When consumers are considering the purchase of a technologically complex product such as a camera, they have questions, and getting the right answers can help close the sale. That’s what Ritz Interactive Inc. has found in implementing integrated chat and e-mail service from vendor InstantService: Internet shoppers who chat with Ritz Interactive agents are three times more likely to make a purchase than those who don’t, the retailer says.
Ritz Interactive, which initially deployed technology from InstantService in 2000, also says that shoppers who chat online before they buy purchase more, with their average order value 40% to 50% higher than the average order value of those who don’t engage in chat with an agent prior to purchase.
“While we expected our service levels to improve, we didn’t expect such a dramatic increase in sales,” says Fred Lerner, president and CEO.
The retailer says the chat and e-mail management system is not only increasing revenue but improving customer service and increasing call center productivity. The console used by contact center agents, which lets them interact with customers by both e-mail and chat, has provided faster and easier resolution of service questions. With centralized access to customer queries, agents can provide a higher level of service, as indicated by consistently high customer ratings in surveys, according to Ritz.
The chat and e-mail functionality, delivered in the software as a service model across all eight of Ritz Interactive’s e-commerce properties, has afforded high-performance scalability as chat and e-mail volume has increased and maintains an uptime record of 99.99%, the retailer says.
“Innovative companies like Ritz Interactive are quickly learning that using chat and e-mail effectively can not only provide a more responsive and consistent customer experience online, but can also significantly increase your top line,” says Mike Lande, InstantService CEO.
Ritz Interactive is No. 114 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.
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