BY CAROL DRZEWIANOWSKI
Associate Editor, Communications SOLUTIONS™

PricewaterhouseCoopers Asks Jeeves

Unless you've spent the last few years without watching TV or surfing the Web, there's a pretty good chance you're already familiar with Ask Jeeves, the Internet "butler" that negotiates the Web for you -- but only if you ask him.

Last week Ask Jeeves announced a technology development relationship with Trillium Digital Systems to enhance Jeeves Live, a service that provides real-time Web collaboration between a company and its online customers by combining instant messaging interaction, form sharing, and simultaneous browsing.

HOW MAY I HELP YOU?
Trillium's voice over IP (VoIP) software solution will enable Jeeves Live to engage online users in a voice dialogue through an Internet connection, allowing companies to offer their customers a more human and personal way to access information online, through Ask Jeeves' services.

"Integrating VoIP into Ask Jeeves Corporate Service suite will further enable Ask Jeeves to deliver the human experience that online users are looking for, helping companies make every customer interaction feel personal and relevant," said Frank Vaculin, senior vice president and general manager of Ask Jeeves' corporate services group.

"We believe Jeeves Live is the only standards-based VoIP application that can be fully integrated into a company's existing gateway without third party involvement or additional costs. We believe that the VoIP-enhanced Jeeves Live service will enable our customers to convert e-shoppers into e-buyers through real-time communication in an intelligent and cost effective manner," continued Vaculin.

With the addition of Trillium's H.323 technology, Jeeves Live can help a Web user graduate from a text-based dialogue to a VoIP conversation at selected points in the e-commerce and e-support cycle. By providing customers with real-time assistance at high-value moments with voice-enabled technology, Ask Jeeves believes that Jeeves Live will help companies increase conversion and retention rates, while lowering support costs.

As part of the technology exchange, Ask Jeeves will embed Trillium's H.323 software technology directly into Jeeves Live to deliver a single-source VoIP solution that will allow companies to install an integrated VoIP/instant messaging solution onto existing switches and gateways. Ask Jeeves will also provide Trillium with its Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP) standards-based software.

PART OF HR OUTSOURCING
One of the companies that will benefit from the Jeeves Live enhancements is PricewaterhouseCoopers, who intends to make Ask Jeeves' suite of corporate services available to employees who access human resources and benefits programs.

Jeeves Answers, Ask Jeeves, and Jeeves Live will become part of PricewaterhouseCoopers' standard HR outsourcing service to provide the firm's clients with a comprehensive online employee interaction solution. It will supplement existing call center, voice, and Web applications.

THE ANSWER IS
PricewaterhouseCoopers intends to deploy Ask Jeeves to help employers improve human resources (HR) customer service and satisfaction, reduce support costs, and enhance the online experience of employees who access their benefits and other HR services over the Internet. Common questions that Jeeves Answers will address include "How can I take a loan from my 401(k)?" "How do I change my W-4 withholding?" or "How do I get healthcare coverage for my new baby?"

Jeeves Answers delivers information in response to these and hundreds of other questions rather than requiring employees to search through an online help guide or cumbersome HR facility. By providing round-the-clock access to questions, PricewaterhouseCoopers believes that Jeeves Answers can supplement existing call center, voice, and Web applications.

Once deployed, Jeeves Live will enable employees to access PricewaterhouseCoopers' customer service representatives online and in real-time via "live help dialogue boxes" that enable text-based communication. By making it possible for employees to "speak" with HR specialists during Web sessions, Jeeves Live will provide an interactive Web experience.

Jeeves Live also allows employees logging in from home on a single phone line to remain online and resolve their issues quickly, instead of requiring them to log off their computer and call human resources.

DIY HR
As more and more companies move toward employee self service and Web-enabled HR, services like those that Ask Jeeves offers will help enhance high-quality customer care. In addition, employees benefit from an increasing number of convenient tools and options to help them find the information they need regarding employer-provided programs. An additional benefit is the cost-savings that companies incur as a result of such implementations.

Trillium's VoIP software solution will help make it even easier for people to use the Jeeves Live service. It offers a more personal way of maintaining customer service -- instead of just words on a screen, users hear the voice of a customer service representative. Employers can help manage the customer experience of their employees and work at a higher level of personalization.

Carol Drzewianowski welcomes your comments via e-mail.