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Text chat: Just a small part of a bigger pictureProduct Type: Market Research ReportPublished by: Datamonitor Published: October 2001 Product Code: R313-2289 Description This brief explores the global market for text chat applications. It will discuss the nature of the technology and its components, the reasons behind end-user demand and implementation, and the differing approaches to product development. In addition, it will consider the place text chat occupies within the wider CRM space, the growing importance of integration and the implications it has for market dynamics. Text chat is defined as a type of web-based live agent help application that establishes, maintains and manages live interactions between customers and agents over the Internet. Text chat is essentially instant messaging (IM) between an agent and a customer. A customer initiates a text chat session by requesting one at the company's web site. Usually the customer is prompted to enter a simple user name. A chat request appears on the agent's desktop, at which point the agent can choose to initiate a chat session with the customer. Text appears on the customer's screen as an agent types it, and vice versa. Effectively, this is "instant" e-mail.Table of Contents ABOUT DATAMONITOR ACTION POINTS Outline of the brief 6 key things you need to know about text chat End-users should not ignore consumer interest in being serviced through text chat solutions. Because text chat solutions do not offer a clear ROI, end-users are more likely to buy other eServices solutions with apparent cost savings. Vendors of eServices software must bundle text chat with other eServices applications to offer comperehensive solutions or they will face serious hardships. Text chat vendors must become partner of choice or obtain strong competitive advantage in order to survive in a crowded eServices space. Vendors should reposition/re-brand their text chat offering as Instant Messaging (IM) products and target the enterprise space. Text chat and IM vendors should focus on the financial services industry. THE FUTURE DECODED Enterprise portals will drive growth of text chat and IM in the B2B space. In the short term, VoIP is not a significant threat to text chat vendors. However, text chat vendors should incorporate a voice element to their products in anticipation of increased demand for IP-telephony in the long term. APPENDIX Definitions Future readings Contact the author Our relevant services CRM: Channels How to contact experts in your industry (c) Datamonitor 2001. All Rights Reserved. |
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