CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, and it is related to customer service. CRM goes beyond customer service by using information about the customers and their business processes to improve value to existing customers, generate repeat business, and attract new customers.

Asynchronous customer service occurs when the customer asks a question and the merchant replies back at a later time. E-mail and Web forms are examples of asynchronous e-service techniques.

Synchronous customer service occurs when the customer is in real-time communication with the merchant. Co-browsing (a merchant controlling what is happening in the user's browser), chat, and voice/telephone support are examples of synchronous e-service techniques.

Self-service refers to e-service techniques in which the customer finds answers for himself. Easy access to account information, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), knowledge databases, online communities, and HTML/Web-based help are examples of self-service e-service techniques. Allowing customers to access information about their orders and view and update their profiles is an example of self service.

Most sites use asynchronous customer service, which means the customer asks a question and the merchant replies back at a later time. Of the asynchronous methods, e-mail is the most common.

HTML/Web-based help uses Dynamic HTML or Java to present information in a format that is similar to the Help menu in Windows programs. Because older browsers did not support these technologies, this is a relatively new form of e-service.

FAQs are the most cost-effective customer service form, because they merely recite back the questions that customers have already asked, along with the answers that have already been given. Once the FAQs are posted on the Web site, there is no further expense associated with them.

A knowledge database is a repository of customer questions and answers that is searchable by other customers who may have the same problem. Knowledge databases are somewhat similar to FAQs, but they are searchable. Storing the FAQs in a database allows users to narrow their searches and view only the relevant information.

When you use a knowledge base on your e-commerce site, you use customer questions to populate your database and expand the knowledge base. In addition, many knowledge base packages offer administration benefits. You can assign a question to a particular customer service representative, track its progress, send a reply to the customer, and then add the question to the knowledge base.

Bulletin boards, message boards, and chat sessions in which consumers can exchange and gather tips and ideas from one another are examples of online communities. Online communities are a form of self-help e-service. Community is an essential element if you want your visitors to return to your e-commerce site and purchase again.

E-mail is not a good tool for urgent matters, because very few organizations have the staff to man an e-mail support desk for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When a customer is trying to complete an order, it is important to provide immediate help. This means you should use some form of synchronous service or possible self-service. E-mail would lead to a delay, frustration, and possibly a lost sale.

Using a Web form as a method of contacting customer service has several advantages over using e-mail. You can set up the form with definite boxes for information so that the customer is required to supply certain information, such as an order number, contact information, a description of the problem, and so on. Also, Web forms allow you to enter the information submitted by customers into a database.

Surveys can be an effective way to gather information that can help you better serve your customers. However, customers don't like to fill out surveys unless they will get something in return, some kind of incentive.

While audio and voice connections are powerful tools, they are too bandwidth-intensive for people who still operate at lower-bandwidth technologies, such as a regular analog phone line and a modem.

Data mining is the practice of using data about your customers to improve CRM. Sales and marketing departments use data mining to improve customer satisfaction, to define customer needs, and identify cross-selling and up-selling opportunities.

Customers may fear making online purchases for several reasons. They may not feel comfortable doing business with a business with which they cannot establish a face-to-face relationship. They may fear making credit card transactions online. They may also be afraid that information they supply to the online merchant will not remain confidential. To allay this fear, you can establish and publish your company's privacy policy. You can make it clear how the information customers provide will and will not be used.