Web Chat is Preferred Communication Channel for Consumers: Simplexity's Customer Usage Increases 300% With Deployment of InstantService Chat Solution

SEATTLE and RESTON, Va., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Have a toll-free number? Check. Email? Check. Chat? You'll want to check that too. Companies giving customers the option to interact with agents via Web chat realize it is becoming customers' preferred way to communicate. Simplexity, which sells and activates mobile phones on all major U.S. wireless carriers and operates leading wireless comparison shopping site http://www.wirefly.com, recently saw customer adoption of chat spike dramatically. After deploying InstantService's chat solution six months ago, Simplexity realized a 300% increase in chat transactions.

"Simplexity is delivering what their shoppers want -- a convenient, real-time path to customer service," said Mike Lande, CEO of InstantService. "By strategically placing invitations to chat with agents throughout the web experience, the company is meeting the growing need and expectations of today's online user. We're very pleased to work with them to deliver an engaging, personalized experience for their customers."

"It comes down to offering customers choices to communicate with us," said John Bailey, VP of Customer Operations at Simplexity. "More customers are ordering phones online today and they tell us they prefer to communicate via chat and email because it's fast and convenient for them."

InstantService's chat and email solutions also deliver operational benefits to Simplexity. Unlike phone calls, customer service agents, who are located at Simplexity call centers around the world, can handle multiple chat sessions at once. By multitasking, agents on average can serve 3-6 chats simultaneously which significantly boosts productivity rates.

"Deciding to add chat was easy," Bailey continued. "Choosing InstantService as our technology partner was an even easier decision for us because its technology is by far the best on the market. Our agents love the intuitive design of the console. In addition, InstantService armed us with invaluable best practices that, in just a matter of months, have significantly increased agent productivity and customer satisfaction at Simplexity."

How it works:

Simplexity deploys InstantService online communications solutions on its network of privately labeled ecommerce stores to assist its customers if they have questions about a product or their order. The InstantService solution encrypts information exchanged in the chat dialog which helps accelerate response times by agents. Customers are not required to re-enter account information when engaging in a chat session. The critical information is automatically passed to the agent to provide a more efficient and satisfying experience.

Simplexity has garnered broad benefits from implementing InstantService chat and email including:

    -- In six months, Simplexity's chat increased by more than 300%.
    -- The tools, which offer full encryption capabilities, enable customers
       and agents to communicate securely, in full PCI compliance.
    -- Chat and email sessions are tracked and seamlessly linked to
       Simplexity's order management system on the agent's desktop, providing
       an accurate and complete history of the customer-agent interactions.
    -- Chat, in particular, delivers a personalized one-to-one connection
       which makes it easier for agents to offer customers accessory packages
       and add-ons.
    -- Exit surveys, built into each chat session, allow Simplexity to monitor
       customer satisfaction in real time.

About InstantService

InstantService, Inc. is a leading SaaS provider of customer communication technologies for online businesses and contact centers. InstantService offers an integrated suite of live chat, email management, knowledge base, web site analytics and lead capture solutions to increase sales and enhance customer service. The InstantService hosted software application easily integrates with existing ecommerce and CRM systems, facilitating valuable relationships between companies and their customers -- the first step of customer relationship management. Over 350 companies trust InstantService's scalability, security and performance, including Charter Communications, VeriSign, H&R Block, Spiegel, Intuit, McAfee, US Airways and DISH Network. To learn more about InstantService, visit http://www.instantservice.com to chat with a representative.

About Simplexity

Simplexity, LLC. is the leading online retailer of cell phones and wireless plans. Simplexity's technology solutions include merchandising, procurement, customer service, billing, customer relationship marketing, order processing and cell phone activations for the largest carriers in the U.S. We operate private label websites for some of the largest names in retail using unrivaled, proprietary systems. Simplexity also operates the popular website Wirefly (http://www.wirefly.com), the leading one-stop cell phone and wireless plan comparison shopping site that has been awarded "Best of the Web" by Forbes magazine and "Best in Overall Customer Experience" by Keynote Systems. For more information about the company and its products and services, visit the Simplexity corporate website at http://www.simplexity.com.