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Funnel Site Visitors to Use Self-Help

Phone Numbers Used Appropriately: If phone numbers must be displayed on your Web page, make sure to label them appropriately. Differentiate sales from marketing and partner phone numbers. Any support phone numbers should be contained within answers in your Oracle B2C Service site -- if displayed at all -- thereby funneling your end-users through your knowledge base to allow them to help themselves. If you must have a Contact Us page, any reference to your support area should be a link to your Oracle B2C Service support site rather than a phone number, again funneling the end-users to self-help.

One Click Access to Self-Help Support Site: When linking to your Oracle B2C Service application, create a single link from your main Web site home page to your site. This allows your customers easier access to Oracle B2C Service and trains them to go there for answers to their questions. Getting to your support site should be easy for your customers.

Turn off the Support Home Page (if not Used): If you are not using the announcements box on the Support Home page or have other customization, turn off your Support Home page so that site visitors go directly to your Answers page. This encourages your end-users to search for information prior to submitting assistance requests. If necessary, include custom links on the Support Home page so that the end-user has one place to go to link to everything they need.

Intuitive Entry Label for Support Site: Label the link to your Oracle B2C Service site appropriately for the end-users and to match with your company terminology. For example, "Support", "Questions?", "Contact Us". You could even use "Ask ___", where the blank is filled with your mascot or a branded icon that your end-users will identify.

Static FAQs Removed from the Web Site: Remove any static FAQs that were displayed elsewhere on your site. Static FAQs previously published to your site should be copied into your knowledge base as separate answers so that all self-help information is accessed through Oracle B2C Service. This makes it easier for your site visitors to find all information from one location.

All Info in the Support Site for One Stop Access: Make sure that all support information is contained in Answers within your Oracle B2C Service site. If you have links to manuals or other documentation make sure that these links are added to the Support Home Page as extension links or in the Announcements box if they are not links within answers. Other information that can be included as links on the Support Home page include purchasing links, dealer locator, order status, and current sales or marketing promotions.

Support Site Available from Every Web Page: Make sure that end-users can easily access your support site from all locations within your site.

Product Specific Links to Site Created (When Appropriate): If your Web site has distinct areas for specific items, for example each product has its own Web page, create predefined links to a list of answers with a prepopulated product and/or category. For more information on linking to answers in your site, refer to Answer ID 633: Linking to a public answer from outside of Oracle B2C Service.

Sequential Ordering Enabled: Sequential ordering allows you to require site visitors to view an answer or search for an answer before the Ask a Question tab is available. That is, end-users must use the Find Answers page before they can even submit an assistance request.

Centralize Inbound Email

All Incoming Requests Routed into Support Site: Redirect all channels for support to your Oracle B2C Service application using mailboxes and/or the Ask a Question page. This includes emails, forms, and phone calls if appropriate.

Email Addresses Replaced with Link to Support Site or Routed into the Support Site: To encourage site visitors to use your Oracle B2C Service application, replace email addresses on your Web site with links to your Support Site so that assistance requests are submitted through the Ask a Question page. This allows requests to be managed in a similar manner through the Incident Console. These email addresses should route email into Oracle B2C Service through Email Gateway so that incoming email create incidents as well.

Ask a Question Page Enabled: Enable the Ask a Question page on your site to capture assistance requests. The Ask a Question page allows you to request (and require) additional information from the customer so that all relevant data is gathered initially, thereby saving your staff time in providing accurate information.

Standardize the Design of your B2C Service Site

Message Bases Changed for Consistent Terminology: Customize the text on your Oracle B2C Service application to match the terminology used for the rest of your Web site.

Consistent Design Created on the Support Site (Seamless from Main Web Site): When customizing your eService Center application, match the look and feel of your eSC site to the colors and styles used for the rest of your Web site.

Appropriate Links Available from the Support Site to Access Other Areas of the Web Site: Ensure that the end-user can navigate back to your Web site from your site through your standard navigation.

Promote Your Site to Your Customers

Fixed at Top Answer on How to Use the Support Site: Create an Answer using screen shots from your RightNow site that will train your end-users on the appropriate use of your self-help site. Include information on searching, submitting questions and expected response time.

On Hold Messages Changed to Direct Customers to the Self-Help Support Site: Update any on-hold messages, including staff voicemail messages, to tell customers to visit your new knowledge base for immediate assistance. Provide the URL to your B2C Service application in the message. For example, consider using a message similar to the following:

"For assistance while you are waiting for a chat agent, XYZ company offers a 24 x 7 knowledgebase with over xxx number of answers that are easily searchable. You may also ask a question at any time at http://xyzcompany.custhelp.com."

Marketing Collateral Updated to Promote Self-Help: Ensure that your marketing team has replaced email addresses and phone numbers on their collateral and are instead directing end-user customers to the self help resource for support. This includes newsletters, commercials, or direct mails.

Press Release Sent to the Existing Customer Base on the New Support Site: Notify your existing customers about your new site so that they can transition more easily to using your new published answers and support site.