The Challenge

To convert website visitors each month into customers and increase customer service without hiring additional staff to answer questions by phone.

Client Background

International Visa Service is a well-established, Atlanta-based company which provides visas, passports and other travel documentation services to business and tourist travelers in the Atlanta area, and around the country.

While the International Visa Service website was getting a lot of website traffic, few of the visitors were picking up the phone and calling or going to International Visa Service's office.

In order to provide prospective customers with answers to their questions and to help existing customers who may have new document requirements, International Visa Service was looking for a way leverage the website traffic, but not spend a fortune.

The Solution

Design-First integrated an "Online Operator" application within the client's existing website. The Online Operator is a chat system which allows several employees at International Visa Service to respond to questions initiated by website visitors.

• The system allows the operator and prospective customer to exchange questions and answers and the entire session can be emailed so the customer will have any details they need in order to proceed with their document request.

• While the system operators use some "canned" responses for frequent requests, the system allows each operator to respond as they would on the phone.

• The Online Operator system also allows for transferring chats from one operator to the another, which allows International Visa Service to utilize the specialized knowledge and experience of different employees.

• Website visitors who initiate a chat after hours can e-mail the system, and staff can respond via email or a phone call the next business day.

• Because the system is web-based, employees in two offices both use the system and it is possible to add additional operators during peak periods.

• The system uses an employee's computer and there are unlimited operators, making it very cost-efficient to add operators as needed.

Design-First configured the system and installed department responses, and provided training of all operators.

The Results

The Online Operator System has been extremely successful:

• Hundreds of website visitors have become customers.

• International Visa Service has been able to increase customer contact without adding new employees.

• Customers and prospective customers who cannot call or contact International Visa Service during the day can get help easily, using the Online Operator.

• Quick return on investment—the Online Operator system paid for itself in less than a month.