'Round-the-clock, 'round-the-globe customer support: Are vendors ready?

Volume 8, Number 6 • June 2000

'Round-the-clock, 'round-the-globe customer support: Are vendors ready?
by Denise G. Rabogliatti and Marsha L. Fulton

Presents a guide to customer support vendors. Explains that five vendors were surveyed regarding their ability to support companies facing global 24x7 operations. Includes four tables comparing the five vendors on customer support service channels, locations of support organizations, language capabilities, and availability. Concludes that Bell & Howell Information and Learning delivers specific support services in many languages worldwide, but availability is limited; Dialog provides 24x7 support, in many languages, via the Web, but phone support is limited; Factiva is building a 24x7 infrastructure; The Gale Group offers robust 24x7 service and language coverage, but billing and account information is limited; and LEXIS-NEXIS offers 24x7 international operations with a variety of services and languages, but regional office access is limited. Includes four tables.