Customer Assistance Software to the Rescue
By Bill Pitzer
Web sites have come a long way from their static, text-based beginnings. Commercial sites and their transactional capabilities have become almost a necessity in the competitive marketplace. Even as Web sites become increasingly sophisticated, the critical mass of Web shoppers still consists of novice and nontechnically inclined surfers. In a virtual war of features, sites constantly try to outdo their competitors by providing a dizzying array of new functionality. Of course, this competition comes with a price, because increasingly complex site layouts tend to confuse and intimidate less technically savvy visitors. Browser-based applications don't enjoy the same type of support as desktop applications. And a confused visitor with little or no support often abandons a site, resulting in a loss of potential revenue.
Companies can turn browsers into buyers by providing immediate assistance to users when they encounter problems. By eliminating confusion at the point of purchase and enabling user self-assistance throughout the process, companies can not only reap the benefits of decreased customer service costs but also minimize site abandonment by shoppers. No usability study will produce a site that's 100 percent user friendly, but customer assistance software is available to help eliminate trouble spots.
eHelp, a company well known for its RoboHelp line of desktop and browser-based application help software, has developed the DynaHelp Enterprise self-assistance software suite. eHelp claims that through its "proactive and predictive" approach to assisting a client's customers, it can eliminate "sticking points" for customers trying to complete a transaction on a Web site.
