WEB DESIGN AND MARKETING SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS WEBSITES
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Marketing material only goes so far in selling goods. Since it??™s designed to persuade, people
are understandably wary; after all, no one wants to admit to being persuaded. As with purchasing
a house, prospective buyers will rarely base a major financial decision on the agent??™s
brochure??”they want to explore the grounds, look in the closets, flush the toilets, tap on the
walls, and generally poke around the space to get a better feel for the investment.
A public support area offers people the same opportunity to evaluate products and services.
It allows them to get their questions of nuance answered??”the tiny details that can affect the
final decision. It also enables people to see if the prospective vendor meets their expectations
for support itself, if there is interaction between customers and the host within the site
(e.g., in a forum), and how the company treats suggestions, criticism, and praise.
Support options
Over the years, different techniques and technologies for customer support have surfaced.
Some of them are as old as the Web itself (e.g., the ubiquitous FAQ); others are a result of
new technology opening up opportunities for service (such as interactive chat).
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