For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Online-Influenced Sales Exceed Direct Sales In Financial Services

How The Internet Influences Sales In Other Channels

by Brad Strothkamp, November 20, 2009

In 2008, the majority of US online adults who researched a financial product did so online, and the majority of those online researchers applied in a channel other than the Web. These cross-channel shoppers illustrate the importance of online-influenced . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Depicting European Shoppers' Complex Purchasing Decision Path

Retailers Must Implement Strategies That Facilitate Research And Purchase Across Channels

by Lauriane Camus, Patti Freeman Evans, November 5, 2009

There is no longer a clear purchase path for consumers. Thirty-nine percent of European consumers begin their research process online when making a considered purchase. Those consumers who begin their research process online are also likely to ultimately . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Hotels Will Rely On The Web To Survive 2010

by Henry H. Harteveldt, November 3, 2009

The global financial crisis hit the hotel industry particularly hard in 2009. A survey of 27 hotel professionals shows an expectation that business will have to be "bought" with low pricing for the balance of 2009, but cautious optimism exists for room . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

European Banking Customers Continue Migrating Away From The Branch

Branches Are Losing Their Role As The Heart Of The Customer Relationship

by Alexander Hesse, October 28, 2009

The number of consumers visiting branches each month is falling slowly but steadily across Europe. Branch users tend to be lower-value customers who use branches mainly for day-to-day transactions like depositing and withdrawing money. Although online . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The State Of Retailing Online 2009: Profitability, Economy, And Multichannel

by Sucharita Mulpuru, October 23, 2009

Although 2008 is generally regarded by retail executives to be one of the worst years ever, online retailers as a whole fared well. In "The State of Retailing Online 2009," a Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research, retailers noted that Web divisions . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Seizing Insurance's Mobile Opportunity

Customer Adoption And Investment Grow As US Insurers Play Catch-Up

by Chad Mitchell, October 22, 2009

Smartphone adoption among US insurance customers is growing, and customers are beginning to engage with insurers via the mobile Web for policy administration, claims, and bill pay. eBusiness and emerging channel strategy executives at US insurers like . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Best Practices For Tackling Universal eBusiness Challenges

What Underperforming (And Up-And-Coming) eBusiness Teams Can Learn From Peers

by Carrie Johnson, Elizabeth Davis, October 20, 2009

As companies look to boost their struggling — or brand-new — eBusiness operations, they have common questions: What are some of the fundamentals that all eBusiness leaders need to have in their arsenals? What common obstacles must be overcome when building . . .

For Consumer Market Research Professionals

Technographics® Survey Highlights: US Insurance Channel Preferences  (608 KB PPT)

by Jacqueline Anderson, October 19, 2009

This highlight deck summarizes the key findings from Forrester’s North American Technographics® Investments And Insurance Online Survey, Q3 2009 (US).This deck covers channel preferences for researching and buying insurance, policy payments, and customer . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

US Online Bill Payment Forecast: 2009 To 2014

Still Solving Old Problems, Banks Miss New Opportunities

by Emmett Higdon, October 19, 2009

Forrester predicts that online bill pay adoption will grow slowly but steadily over the next five years. That will raise the total number of US online bill payment households from 48 million to 66 million by 2014. Much of this growth depends on new Gen . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Using Twitter As A Customer Service Channel

by Diane Clarkson, October 14, 2009

Twitter has the potential to change its users' expectations for customer service and how companies interact with these customers. Twitter's instantaneous and personal dialogue is proving to be a valuable social engagement tool for many brands. If customers . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The Reality Of Customer Service In Europe: How Europeans Use And Rate Service Channels

by Patti Freeman Evans, October 9, 2009

With 51% of European adults having sought company support in the past three months, customer service must be a key component of any company retention strategy. We found that Europeans favor traditional service channels like the phone and in-store interaction, . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How UK Banking Customers Use Different Channels

by Benjamin Ensor, October 9, 2009

The steady growth of online banking in the UK over the past decade is changing the way people use other banking channels. Half of UK adults still visit a branch each month, although the number of regular branch users has fallen. Banks' efforts to persuade . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

What Europeans Expect From Financial Services Web Sites

And What eBusiness Executives Need To Do To Meet Customer Needs

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., October 6, 2009

Consumers go to financial services Web sites with different motives — some want to access their own accounts and some intend to research or buy a specific financial product, while others are looking for a solution that fits their needs. Visitors to financial . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Improving The eBusiness And IT Relationship

Making The Relationship Work For You With Our TEAM Framework

by Brian K. Walker, October 6, 2009

eBusiness and IT are inextricably linked. You cannot have an effective and productive business online without an effective technology environment and the support of great technical resources. Yet we hear every day from eBusiness leaders about how the . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The Web Channel Has A Key Role In Cross-Selling Financial Products

by Brad Strothkamp, September 29, 2009

Forrester has published a report to help financial service product executives understand and exploit opportunities to cross-sell existing customers into broader relationships. This report is also critical for eBusiness and channel strategy professionals. . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How To Win Over European Online Shoppers

Email And Site Tips For Success In Seven Different European Markets

by Zia Daniell Wigder, September 21, 2009

Many businesses, especially those expanding into Europe for the first time, take a blanket approach to the European market: Web sites are merely replicated throughout Europe with nearly identical features offered on each site. While few eBusinesses should . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Nationwide Insurance Uses Mobile To Offer Customers Self Service On The Road

A Mobile POST Case Study

by Julie A. Ask, Chad Mitchell, September 11, 2009

Nationwide Mutual Insurance was the first US insurer to develop a custom mobile application for the Apple iPhone. The firm's mobile application offers customers the ability to file a claim and upload pictures of an accident, follow a detailed accident . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

eBusiness Is The Right Channel To Go Green

Leverage Your eBusiness To Customer And Employee Green Behavior

by Chad Mitchell, September 8, 2009

Consumers are being bombarded with green messaging online, in print, and on TV. Repositioning a brand to be greener is a top planning activity among marketers. Firms are trying to tap into the growing segment of consumers who may pay a premium for a product . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Poor Content Could Cost Travel eBusiness Money

Hotels Are Particularly Vulnerable Due To Inadequate Online Content

by Henry H. Harteveldt, Elizabeth Stark, September 8, 2009

Online travel content is in true need of a makeover. What written and visual content there is on travel sites — in particular, hotel supplier Web sites — is generic, poorly organized, and confusing. Travelers have had enough: Just half of US online leisure . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Help Your Customers Cut Through The Alternative Payments Clutter

by Patti Freeman Evans, August 21, 2009

Three-quarters of US online buyers have an alternative payment account. Their use of online payments represents 11% of total online payments (including credit and debit card) in 2009, and it will increase to 12% by 2011. Credit cards will remain the main . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

US Data Compromise And Online Trust Update: Consumers' Security And Trust Concerns Still Hampering eBusiness

by Edward Kountz, August 20, 2009

One in 10 US online users reported a data breach that led to a financial loss in 2008, a rate of compromise statistically unchanged from the prior-year period. And while more consumers were able to resolve their incident of financial fraud in less than . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How To Make Travel Customers Feel Valued Online

by Diane Clarkson, August 19, 2009

Making leisure travelers feel valued is more than a "warm and fuzzy" objective. There are significant business benefits to making leisure travelers feel valued — namely, these travelers are more likely to be loyal brand advocates. However, most travel . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

The State Of Fraud In eBusiness

eBusiness Panelists Report That 0.6% Of Orders And Transactions Are Fraudulent

by Carrie Johnson, Elizabeth Davis, August 17, 2009

Forrester recently surveyed its eBusiness And Channel Strategy Professional Research Panel to gauge the current landscape of fraud in the online channel. Forty percent of our panelists have seen an increase in fraud incidents in the past 12 months and . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: How Commonwealth Bank Of Australia Redesigned The Secure Site For Sales

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., August 13, 2009

In the course of its "Finest Online" project, Commonwealth Bank of Australia redesigned its NetBank Internet banking service with the objectives of building an excellent customer experience and driving online sales. The bank has implemented new content . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Sovereign Bank Improves Multichannel Selling With Online Advice Tool

by Chad Mitchell, August 10, 2009

Sovereign Bank knew that more small business customers were going online, but its Web site had only static content with no online application. New accounts could only be opened in branches. Many of the leads Sovereign did get online were unqualified, . . .