Silknet eSales

Call Center CRM Solutions, Jan 2000

Silknet Software, Inc. has released Silknet eSales, an e-sales application that assists consumers in their selection of online products and services using a virtual sales assistant that helps them through the online purchasing process.

Silknet eSales is the first solution resulting from the company's acquisition of InSite Marketing Technologies. Using InSite's Trusted Advisor technology, Silknet eSales allows e-merchants take the skills of their best sales personnel and incorporate them into a virtual assistant that determines what the customer would like to buy and then maps a selling style to the personal buying style of the customer. The goal of the Silknet eSales virtual assistant is to not only make it easier for a customer to buy products and services, but to also build a higher level of trust and personalization between the customer and the company. To build trust, customers interact with one or more unique virtual sales assistants, or personas, who make recommendations and handle objections based on the customer's preferences. The tone or style of the persona is mapped to the personal buying style and knowledge base of the customer. Silknet eSales also provides a forum for customers to discuss products and services with the virtual assistant who shows them why specific products are right for them.

Silknet eSales' Trusted Advisor technology for building trust-based customer experiences was developed in part through research at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Trusted Advisor technology allows e-merchants to treat shoppers as if they "know" them without requiring them to identify themselves or answer lengthy lists of questions. As customers browse the site, Silknet eSales uses micro-segmentation technology to collect insights into their behavior based on demographic and psychographic information, enabling the e-merchant to understand the customer's purchasing needs at a personal level. These data are automatically incorporated into Silknet eSales and are immediately used to further personalize the shopping experience.

Silknet eSales can be added to a company's existing Web site or kiosk without disrupting the existing operation. Each Silknet eSales virtual assistant is customized to deliver the look, feel and approach that is right for the sales situation.

No. 537, www.ccsmag.com/freeinfo