Slashdot Mirror
Live Chat Salespeople On Web Sites
burgburgburg writes "Forbes.com has an interesting article on how one web site is bringing all of the fun of salespeople suddenly appearing and offering to "help" to the web. It seems that Rackspace Managed Hosting tracks you by your IP number when you arrive. After 30 seconds on the site, a Java applet pops up with a photo of a sales person and a live chat offer to assist you in your efforts. According to Rackspace's co-chairman, one-third of users approached via chat engage in conversation with a salesperson, and half of those take the discussion to the next level. Furthermore, according to him, nearly 50% of new customers have originated from the chat feature. They have 6 salespeople watching the site in shifts for 20 hours a day."
Now I'll have to say `just browsing' on every webpage I visit and in every brick and morter store I visit.
Thanks a lot.
-Colin
I don't really think this is such a bad thing.
Most people are used to seeing the occasional pop-up, so the offer itself isn't too obtrusive. If they aren't interested, clicking "No, Thanks" is a lot easier to do through a browser than say in person to most sales people. Add to that the idea that most people that are on the site are probably not just random passers-by, and you've got a fairly good idea going.
Now if this was on other sites, I could see it getting out of hand, but that's another thread...
Even people that believe in pre-destiny look both ways before crossing the street.
For what I've seen, popup sales help is not particularly impressive. The "first level" of help appears to be essentially automated (basically a chatbot) that burns up several minutes establishing contact with an "Eliza-like" series of questions that you have to answer before you can get any further. Once you get to a real human, the level of support is not much different than what you would find if you searched the FAQ for the site (for all I could tell, it might still have been a bot except that I specifically asked if it was a person and then got a non-automated response). And I found it creepy to be accosted virtually, sort of like being stalked by a popup ad. Until they improve the interface and the substance, I'll pass.
Besides, if you connect to a web site and download stuff off of it (web page, a picture, etc.) chances are they've got your IP already. It's like wanting to sue Slashdot because they know that you're posting a reply to a story.
Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
Um, if you go to THEIR site, they can track you any way they want.
I however HATE these things. Don't pop shit up on my screen. Ever. If I close it, don't keep trying to chat with me and popping the window up again. Yet another reason to disable java and ONLY enable it when you want to use it. Just wish Mozilla made it easy to disable flash too.
A place that I do some work for is experimenting with using VNC for tech support. Talking to the person is useful, no doubt, but being able to actually see what's going on on their desktop is priceless.
It works pretty well if both ends are on high-speed net connections.
The Comcast system requires BOTH flash and Java. For me it took quite a bit of work to get that going. (I had disabled Flash because it often uses up 100% cpu under Mozilla, and java wouldn't work because my old Mozilla looked under /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins for java and my new one looked under /opt/mozilla/plugins).
Once working, the online support person was able to solve my problem easily, then again all I needed was to reset my password. It's almost like chatting with a bot, because 95%+ of what the tech "says" is obviously hotkeys assigned to common phrases.
Although I'm a good typist, many people aren't so that could slow things down. Meanwhile the tech is just firing off a prescripted phrase every now and then, which hardly takes any time at all. So I wonder if the techs must try to juggle a several calls all at one time! That would explain why Comcast seems so intent on this. I suppose it's also a way around accents, eliminating one disadvantage of offshoring.
This feature is really cool, Ive been to sites where one question was VERY quickly answered. Call them and you have to navigate through touch-tone menus and wait till youre forwarded to 'engineers' who actually know what theyre selling. Email them and youll only get a reply bot saying expect another email shortly and hold your breath.
In fact Ive never had technical questions like how much would a certain microcontrller sample cost, so fast. Its also much lighter on the salesrep than getting calls; any 14 year old can switch between 6 MSN chat windows faster than she can say huh
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
Depends on the business IMO. We have it at my work for Tech support (Web hosting), and it can be great for quick issues. I believe its better than phone in some ways because information like error messages/URLs can be cut and pasted rather than having to describe it. Its quicker than email, and so you get the "instant gratification" factor.
It's no replacement for phone, but a nice tool.
Stripes: Because stars are overrated
50% of new customers have originated from the chat feature
No, 50% of new customers were willing to speak with the rep on the way in. This might help keep people on the path that leads them to becoming a customer, but it doesn't start them on it. They had to get to the site somehow...
You should open source that custom system.
just the other day i was looking for a new web host and a window popped up with a sales person asking me if he could help.
i was very annoyed.
i told him that i *was* considering purchasing a host plan, but i decided definitely not to purchase a plan after experienced the unrequested sales pop-up.
if on the other hand there was button that i could push to open a pop-up for a sales question when *i* wanted chat, now that would be very helpful.
peace
I really felt like this chick was *trying* to get some creep stalking/abducting her.
:)
I really think that chick was a 40 yrs old fbi agent... y'know the saying, "on the Internet, men are men, women are women and 12 years old kids are FBI agents".
if you use a good enough junk-filter, slashdot.org will display a single, *blank*, page