The customer care feature provides real-time customer service support by way of a synchronous text interface using the Lotus Sametime server. A customer may enter the site, and click a link on the store page to connect to a Customer Service Representative (CSR) so that the two parties can communicate or chat over the Internet. A CSR accesses the customer care interface through the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator. In addition, the CSR can view the store page where the customer needs assistance, and retrieve shopping cart and profile information. To facilitate more efficient communication with your customers, customer care supports the use of predefined lists of URLs, and topics. After creating these lists, they are available during conversations so that CSRs have accessible lists of the most commonly referenced store pages, and answers to the most commonly asked questions. Customer care also supports multiple queues so that customers looking for help can be routed to the most appropriate queue, monitored by CSRs qualified to answer their questions. You can also configure custom messages for your waiting customers. This interface also allows the CSR to chat with other CSRs. Prior to use, Sametime must be installed and configured for use with WebSphere Commerce. For instructions, refer to the WebSphere Commerce Additional Software Guide.
Notes:
- To allow a CSR to use customer care, after you have installed and configured Sametime, you must create the CSR in the WebSphere Commerce system if the user does not already exist with CSR authority, and then register the CSR in the Sametime server. See Registering a CSR to use customer care for detailed steps. If the SameTime server is configured to use the same LDAP server as WebSphere Commerce, you do not need to register the CSR.
- To enable customer care in a store not based on a starter store, see Adding customer care to your store.