Greg Gianforte

Most catalogers engineer their call centers to maximize both the quality of customer service and the cost-efficiency of their operations. Quite a few also have learned how to better manage the increasing volume of customer questions that arrive via e-mail. And a growing number now are making good use of their Web sites as self-service resources for their customers. Unfortunately, many still treat the phone, e-mail and the Web as three separate communications channels. Such a “stovepipe” approach to communications ultimately limits both the quality and efficiency of customer service — the very thing catalogers were trying to ensure in the first place.