Channel Crossing: Guiding Customers to Web Sites

If you have a customer’s e-mail address, consider sending shipping confirmation even for non-Web orders. You’ll reduce customer service contacts down the line and reinforce the idea of online customer service.

Remember, however, that self-service doesn’t mean no service. Travel sites such as Orbitz have become popular because customers can play with itineraries, stopovers and flight times, but the service wouldn’t work if phone and e-mail customer service wasn’t also available.