Download Essay Questions (2 of 3)

Essay Questions (2 of 3)
“Customer Service on the Web”: What can companies due to improve service to their customer’s experience
online? Explain the problems and proposed solutions.
With the growth of industry towards the online market, customer service is even more important in order to
meet your customer’s needs. Growth and expansion to online services is the way most companies are directing
their efforts in order to reach out to more potential customers. This being done, there needs to be a greater
focus towards catering to customers online. However, there are several issues that need to be dealt with in
catering to an online market. According to the text, Seybold and Marshak (1998) highlight the following
requirements in order to build and implement a customer-centered e-commerce:
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Deliver personalized services
Target the right customers
Help the customers do their jobs
Let customers help themselves
Streamline business processes that impact the customers
“Own” the customer’s total experience by providing every possible customer contact
Provide a 360-degree view of the customer relationship
There are several solutions recommended in the text in order to improve the level of customer service in ecommerce. Some of these issues include the improving upon the following:
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Response time. Having a target response time in assisting a customer with their problem can greatly
improve customer service.
Site availability. Customers should be able to reach a company whenever a problem arises. Therefore,
it is more beneficial to establish yourself with the ability for customers to contact you with their
problems or concerns (preference is for a 24/7, 365 availability).
Download time. Improving server download times is essential to customer satisfaction as nobody like
to tolerate long waiting periods for a response.
Timeliness. Information about the company has to up-to-date and should be revised in a timely fashion
as to advise customers about changes in services.
Security and privacy. It is essential that websites provide sufficient privacy statements and describe
the security measures in place to protect a customer’s confidentiality and information.
On-time order fulfillment. Insuring order fulfillment in a timely fashion so that it is as fast and when
promised is essential in keeping customers satisfied with service.
Return policy. Return policies in the United States and several other countries make a return policy a
legal requirement upon businesses. However, it is honoring this policy that prompts customers to be
more willing to do business with your company and continue to use your services.
Navigability. Making a website that is easy to navigate is crucial to making your online business userfriendly to those looking to utilize your services or business.
In working to improve upon these issues, businesses looking to improve their online interactions with
consumers will find their companies profiting greatly in both financial resources and greater customer
satisfaction.
“Privacy Issues”: Are E-businesses doing enough to protect your information? What steps are needed to ensure
compliance to privacy policy? Should government get involved? Security of information is a means of
insuring privacy. Make note of this in your paper.
It is essential for online businesses to make vast improvements to their online network to make certain
that customers gain a sense of security and privacy. In today’s world, it is most important for online businesses
to make efforts to protect their customer’s information so they do not become victim to such things as consumer
fraud, identity theft, etc. Companies need to invest vast resources into their online networks to protect
themselves against computer hackers looking to steal information or infect their computer servers with online
viruses. In doing this, it is essential that business implement better security technologies and hire trusted
computer information service specialists to monitor their networks and make any changes that affect their
servers. Although companies are making greater strides to improve their online services, it is even more
essential that they incorporate the government and general public in their efforts.
According to the text, privacy is defined as “the right to be left alone and the right to be free of
unreasonable personal intrusions.” It is important in e-business to ensure the protection of consumers in
conducting online commerce. Every business that has any engagement in e-commerce nowadays is required, in
most cases by federal laws and regulations, to enact privacy policies and make their consumers aware of the
content of said policies. Some of these aspects to protect privacy include:
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Notice / Awareness
Choice / Consent
Access / Participation
Integrity / Security
Enforcement / Redress
Companies that conduct online business are mandated to inform the public and any potential customers about
their efforts to protect their information and what purposes their information will be used for. In conducting
business online, it is essential that companies make certain that every care is taken to protect the privacy of their
consumers and employees. Compliance through proper monitoring and public awareness through safety tips
and consumer affairs is good business and marketing strategy to promote your services to people looking for
trust in your business.
It is important that business work with governing agencies to ensure that consumer interests are
protected. Compliance with privacy issues is more than an in-house concern that online businesses needs to
worry about. It is essential that efforts to outreach the general public comply with existing laws and regulations
but also involve outside agencies to ensure unbiased compliance and protection. In addition, the government
offers vast resources that can be utilized to assist businesses that find themselves at risk for all types of online
fraud, computer hacking, theft, and other illegal activities. It is also essential to include government in
everyday business as they are generally your licensing authority and responsible for all aspects of enforcing
laws governing violations of consumer protection and affairs. In working with others, businesses ensure
compliance with standards that have been established universally as accepted practices in the online market, and
allow consumers to make choices based upon available information. Most companies that conduct online
business make efforts to protect the security of information of their consumers, and in doing so, make certain
there is some level of protection in place.
“Web Marketing”: Effective marketing requires a complete examination of your market and consumers. What
efforts do companies need to undertake to ensure they are getting value for their marketing dollars?