward to the...

23 hours ago by Thomas Gellhaus via Facebook on Mageia 2 Released
francisabigail

Acquiring when reinvention/cannibalization is too challenging for a large organization can be an excellent strategy- still, so many mergers stumble...

1 day ago by francisabigail on Ariba buy parks SAP on Oracle's cloud turf
apexwm

All of the feedback regarding using a touch monitor for a desktop PC is right on. Several months ago, we installed a "demo" multitouch all-in-one...

1 day ago by apexwm on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
191706

anyone wanting to triple boot *their* own Mac

1 day ago by 191706 on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows
SoapyTablet

Cont.. Biggest Bugbear: Win7's stop-animate-go approach to work, you develop a staggered (not in the above alchohol sense of the word) approach to...

1 day ago by SoapyTablet on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
SoapyTablet

Ah the joys of Windows 8 Consumer Preview... If Windows 7 was 'Vista with Lipstick', whats Windows 8? Vista with Lipstick, the morning after?...

1 day ago by SoapyTablet on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
daveveej

Though the metro look is quite cool on the windows mobile platform I think that think that microsoft ARE MESSING THINGS UP because what has they...

1 day ago by daveveej on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
Custonian

I agree, we have a few touch screen monitors in work but as Windows7 and the applications we use are not touch screen friendly (the size of the...

1 day ago by Custonian on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
archerthom

I find it amusing that Microsoft added the mouse, which was deemed awkward, but people were forced to use it so it stuck, and now they're saying,...

1 day ago by archerthom on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake