NFIB

Improve Customer Service With Instant Messaging Software
05/ 28/ 2002

by Tamara Holmes

The Internet has changed the way we communicate, so why shouldn't it transform your relationship with your customers? That's the thought behind the development of instant messaging programs designed to let companies communicate with customers over the Internet in real time.

Instant messaging is a real-time chat between one or more people over the Internet. It is now making it's way into the workplace. In fact, technology consultant IDC says corporate instant messaging will soar from 5.5 million users in 2000 to more than 180 million in 2004.

The uses for such technology in business are many. A salesperson can give a potential online customer details about an item that's up for sale. A member of a company's support staff can help a customer figure out why a product or service is not working. An executive can lend his or her support to a client via the Internet at any time with the click of a mouse. And with instant messaging software, employees can talk to multiple people at once and avoid long-distance charges--two things that are impossible to do when customer interaction takes place over the phone.

According to Maurene Caplan Grey, a senior research analyst with the consultant firm Gartner, Inc., the allure of instant messaging is that it creates a sense of community. And for business owners, that sense of community may translate into sales.

There are a number of instant messaging programs you can choose from. The big three consumer programs--AOL Instant Messenger (www.aol.com), Yahoo! Messenger (www.yahoo.com) and MSN Messenger (www.msn.com) are all free programs that can be turned into corporate tools by downloading them onto your employees' computers. However, customers and clients must have the same software installed on their computers for it to work. And the different programs do not talk to one another, meaning a customer with AOL Instant Messenger can't chat with your employees if they use MSN Messenger.

But luckily, a number of companies are working on tools that will let your employees chat with clients and customers no matter what programs they use.

One such company, FaceTime Communications (www.facetime.com) of Foster City, Calif., has developed a program called FaceTime that lets you chat with users of any of the major instant messaging programs. Another company, Denver, Colo.-based Jabber, Inc. has a suite of programs for businesses to perform not only instant messaging, but other collaborative actions such as conferencing as well.

Not only does instant messaging open up new avenues of communication between your employees and customers or clients, but it also can help you extend the hours of your business. A number of companies are working on technology that will respond automatically to instant messages by recognizing key words or questions and providing answers. These programs, such as Smarterchild by New York-based ActiveBuddy, Inc. (www.activebuddy.com), will respond to customers' questions even when your employees are not there.

There will always be tremendous value in face-to-face interaction when it comes to maintaining a healthy business. But with instant messaging, keeping in touch between those face-to-face interactions gets a little bit easier.

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