Online Video Assistants to Change the Face of Online Shopping

- Veedesk Brings Face-to-Face Customer Service to Websites

• Press Release
• Source: vee24
• On 3:00 am EST, Tuesday November 10, 2009

LONDON, November 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Vee24 today launches the veedesk, a system that is set to fundamentally change the way in which customers shop online. Customers browsing websites will, for the first time, be able to both see and talk to a customer service assistant in real-time, to ask questions, discuss products, and request help with form filling and the checkout process. A 'vee-assistant' can be available 24/7 and can offer the same kind of personal service found on the high street, but from the convenience of a website.

Standing out from the crowd on the internet is becoming more of a challenge for all industry sectors, with an increasing number of brands in every sector competing for customers online. Research indicates that significant numbers of internet users want help from a real person before buying certain things online, with many customers frustrated by the lack of customer service.

On average, out of every 100 people that visit a website, only two or three go on to make a purchase. Most potential sales are lost at the checkout stage where a staggering four out of every five shopping baskets end up being abandoned. These two factors alone result in billions of pounds in lost revenue every year; in many cases just being able to gain one extra sale per 100 visitors could effectively grow companies' online sales by as much as 50%. Many of the reasons for non-purchase or cart abandonment could be alleviated if customers could simply talk face-to-face with a representative when they are making purchasing decisions.

The veedesk uses high-quality broadcast equipment, specialist cameras, inbuilt lighting and state-of-the-art software, combined to ensure that the vee-assistant is able to maintain eye contact with the online customer whilst having a conversation and co-browsing the website.

Almost identical to the benefits in a conventional shop, online assistants can:

    
    - Help customers with whatever they want to buy whether it is a new suit,
      insurance policy, television or forthcoming holiday.
    - Assist with form completion and payment. The vee-assistant is able to
      fast-track the customer through the check-out and payment process.
    - Provide advice or reassurance - even though many customers have done
      their research and are ready to buy, they often still like to make sure 
      that they haven't overlooked anything.
    - Give the customer confidence that there is someone they can contact in
      the event of a problem and allow them to build a virtual relationship 
      with their vee-assistant leading to the very highest possible levels of 
      customer service and satisfaction.

Commenting on the launch of the veedesk, Andy Henshaw, CEO, of vee24 says:

"Today, many websites are struggling to live up to customers' high expectations. Online businesses who fail to make the most of their e-commerce offering are losing billions of pounds in sales every year. Can you imagine a store on the high street with no staff to serve customers? That's exactly what we have online - slick websites but nobody to help if you have a question or encounter a problem. There would be chaos too if 80% of shoppers abandoned the shopping trolleys at the checkout of their local supermarket, yet this is exactly what's happening online.

Retailers and other online businesses now need a strategy to outperform competitors in the area of online customer service if they are to win a larger slice of customer spend. People like to buy from people and vee-business can now bring this important functionality to the internet.

Vee24 technology is already being employed by Lexus Germany and I believe that very soon we'll all come to expect the service of a personal online assistant - vee-business rather than just e-business."

About vee24

Established in 2006, vee24 is the leading exponent of vee-business technology which enables organisations to offer face-to-face customer service assistance from a website, via live video technology. Based in Manchester and with offices across Europe, the organisation has a team with a strong track record in developing and implementing ecommerce solutions

http://www.vee24.com/

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Please call Caroline Powell or Kathryn Reed for more information. Tel: +44(0)20-8297-5388 or carolinep@jdmarketing.co.uk or kathrynr@jdmarketing.co.uk

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