Tech Vendor Web Sites Improve
|
Improving customer service is the top priority for CIOs in 2007. So while CIOs are hard at work trying to make life easier for your customers, it's good to see that the CIOs at IT vendors are making some headway too. The Customer Respect Group's latest study on IT vendors' Web sites is out, and the news is good: The high-tech industry now scores the highest, on average, of all the industries tracked by the organization (including retail, financial services and telecommunications, among others). CRG, based in Ipswich, Mass., reviews how well corporate Web sites handle customer queries and safeguard customer data. |
In general, CRG found that IT vendor Web sites do well at usability, functionality and self-service. The improvements came in their handling of customer data and at one-on-one communication with customers.
According to a summary of the study, only 13 percent of high-tech companies "share data with unrelated third parties (compared with 28 percent of the general population of companies)." And while "about 20 percent of all e-mail questions were ignored," that's better than most industries. Furthermore, "Eighteen percent of companies provided good answers to all questions in a very timely manner. ... One-third of high-tech companies provide an instant help (chat) facility in order for online visitors to speak with representatives."
I sent an e-mail to Terry Golesworthy, president of CRG, to find out why the scores improved. His response:
The primary drivers towards a better score came from two very positive trends1. The sites are moving much more towards regarding the Web site as an interaction with the customer or potential customer. Companies are accepting that as Web sites get richer in content, customers have a greater number of questions and want to maintain the Web site as the avenue of dialog instead of then moving towards sales outlets, phone calls or independent research. The emphasis on e-mail, instant messaging, RSS feeds and other communication devices is on the increase and now seen as a vital part of the Web experience.
2. The increasing concern about privacy of personal data is starting to hit home with technology companies. Customers do NOT want their data shared around. Just because it is possible to collect massive amounts of personal data does not mean you own that data and can swap, share [or] e-mail using that data. We have now seen this as better understood in this industry and a greater respect is being shown towards personal data.
Both of these areas have been very important to online users and study after study, [and] plenty of anecdotal information, has pointed to these two items. It is very pleasing to see the industry start to take a lead.
Here is how the Customer Respect Group rated the Web sites of 30 IT vendors:
8.2 EDS
7.7 Hewlett-Packard
7.4 Adobe Systems, IBM, Lexmark International
7.3 McAfee
7.2 Intuit
7.1 Accenture, Fujitsu
7.0 Gateway, Lenovo, Symantec, Xerox
6.8 Kodak, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems
6.4 Cisco Systems, Dell
6.2 Cap Gemini
6.1 Juniper Networks, Unisys
6.0 Apple
5.9 3Com
5.8 Oracle
5.4 Computer Sciences Corp.
5.3 Konica Minolta
5.0 Epson America
4.7 Affiliated Computer Services
4.3 Computer Associates International
3.2 Toshiba
6.3 Industry average
Have you seen an improvement at your vendors' Web sites? Let us know.
