Financial Web Sites Need Customer Service Help

As part of a larger analysis of 90 Web sites, Forrester evaluated the availability of online customer service and support among 30 leading financial services Web sites. Forrester found that most sites delivered inconsistent customer service availability, with only four Web sites receiving a passing score. While many sites suffered from a range of customer service accessibility issues, our analysis also uncovered a number of good practices, such as the variety of Bank of America's customer service touchpoints, USAA's integration of online insurance reviews, and Schwab's consistent contextual help. To improve online customer support, eBusiness and channel strategy professionals at financial services firms should provide reliable and consistent contextual support on product pages, ensure sites have basic support features, such as a customer service or help link on every page, and promote interactive customer support methods.