The general understanding of e-business is limited in terms of its definitions. Certainly, since the burst of the dot-com bubble, commentators have noted the return to more traditional approaches.
It is limited to perceive e-commerce as a unique Internet phenomenon. While Web sites play a key role in initiating transactions, even the famous global names are supported with alternative channels such as e-mail, fax and voice telephony.
A case can be made that one of the dot-com failings was to expect customers to shift immediately from a face-to-face or voice-based method of doing business.
Paul Fick, MD, Spescom DataFusion
Unquestionably the strongest market demand at present is for sophisticated voice systems - whether they are based on traditional circuit-switched telephony or the latest IP technology. Other media, such as fax, e-mail, interactive Web site responses or even video, are important contact points, but they operate in conjunction with voice, not as a replacement for it.
This is what drives the requirement for converged networks and unified messaging solutions - the need to consolidate the information from multiple contact points into a single, comprehensive view of the customer.
Examples of this application may be drawn from major local consumer shopping portals and online travel bookings sites, all of which depend on a contact centre to back up the sales originated online.
Some international Web sites are so focused on delivering content and entertainment that the commercial purpose almost becomes a side issue. But the main players in online transactions sensibly offer multiple communication channels to support the pure online model.
A case can be made that one of the dot-com failings was to expect customers to shift immediately from a face-to-face or voice-based method of doing business. This was an assumption that the technology would drive the business model, rather than the customers` preferences.
Clear evidence of this failure of vision is seen by considering the enormous volume of transactions conducted by phone. Whether using mobile or fixed-line devices, modern interactive voice response systems meet all of the customer`s needs, with the added benefit of efficient automation.
This is especially relevant in local markets, where only a small percentage of customers have online access - usually with very limited bandwidth - but the vast majority of the population have access to phones of one type or another.
Traditional preferences for voice communication will remain a factor, even when there is wider access to media that are Web-based. Any analysis of e-commerce that excludes transactions supported or concluded by voice systems is not a representative picture of the full range of business activity in this area.
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