The rise of broadband will open new opportunities for providing self-service. Customer service remains an important priority for IT. As more consumers sign up for broadband at home, companies are turning to the Web to improve the quality of service and provide another venue for self-service. Their goal is to provide an alternative service channel, rather than a cheap replacement for their customer service reps. CIOs claim customers are happy with their use of the Web and other technologies for customer service. Expect to see companies experiment with new ways to help customers via the Internet.
Still, the Web isn’t the only electronic venue for customer service: CRM, e-mail and the telephone remain important ways of delivering service.
