christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi) It seems strange to be talking about Christmas in mid-summer, but plans for the festive season are well under way at most retailers. Decisions about key products are being currently made and programmes of store refurbishments are happening now as companies seek to be ready for their busiest time of the year. Current poor economic conditions really do ...
Customers increasingly want to interact with companies through social media. Whether that’s getting their issues sorted quickly, asking basic questions or sharing their experiences of good or bad service/products, for many social media is now the channel of choice. Speed and ease of use are some of the factors driving this - our own 2012 Eptica Social Customer Service Study showed that 26% o...
The problems that have beset customers of NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank over the last few days couldn’t really have come at a worse time for the banking industry. An alleged technology upgrade at RBS that went wrong meant that many of its 17 million customers couldn’t access their accounts through online banking or ATMs and stopped many payments from processing.Many people and politicia...
Travel is an industry that has been revolutionised by the internet. Traditional providers such as high street travel agents have had to radically change their business models in order to compete with websites such as Expedia and direct sales from both airlines and accommodation providers such as hotels.At the same time the web has opened up a new channel for customer service, with travellers able ...
Customer services (Photo credit: gordon2208) On the Eptica blog we’ve regularly talked about how social media provides a megaphone for customers to talk about your brand – but despite this new research shows that companies simply aren’t listening.Our own 2012 Eptica Social Customer Service Study surveyed 2,000 consumers across the UK and France on their attitudes to using s...
Eptica has won the Social Media Customer Service category at the prestigious Asia Pacific Customer Service Consortium (APCSC) Expo International Awards. This award was in recognition of Eptica’s innovative social media customer interaction suite and its successful implementation at low cost airline AirAsia.By deploying Eptica as a centralised customer Self-service system, AirAsia is now...
When it comes to online retail, customers are obviously looking to buy products as cheaply as they can. However price is not the only factor, with a myriad of research studies demonstrating that customer service and the overall experience have a significant impact on where people buy online.A lot of this comes down to trust – customers want to be reassured that their order is going to be dis...
In its short life, the mobile telecoms industry has changed dramatically. From the introduction of brick-like handsets aimed at business people in the 1980s to mass market adoption and the emergence of smartphones, developments have been non-stop. And with 4G networks around the corner, change isn’t going to end anytime soon.The high speed nature of the mobile phone industry could explain it...
The Queen’s forthcoming Diamond Jubilee celebrations have the potential to deliver a much-needed shot in the arm for UK companies. As a one off event they can provide additional revenues, particularly for retailers, travel companies, the tourism sector and anyone involved in creating and selling royal memorabilia. There is even the possibility that the feel good factor of a double Bank Holid...
Organisations across the world are grappling with how to best use social media for customer service. In an era where consumers are increasingly using networks such as Facebook and Twitter to share their experiences, good and bad, how should companies respond? Who should handle enquiries? How can processes be changed to ensure that enquiries are dealt with quickly to keep customers happy, while sti...