Organizations are modifying current customer service systems, or creating new systems, to align their processes with the Internet and capitalize on its capabilities. An NCSS is a network-based system (wired or wireless) that delivers service to a customer either directly (e.g., a browser, PDA, or cell phone) or indirectly (e.g., via a service representative or consultant). Examples of a direct access ICSS include using a browser to select an airplane seat or download credit card transactions to a personal accounting system, and receiving stock quotes on a PDA. A service representative using a knowledge management system to resolve a customer's problem is an example of an indirect ICSS. The growth rate of such Net-based Customer Service Systems is likely accelerate in the near future. Our contribution to the IS World community is a series of journal publications, working papers, industry reports, and presentations based on a multi-phase exploratory study that examined the following research questions:
1. What Internet-based services do customers expect and what are the factors that determine these service needs?
2. What types of ICSSs exist?
3. What dimensions differentiate these systems?
4. What factors influence the effectiveness of each type of ICSS?
5. What organizational infrastructure is required to support the different types of ICSSs
There is a serious dearth of research-based knowledge pertaining ICSSs, especially in terms of managerial guidance for implementing and ensuring the effectiveness of such systems. We invite other researchers to contact us to discuss research opportunities in this area of management information systems.
Data Completeness. "Data Completeness: A Key to Effective Net-based Customer Service Systems" Communications of the ACM Special Issue on Marketing Digital Products. Forthcoming June 2003.
Website Functionality. "Net-Based Customer Service Systems: Evolution and Revolution in Website Functionalities" In review at Decision Sciences.
Phase One Report. "Network-based Customer Service Systems: Phase One Result Summary" February 2002.
Customer Service and Network Completeness, Proceedings of the Electronic Commerce Bled Conference, June 2002.
Network-based customer service systems: a half-time report from the field. Paper read at SIM Workshop, New Orleans, LA. December 2001.
Internet-based Customer Service Systems: How to Make Them More Successful, Proceedings of the Frontiers in Services Conference. Washington, D.C. October 2001.
Internet-based Customer Service Systems: What Are They and When Are They Successful, Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference. San Diego, California. June 2001.
Funding for this research was provided by Teradata,a division of NCR and the Marketing Science Institute
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