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Customer Service

Hey Netflix: Miramax asks me about my feelings

Juan Martinez August 23, 2011

About a month ago, I wrote about my frustration with Netflix's brazen price increase and the movie rental company's subsequent indifference to fan outrage. In the piece, I explain why a la carte rental companies like Vudu might ultimately win over Netflix consumers. Yesterday I was pleased to read that Miramax has added another industry alternative to Netflix's restrictive and expensive membership plans.

Accent Marketing Services to double its workforce

Juan Martinez August 05, 2011

MDC Partners subsidiary Accent Marketing Services will add an additional 2,000 workers within the next two years. The move is part of the new jobs4america initiative, which is a coalition designed to generate American contact center jobs.

Live chat tools boost customer service, lead generation for online marketers

David Ward August 01, 2011

As live chat has improved due to advancing technology and a better understanding of how and when consumers want text-based contact, its role for online companies has expanded beyond simple customer service to include lead generation and customer-relationship management.

Q&A: Jason Mittelstaedt, CMO of RightNow

Juan Martinez July 20, 2011

Jason Mittelstaedt, CMO of RightNow, a customer experience management (CEM) technology company, explains the distinction between CRM and CEM and why social media may never be a platform for direct marketing.

Gilt CMO discusses strategy of full-priced men's site

Tim Peterson May 02, 2011

Our May issue is out, which features my profile of Gilt Groupe CMO David Zucker. He's a pretty interesting guy, as you'll (hopefully) find in the story. But as with anyone trying to cram an 8,163-word transcript into a 900-word profile, I couldn't work everything into the article. My top Honorable Unmentioned was when Zucker got to talking about Gilt Groupe's full-priced men's site, which goes live this summer.

Executional excellence sets standard

Carol Krol May 01, 2011

The news grabbing headlines this month was eBay's $2.4 billion acquisition of e-commerce services giant GSI Commerce, its bid to take on industry leader Amazon.com.

Kana Software acquires social listening company Overtone

Juan Martinez April 05, 2011

Kana Software, a service experience management technology provider, acquired Overtone, a maker of social media and customer listening platforms, on April 5. The deal will allow Kana clients to understand and analyze customer sentiment, emerging issues and trends across social networks.

The magic of NRF's Big Show 2011

Juan Martinez January 12, 2011

If I take one lesson away from the National Retail Federation's 100th Annual Big Show it isn't that finding wi-fi at technology-driven trade shows is impossible (we already knew that) or that case studies that don't produce ROI numbers are pointless (we already knew that too).

Sears launches Blue Crew HQ customer service site

Iris Dorbian June 11, 2010

Sears Holdings boosted the online customer service of its namesake retail brand June 10 by launching the Sears Blue Crew HQ site.

Kodak picks RightNow to bolster b-to-b customer service

Nathan Golia May 06, 2010

Kodak has selected RightNow Technologies as its business-to-business customer service and support platform, the companies announced May 6. Kodak hired RightNow after an RFP process, but the imaging company would not disclose any additional information about the search.

Zappos.com uses puppets to promote customer service work

Dianna Dilworth March 18, 2010

Online footwear and apparel retailer Zappos.com launched an advertising campaign on March 18 using puppets to promote its approach to customer service. The year-long effort, called "Zappets," was created by Boston ad agency Mullen.

Customer centricity: Let your customers lead you

Robert Wollan, managing director of CRM, North America, Accenture September 17, 2009

Some prognosticators see green shoots of growth beginning to emerge from the long economic winter. Others say the lean times will linger. Most agree, however, that businesses are facing a fundamental 'reset' - markets with profoundly different customer behaviors and internal business models that have been ravaged by quick cost-cutting measures.

Talbots' new Web site focuses on customer service

Chantal Todé August 28, 2009

The Talbots Inc. has relaunched its Web site with new functionality intended to align the online shopping experience more closely with its in-store product offerings and to enhance customer service. The new site is powered by ATG and includes the new section"Pearls of Wisdom," where users can find expert fashion advice on the latest styles and Talbots collections.