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eGain analysts assessed the web self-service capabilities of 125 major companies inthe UK across retail, financial services, telecommunications and local governmentsectors. The research revealed that businesses in the UK are still falling short inthis critically important aspect of customer service.
The websites of the companies included in the study were assessed on seven keycapabilities: FAQs, dynamic FAQs, search / browse, natural language indicators,guided help, ease of escalation to customer service agents, and speed and quality ofresponse to escalated enquiries. The results were used to categorise the webself-service capabilities of the companies into four groups: visionary, aboveaverage, below average and basic, based on the scores they received*.
The results showed that a third of UK companies (29 percent) offer very basic webself-service facilities. These sites provide just static FAQs, which lead customersto either abandon the website or resort to calling the company. Only three percentof all companies researched offered visionary web self-service. Six percent ofcompanies offered no facility for email escalation from self-service, a criticalrequirement to prevent customer abandonment of the website. Only 18 percent ofcompanies acknowledged the receipt of a customer e-mail, sent as a result of anescalation, a simple best practice to set customer expectations and enhance theservice experience. The option to escalate seamlessly from self-service toagent-assisted service and providing rapid, high-quality resolution to the escalatedqueries help create a safety net for customers that can actually increaseself-service adoption.
The telecommunications sector performed the best with 15 percent of the companiesproviding visionary self-service., while the local government sector performed theworst, with 70 percent rated below average.
 The study revealed that a significant number of UK companies are still failing torealise their full potential for customer retention and revenue growth by fallingshort in customer self-service via the web, commented Andrew Mennie, GeneralManager and Vice President EMEA for eGain.
The findings of the study, along with self-service pitfalls and opportunities forinnovation, will be presented at a seminar series in the UK titled  Web Self-Servicein the UK - State of the Industry, Pitfalls, and Opportunities . To register, clickon the following URL: http://www.egain.com/news/regi stration_mar07.asp
*Mapping of ratings to scores:Visionary: 3.0 to 4.0; Above average: 2.0 to 3.0; Below average: 1.0 to 2.0; Basic:0.0 to 1.0
About eGaineGain (OTCBB: EGAN.OB) is a leading provider of customer service and contact centersoftware for in-house or on-demand SaaS deployment. Trusted by prominent enterprisesworldwide, eGain has been helping businesses achieve and sustain customer serviceexcellence for more than a decade. 24 of the 50 largest global companies rely oneGain to transform their traditional call centers, help desks, and web customerservice operations into multichannel customer interaction hubs. These hubs enabledramatically improved customer experience, unified multichannel customer service,end-to-end service process efficiencies, and enhanced contact center performance.
Headquartered in Mountain View, California, eGain has an operating presence in 18countries and serves more than 800 enterprise customers worldwide. To find out moreabout eGain, visit www.eGain.com or call the company's offices: 800-821-4358 (UnitedStates), 1753-464646 (UK and rest of Europe).
Media contactseGain UKKerry Hallard / Nicola Craft Buffalo Communications LtdTel: +44 (0) 207 292 8680Email: egain@buffalo.co.uk
Melody CurtiseGain Communications LtdTel: +44 (0) 1753 464687Email: mcurtis@egain.com
