Parature, Inc.

 

Coverage

CRM WizKids: Taking CRM to the Next Level

 

Synopsis

Parature, Inc. McLean, VA (www.parature.com)

As many consumers intuitively understand, getting service for complex or sophisticated products can be a challenge, but the challenge can be just as acute for a vendor.  Competitive market forces — especially in the retail market — set a limit on prices and with slimmer margins vendors are challenged to find cost effective ways to provide great service at lower price points.  Early attempts at automating the service process had mixed results at least in part because these early solutions relied on a single solution type, the most obvious being the automated phone system.  Early phone based service systems confronted users with an array of audio menu options that many users felt put them in an electronic maze which came to be known as “phone hell”.

But with the market demanding low product prices there was little ability to turn back to providing expensive service exclusively through trained agents.  Parature is a great example of how continuing innovation has resulted in a multi-channel support infrastructure that is affordable for a range of companies from small to very large.

Parature provides an on demand infrastructure that any organization can use to customize access to a support knowledgebase either through direct self-service or by service mediated by a support representative.  Parature offers eleven different service modalities that customers and service reps can use to find solutions. Most importantly this integrated suite allows for mixing and matching the right set of service tools for any particular company.

Starting with a powerful knowledgebase that continually stores service solutions that can be reused or accessed by self-service customers, the Parature system also includes a ticketing system, discussion boards, chat capabilities, asset system, product catalog, contact management, email management, surveys, reporting, activity scheduler, and document management tools all in one solution.