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Microsoft Does Best Job of Online Customer Service
BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Microsoft takes first prize when it comes to customer service online, according to a report from the Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how corporations treat their customers online. Microsoft achieved a score of 8.7 compared with the average score of 6.2.Supervalu Inc. scored lowest with 2.7.The study assigns a customer respect index rating to each company on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest achievable score. The Index is a qualitative and quantitative in-depth analysis and independent measure of a customer's online experience when interacting with companies via the Internet.By interviewing a representative sample of the adult Internet population, and by analyzing more than 1,000 Web sites across a spectrum of industries in detail, The Customer Respect Group has determined the attributes that combine to create the entire online customer experience. These attributes have been grouped together and measured as indicators of simplicity (ease of navigation), responsiveness (quick and thorough responses to inquiries), privacy (respects customer privacy), attitude (customer-focus of site), transparency (open and honest policies) and principles (values and respects customer data). Combined they measure a company's overall customer respect.Recently, the firm expanded that list to include respect for individuals with disabilities."This is our third year evaluating the Web sites of Top 100 companies, said Roger Fairchild, president. "While we've seen many firms make positive improvements to their sites over this time, too many still aren't taking the Web seriously enough from a business perspective or aren't knowledgeable about best practices. For example, about one-third still aren't responding to all Web site inquiries. And more than one-half of firms share submitted customer data with subsidiaries, affiliates or business partners without seeking permission to do so.Moreover, more than three-fourths provide forms that can't be easily used by those with disabilities," Fairchild continues. "Our research indicates that 20% of the time, individuals click directly to a competitor's site after an undesirable experience. So firms must pay more attention to how they treat customers online or risk losing them."Other companies in the top 10 this year, from No. 2 to No. 10, include Hewlett-Packard Corp., International Business Machines Corp., Bank of America Corp., Medco Health Solutions, Intel, Albertson's Inc., Kmart Corp., Walgreen Co. and United Parcel Service Inc.Other survey findings include:Surveyed firms receive the best overall rating (7.3) for Simplicity and the worst (4.4) for Responsiveness.12% don't respond to any online inquiries.21% responded to only half of inquiries. Of these, 48% responded in less than a day and 19% responded more than four days later.67% responded to all inquiries. Of these, 60% responded to e-mails in less than a day and 9% responded more than four days later.Only 31% of these sector firms use Autoresponder technology, in which e-mails are automatically sent back to users to confirm the receipt of their inquiry and let them know when they should expect a response. Of those that do, 55% included details on how quickly they would follow up. 71% of these followed up within the promised time frame, 17% were late with responses and 12% provided no follow-up responses.85% of companies provide e-mail forms for online inquiries.14% provide e-mail addresses. 1% provide only offline contact information.93% provide a privacy policy that states how they use personal data. Of these, 30% use personal data only for the purposes provided or for internal marketing purposes, 35% share data with affiliates or subsidiaries, 23% share data with business partners and 12% need to be more explicit about personal data usage.While 93% use cookies, 89% don't explain that they can be disabled.47% are not clear about their opt-in/opt-out policy.84% provide forms that can't be easily used by those with disabilities.Visit the Customer Respect Group: www.customerrespect.com"