Johannesburg, Oct 19, 2011 --Call centre and communications provider, Inter-Active Technologies, announced the launch of an innovative Web self-help solution in the South African market.

The eGain SelfService application, distributed across the country by Inter-Active Technologies, is an innovative and comprehensive self-service application for online sales and service.

eGain is a provider of lifelike virtual agent technology that presents a conversational interface, enabling customers to get help on Web sites by chatting with engaging and entertaining virtual agents or chatbots.

Inter-Active Technologies Managing Director, Jacqui van Staaden, highlights that the major advantage of Web self-service is the lower cost compared to telephone or e-mail service. She does, however, warn that the cheapest and most generic package might not meet customer needs, as they vary significantly based on the query type and the customer's information-seeking preferences.

"Web self-service is a type of online support that allows customers to find information and manage their accounts, without requiring any interaction with an agent. Ultimately, the success of Web self-service depends on the quality and quantity of information available, and the ease with which it can be accessed," she explains.

Van Staaden points out that the eGain Multisearch capability differentiates eGain SelfService from other self-service applications. Unmatched answer 'findability' is provided through the simple search box, which brings together federated content and multiple access methods (keyword and natural language search, dynamic FAQs, question matching, topic tree browsing, and guided help) and offers them with GPS-style navigation.

The system also automatically identifies knowledge bottlenecks through self-service usage analysis and user feedback, in order to generate alerts and review tasks for appropriate content owners.

"This self-monitoring feature ensures that the self-service implementation does not deteriorate due to lack of attention from business owners. As customers use the application, their usage and feedback is continually analysed to improve content and access," she explains.

"It's not just about call deflection — the self-service experience has to be as good as, or better, than calling the contact centre. It's also not about keeping the interaction short - customers should be encouraged to stay online, especially if they have multiple enquiries or time at their disposal," says Van Staden. "It is difficult to predict all types of enquiries in advance. Even though calls or e-mails can be a guide, people often look for information on the Web that they would never consider calling a call centre about."

She stresses that each business needs a different combination of self-service access methods to match its customer profile and business processes. Van Staaden continues: "eGain SelfService offers a broad range of access options, which can be configured appropriately for a variety of business needs. For example, a retail bank that caters to clients who are unfamiliar with up-to-date technology could choose to offer virtual agent self-service to greet and guide its customers to the right Web page, through a comfortable conversation in a range of languages."

While the benefits of Web self-help are numerous, she admits that it may not always work for every customer. Van Staaden believes the best way to assure customers that they are not being left unattended is by offering an easy escalation from self-service into assisted channels, such as the call centre and online chats with agents.

"The powerful context-sensitive escalation provided by eGain SelfService allows the company to store the record of its customer's self-service session, while escalating the interaction to an agent. Customers are more likely to use self-service if they know that they will be taken care of when they cannot help themselves," she concludes.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.itweb.co.za