Fundamentals

Understanding Proactive Customer Service

Proactive customer service Meaning ● Customer service, within the context of SMB growth, involves providing assistance and support to customers before, during, and after a purchase, a vital function for business survival. is about anticipating and addressing customer needs Before they explicitly ask for help. It’s a shift from reactive models, where businesses wait for customers to reach out with problems. Instead, proactive service Meaning ● Proactive service, within the context of SMBs aiming for growth, involves anticipating and addressing customer needs before they arise, increasing satisfaction and loyalty. involves actively reaching out to customers with solutions, information, or assistance, creating a more positive and efficient customer experience.

This approach is not just about resolving issues faster; it’s about building stronger customer relationships and fostering loyalty. For small to medium businesses (SMBs), proactive service can be a significant differentiator in competitive markets, allowing them to stand out and retain customers more effectively.

Proactive customer service means anticipating customer needs and providing solutions before they even ask, fostering stronger relationships and loyalty for SMBs.

Why Proactive Service Matters for SMB Growth

For SMBs, proactive customer service Meaning ● Proactive Customer Service, in the context of SMB growth, means anticipating customer needs and resolving issues before they escalate, directly enhancing customer loyalty. offers tangible benefits that directly contribute to growth and operational efficiency. Consider these key advantages:

• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction Meaning ● Customer Satisfaction: Ensuring customer delight by consistently meeting and exceeding expectations, fostering loyalty and advocacy. and Loyalty ● When customers feel understood and supported without having to initiate contact, satisfaction levels increase dramatically. This leads to greater loyalty and repeat business, which is vital for sustainable growth. Loyal customers are also more likely to become brand advocates, driving organic growth through word-of-mouth referrals.
• Reduced Customer Churn ● Proactive engagement Meaning ● Proactive Engagement, within the sphere of Small and Medium-sized Businesses, denotes a preemptive and strategic approach to customer interaction and relationship management. helps identify and address potential issues before they escalate into reasons for customers to leave. By anticipating problems and offering timely solutions, SMBs can significantly reduce churn rates and retain valuable customers. Retaining existing customers is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, making proactive service a smart investment.
• Improved Brand Reputation ● Proactive service demonstrates a commitment to customer care that goes beyond simply reacting to complaints. This builds a positive brand reputation, both online and offline. Positive reviews and testimonials stemming from excellent proactive service can attract new customers and enhance brand image.
• Increased Operational Efficiency ● By addressing common issues proactively, SMBs can reduce the volume of reactive support requests. This frees up customer service teams to focus on more complex issues and strategic initiatives, improving overall operational efficiency. Predicting and resolving issues early can also prevent larger, more costly problems down the line.
• Competitive Advantage ● In today’s market, customer service is a key differentiator. Proactive service can set an SMB apart from competitors who rely solely on reactive approaches. This advantage is particularly important in saturated markets where customers have many choices.

Identifying Key Customer Touchpoints

To implement proactive customer service effectively, SMBs must first identify critical customer touchpoints. These are points of interaction where customers engage with the business, offering opportunities for proactive intervention. Touchpoints can be broadly categorized into:

1. Pre-Purchase Touchpoints ● These occur before a customer makes a purchase. Examples include website browsing, social media interactions, and initial inquiries. Proactive service here might involve offering helpful content, answering FAQs preemptively, or providing personalized product recommendations based on browsing history.
2. On-Purchase Touchpoints ● This phase includes the actual purchase process. Proactive measures could involve order confirmation messages with helpful information, proactive shipping updates, or offering assistance with checkout if customers seem to be experiencing difficulties.
3. Post-Purchase Touchpoints ● These occur after a purchase is made. This is a crucial area for proactive service. Examples include sending follow-up emails to ensure satisfaction, providing onboarding guides for new products, offering proactive troubleshooting tips, or requesting feedback to identify areas for improvement.
4. Support Touchpoints ● Even in a proactive system, customers will still need support. Proactive service here involves making support easily accessible, offering multiple channels for contact, and using tools like chatbots to provide instant answers to common questions.

Mapping these touchpoints helps SMBs understand the customer journey and identify specific moments where proactive interventions can have the most impact. This mapping exercise is the foundation for building a targeted and effective proactive customer service strategy.

Essential First Steps for SMBs

SMBs don’t need to overhaul their entire customer service system overnight to become proactive. Starting with small, manageable steps can yield significant results. Here are essential first steps for SMBs:

1. Analyze Customer Feedback ● Begin by thoroughly analyzing existing customer feedback. This includes customer service tickets, emails, social media comments, and reviews. Identify recurring issues, questions, and pain points. This analysis will highlight areas where proactive intervention is most needed. Look for patterns and trends in customer inquiries to understand common challenges.
2. Create an FAQ and Knowledge Base ● Based on the feedback analysis, develop a comprehensive FAQ section on your website and, ideally, a more detailed knowledge base. Address the most common questions and issues proactively. Ensure the FAQ and knowledge base are easily accessible and searchable. This empowers customers to find answers themselves, reducing the need for direct support.
3. Implement Basic Email Automation ● Set up automated email sequences for key touchpoints. This could include welcome emails for new customers, order confirmation emails with helpful information, shipping updates, and post-purchase follow-up emails. Personalize these emails where possible to make them more engaging. Email automation is a simple yet powerful tool for proactive communication.
4. Utilize Social Media Monitoring ● Start monitoring your brand mentions and relevant keywords on social media platforms. Use free or low-cost social listening Meaning ● Social Listening is strategic monitoring & analysis of online conversations for SMB growth. tools to track conversations. Respond proactively to questions, comments, and even complaints on social media. Social media is a public forum, and proactive engagement here can significantly impact brand perception.
5. Train Your Team on Proactive Communication ● Ensure your customer service team understands the principles of proactive service. Train them to anticipate customer needs and offer solutions proactively during interactions. Empower your team to go the extra mile and offer assistance beyond just answering the immediate question.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Early Implementation

While implementing proactive customer service, SMBs should be aware of potential pitfalls that can hinder success. Avoiding these common mistakes is crucial for a smooth and effective transition:

• Being Overly Aggressive or Intrusive ● Proactive service should be helpful and welcome, not intrusive or annoying. Avoid overwhelming customers with excessive communication. Ensure your proactive outreach is relevant, timely, and genuinely helpful. Respect customer preferences and communication frequency.
• Lack of Personalization ● Generic, impersonal proactive messages can feel spammy and ineffective. Strive to personalize your communication as much as possible, using customer data Meaning ● Customer Data, in the sphere of SMB growth, automation, and implementation, represents the total collection of information pertaining to a business's customers; it is gathered, structured, and leveraged to gain deeper insights into customer behavior, preferences, and needs to inform strategic business decisions. to tailor messages to individual needs and preferences. Personalization makes proactive service feel more valuable and less like mass marketing.
• Ignoring Customer Feedback ● Proactive service is not a one-time setup. It requires continuous monitoring and adjustment based on customer feedback. Regularly review customer feedback Meaning ● Customer Feedback, within the landscape of SMBs, represents the vital information conduit channeling insights, opinions, and reactions from customers pertaining to products, services, or the overall brand experience; it is strategically used to inform and refine business decisions related to growth, automation initiatives, and operational implementations. to identify what’s working, what’s not, and areas for improvement in your proactive strategies. Feedback is essential for refining and optimizing your proactive approach.
• Overlooking Basic Reactive Support ● While focusing on proactive service, don’t neglect the importance of basic reactive support. Ensure you still have efficient channels for customers to reach out when they need help directly. Proactive service complements, but does not replace, reactive support. A balanced approach is key.
• Lack of Team Training and Buy-In ● Proactive customer service requires a shift in mindset and skills for your customer service team. Invest in proper training and ensure your team understands the value and goals of proactive service. Team buy-in is crucial for successful implementation and consistent execution.

Foundational Tools for Proactive Service

Several foundational tools can empower SMBs to implement proactive customer service strategies without significant investment. These tools are often user-friendly and offer features suitable for businesses of all sizes.

These tools provide a solid starting point for SMBs to build a proactive customer service foundation. They are relatively easy to implement and can deliver quick wins in terms of customer satisfaction and efficiency. As SMBs grow and their needs evolve, they can explore more advanced tools and strategies.

Starting with foundational tools like email automation, FAQs, and social media monitoring Meaning ● Social Media Monitoring, for Small and Medium-sized Businesses, is the systematic observation and analysis of online conversations and mentions related to a brand, products, competitors, and industry trends. allows SMBs to implement proactive customer service effectively and efficiently.

Intermediate

Leveraging CRM for Proactive Customer Engagement

Moving beyond basic tools, Customer Relationship Management Meaning ● CRM for SMBs is about building strong customer relationships through data-driven personalization and a balance of automation with human touch. (CRM) systems become central to intermediate proactive customer service strategies. CRMs are not just for sales; they are powerful platforms for managing customer interactions across all touchpoints and enabling highly personalized proactive engagement. A CRM acts as a central repository for customer data, allowing SMBs to understand customer behavior, preferences, and history in detail. This rich data enables more targeted and effective proactive outreach.

Advanced Customer Segmentation for Personalized Proactivity

With a CRM, SMBs can move beyond basic customer segmentation (e.g., by purchase history) to more advanced segmentation strategies. This allows for highly personalized proactive service. Consider these segmentation approaches:

• Behavioral Segmentation ● Segment customers based on their actions, such as website browsing behavior, product usage patterns, or engagement with marketing emails. Proactive service can then be tailored to these behaviors. For example, proactively offering help to customers who frequently visit the support section of your website.
• Lifecycle Stage Segmentation ● Segment customers based on where they are in their customer lifecycle (e.g., new customer, active customer, churn risk customer). Proactive service can be customized for each stage. For instance, providing onboarding support to new customers and re-engagement offers to customers showing signs of churn.
• Value-Based Segmentation ● Segment customers based on their value to the business (e.g., high-value customers, frequent purchasers). Prioritize proactive service for high-value customers to maximize retention and loyalty. Offer exclusive proactive support Meaning ● Proactive Support, within the Small and Medium-sized Business sphere, centers on preemptively addressing client needs and potential issues before they escalate into significant problems, reducing operational frictions and enhancing overall business efficiency. or personalized offers to VIP customers.
• Needs-Based Segmentation ● Segment customers based on their specific needs and pain points. This requires deeper analysis of customer feedback and interactions. Proactive service can then directly address these identified needs. For example, proactively offering solutions to customers who have previously reported similar issues.

Advanced segmentation, powered by CRM data, enables SMBs to deliver proactive service that is not only timely but also highly relevant and personalized, significantly increasing its effectiveness.

Implementing Proactive Chatbots for Enhanced Support

While basic chatbots are useful for simple FAQs, intermediate proactive strategies involve implementing more sophisticated chatbots that can handle a wider range of customer interactions and offer proactive assistance. These chatbots can be integrated into websites, apps, and messaging platforms. Key features of intermediate proactive chatbots Meaning ● Proactive Chatbots, within the scope of Small and Medium-sized Businesses, represent a sophisticated evolution of customer interaction, going beyond reactive query answering to initiate relevant conversations that drive sales, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline business processes. include:

• Contextual Proactive Triggers ● Set up chatbots to trigger proactively based on specific user behavior or context. For example, a chatbot could proactively offer help to a website visitor who has been browsing a product page for a certain duration or who seems to be struggling with a form.
• Personalized Greetings and Assistance ● Integrate the chatbot with your CRM to personalize greetings and proactively offer assistance based on customer data. The chatbot can recognize returning customers and tailor its interactions accordingly.
• Proactive Issue Resolution ● Train chatbots to identify and proactively address common issues. For example, if a customer is on the order tracking page and their order status shows a delay, the chatbot could proactively offer information and support.
• Seamless Handover to Live Agents ● Ensure a smooth handover from the chatbot to a live agent when necessary. The chatbot should be able to identify complex issues and seamlessly transfer the conversation to a human agent, providing context from the chatbot interaction.

Implementing proactive chatbots at this level requires careful planning and training, but it can significantly enhance customer support availability and efficiency, providing instant proactive assistance around the clock.

Building a Proactive Knowledge Base and Self-Service Portal

Expanding on the basic FAQ, an intermediate strategy involves building a comprehensive and proactive knowledge base and self-service portal. This portal should be more than just a repository of articles; it should be a dynamic and proactive resource for customers. Key elements include:

• Categorized and Searchable Content ● Organize knowledge base articles logically by topic and category. Implement robust search functionality to allow customers to easily find the information they need. Ensure content is regularly updated and optimized for search.
• Proactive Content Recommendations ● Use website analytics and CRM data to proactively recommend relevant knowledge base articles to customers based on their browsing behavior or past interactions. Display suggested articles on relevant pages of your website or within your customer portal.
• Interactive Tutorials and Guides ● Go beyond static articles and create interactive tutorials, videos, and step-by-step guides to help customers proactively solve problems or learn how to use your products or services effectively. Visual and interactive content can be more engaging and helpful.
• Community Forum Integration ● Integrate a community forum into your self-service portal. This allows customers to help each other, share tips, and find solutions from other users. A community forum can become a valuable proactive support resource.

A well-designed and proactively promoted knowledge base reduces the reliance on direct support channels, empowers customers to self-serve, and improves overall customer experience.

Social Listening for Proactive Brand Management

Intermediate social listening goes beyond simply monitoring brand mentions. It involves actively using social listening data to identify opportunities for proactive customer service and brand management. Strategies include:

• Sentiment Analysis and Alerting ● Utilize social listening tools Meaning ● Social Listening Tools, in the SMB landscape, refer to technological platforms that enable businesses to monitor digital conversations and mentions related to their brand, competitors, and industry keywords. with sentiment analysis Meaning ● Sentiment Analysis, for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), is a crucial business tool for understanding customer perception of their brand, products, or services. capabilities to identify negative mentions or emerging issues quickly. Set up alerts for negative sentiment or specific keywords related to your brand or industry. Proactive response to negative sentiment can prevent issues from escalating.
• Identifying Customer Questions and Needs ● Actively search for customer questions and needs related to your industry or products, even if they don’t directly mention your brand. Proactively offer helpful advice and solutions, positioning your brand as a helpful resource. This builds brand authority and attracts potential customers.
• Proactive Engagement in Relevant Conversations ● Identify relevant conversations and communities online where your target audience is active. Proactively participate in these conversations, offering valuable insights and building relationships. This expands brand visibility and reach.
• Using Social Listening for Product/Service Improvement ● Analyze social listening data to identify trends, feedback, and suggestions for product or service improvements. Proactively address customer concerns and use feedback to enhance your offerings. This demonstrates responsiveness and a commitment to customer satisfaction.

Social listening becomes a proactive tool for not just managing brand reputation but also for identifying customer needs and proactively engaging with them in meaningful ways.

Case Study ● SMB Success with Intermediate Proactive Service

Consider “The Coffee Beanery,” a fictional SMB specializing in online coffee bean sales. Initially, they relied solely on reactive customer service, responding to emails and phone calls. They faced increasing support volumes and customer frustration with response times.

Intermediate Proactive Service Implementation ●

1. CRM Implementation (HubSpot CRM) ● They implemented HubSpot CRM to centralize customer data and track interactions.
2. Advanced Segmentation ● They segmented customers based on purchase frequency and product preferences.
3. Proactive Chatbot (HubSpot Chatbot) ● They deployed a chatbot on their website to proactively greet visitors and offer assistance with product selection and order placement, triggered after 30 seconds of browsing on product pages.
4. Enhanced Knowledge Base (HubSpot Knowledge Base) ● They created a comprehensive knowledge base addressing common questions about coffee brewing, bean types, and ordering processes, proactively linked from order confirmation emails and website footer.
5. Social Listening (HubSpot Social Media Tools) ● They used HubSpot’s social media tools to monitor brand mentions and proactively engage with customers on Twitter and Instagram, responding to coffee-related questions and sharing brewing tips.

Results ●

• 25% Reduction in Reactive Support Tickets ● The proactive chatbot and knowledge base addressed many common questions, reducing the volume of email and phone inquiries.
• 15% Increase in Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Scores ● Customers appreciated the proactive assistance and readily available information.
• 10% Increase in Repeat Purchase Rate ● Personalized proactive communication and support fostered stronger customer loyalty.
• Improved Brand Perception on Social Media ● Proactive social engagement enhanced their brand image as helpful and responsive.

The Coffee Beanery’s experience demonstrates how intermediate proactive customer service strategies, leveraging CRM and related tools, can deliver significant improvements in customer satisfaction, efficiency, and business outcomes for SMBs.

Intermediate proactive strategies, like CRM-driven personalization and proactive chatbots, allow SMBs to significantly improve customer experience Meaning ● Customer Experience for SMBs: Holistic, subjective customer perception across all interactions, driving loyalty and growth. and operational efficiency.

Advanced

AI-Powered Predictive Customer Service

At the advanced level, proactive customer service leverages the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to move from reactive anticipation to predictive engagement. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of customer data to predict future needs, potential issues, and even customer churn Meaning ● Customer Churn, also known as attrition, represents the proportion of customers that cease doing business with a company over a specified period. risk. This allows SMBs to take proactive actions with unprecedented precision and scale.

Predictive Analytics for Issue Prevention

AI-powered predictive analytics Meaning ● Strategic foresight through data for SMB success. can identify patterns and signals that indicate potential customer issues Before they occur. This enables proactive intervention to prevent problems and improve customer experience. Key applications include:

• Churn Prediction ● AI models can analyze customer data (e.g., engagement metrics, purchase history, support interactions) to predict which customers are at high risk of churn. Proactive retention efforts, such as personalized offers or targeted outreach, can then be implemented to re-engage these customers.
• Support Ticket Prediction ● AI can analyze historical support ticket data to predict potential surges in support volume or identify emerging issue trends. This allows for proactive resource allocation and preparation to handle anticipated demand, preventing support backlogs and delays.
• Product Issue Prediction ● By analyzing product usage data, sensor data (for connected products), and customer feedback, AI can predict potential product failures or performance issues. Proactive maintenance alerts, troubleshooting guides, or even preemptive product replacements can be offered to customers, minimizing disruption and maximizing uptime.
• Personalized Recommendation Engines ● Advanced AI recommendation engines can analyze customer preferences, past purchases, and browsing behavior to predict future product interests. Proactive personalized recommendations can be delivered through email, chatbots, or website pop-ups, increasing sales and customer engagement.

Predictive analytics transforms proactive customer service from being reactive to potential issues to actively preventing them, creating a seamless and positive customer journey.

AI-Driven Personalized Proactive Outreach at Scale

AI empowers SMBs to deliver highly personalized proactive outreach to a large customer base, something that would be impossible with manual methods. AI-driven personalization goes beyond basic segmentation and tailors communication to individual customer needs and preferences in real-time.

• Dynamic Content Personalization ● AI can dynamically personalize content in emails, chatbots, and website interactions based on real-time customer data and context. This ensures that every proactive message is highly relevant and engaging to the individual recipient.
• AI-Powered Chatbots with Natural Language Understanding Meaning ● Natural Language Understanding (NLU), within the SMB context, refers to the ability of business software and automated systems to interpret and derive meaning from human language. (NLU) ● Advanced chatbots powered by NLU can understand complex customer queries, intent, and sentiment. They can engage in more natural and human-like conversations, providing highly personalized proactive support and guidance.
• Proactive Omnichannel Engagement ● AI can orchestrate proactive outreach across multiple channels (email, SMS, in-app messages, social media) based on customer preferences and behavior. This ensures that customers receive proactive support through their preferred channels, creating a seamless omnichannel experience.
• Personalized Onboarding and Training ● AI can personalize onboarding and training programs for new customers based on their specific needs and use cases. Proactive personalized guidance helps customers quickly get value from your products or services, increasing adoption and satisfaction.

AI-driven personalization at scale transforms proactive customer service from a generalized approach to a highly individualized and impactful experience, fostering stronger customer relationships and loyalty.

Automating Proactive Issue Resolution with AI

AI can automate not just the identification of potential issues but also their proactive resolution. This takes proactive customer service to a new level of efficiency and effectiveness. Examples of AI-powered automated proactive issue resolution Meaning ● Proactive Issue Resolution, in the sphere of SMB operations, growth and automation, constitutes a preemptive strategy for identifying and rectifying potential problems before they escalate into significant business disruptions. include:

• Automated Troubleshooting and Self-Healing ● For technical products or services, AI can diagnose and automatically resolve common issues without human intervention. For example, AI can automatically reset a malfunctioning device, restore a service outage, or provide step-by-step troubleshooting guidance through a chatbot.
• Proactive Order Issue Resolution ● AI can monitor order fulfillment processes and proactively identify and resolve potential issues, such as delayed shipments or incorrect orders. Automated alerts and proactive communication can be sent to customers, keeping them informed and resolving issues before they escalate.
• Automated Refund and Compensation Processes ● In cases of service failures or product defects, AI can automate the process of issuing refunds or compensation to affected customers proactively. This demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction and resolves issues quickly and efficiently.
• AI-Powered Customer Service Agents ● Advanced AI-powered virtual agents Meaning ● Virtual Agents, in the realm of Small and Medium-sized Businesses, represent AI-powered software entities designed to automate and streamline various business processes, from customer service interactions to internal task management. can handle a wide range of customer service tasks, including proactive outreach, issue resolution, and even complex problem-solving. These agents can work 24/7, providing consistent and efficient proactive support at scale.

Automating proactive issue resolution with AI not only improves customer experience but also significantly reduces operational costs and frees up human agents to focus on more complex and strategic tasks.

Cutting-Edge Tools and Platforms for Advanced Proactive Service

Implementing advanced proactive customer service strategies requires leveraging cutting-edge AI-powered tools and platforms. These tools are becoming increasingly accessible to SMBs, offering powerful capabilities without requiring extensive coding or technical expertise.

These advanced tools empower SMBs to build sophisticated proactive customer service systems that deliver personalized, predictive, and automated support experiences, driving significant competitive advantage.

Case Study ● SMB Leadership with AI-Driven Proactive Service

“Tech Solutions Pro,” a fictional SMB providing managed IT services to other SMBs, wanted to differentiate itself through exceptional proactive customer service. They faced challenges in scaling their support while maintaining high service quality.

Advanced AI-Driven Proactive Service Implementation ●

1. AI-Powered Predictive Analytics (Google Analytics & Custom Model) ● They used Google Analytics Meaning ● Google Analytics, pivotal for SMB growth strategies, serves as a web analytics service tracking and reporting website traffic, offering insights into user behavior and marketing campaign performance. to track website and application usage and developed a custom AI model to predict potential IT issues for their clients based on system performance data and historical patterns.
2. AI-Driven Personalized Outreach (Salesforce Marketing Cloud) ● They implemented Salesforce Marketing Cloud to deliver personalized proactive alerts and recommendations to clients based on predicted issues and their specific IT infrastructure.
3. Automated Issue Resolution with AI Chatbots (Dialogflow) ● They deployed AI-powered chatbots using Dialogflow to automatically resolve common IT issues, such as password resets and basic troubleshooting, triggered proactively when potential issues were detected.
4. AI-Powered Virtual Agents (Salesforce Service Cloud Einstein) ● They integrated Salesforce Service Cloud Einstein to handle complex proactive support tasks, such as scheduling proactive maintenance and providing personalized IT consulting based on client needs.
5. Customer Data Platform (Segment) ● They used Segment to unify customer data from various sources, providing a holistic view of each client’s IT environment and enabling highly personalized and proactive service.

Results ●

• 40% Reduction in Client-Reported IT Issues ● Predictive analytics and proactive issue resolution significantly reduced downtime and disruptions for clients.
• 30% Increase in Client Retention Rate ● Clients highly valued the proactive support and felt more secure and supported, leading to increased loyalty.
• 20% Improvement in Support Team Efficiency ● AI automation handled routine tasks and proactive issue resolution, freeing up their support team to focus on strategic client consulting and complex projects.
• Premium Pricing and Competitive Differentiation ● Their AI-driven proactive service became a major differentiator, allowing them to command premium pricing and attract clients seeking top-tier IT support.

Tech Solutions Pro demonstrates how SMBs can leverage advanced AI-powered tools and strategies to achieve leadership in proactive customer service, creating significant competitive advantages and driving sustainable growth.

Advanced AI-powered strategies enable SMBs to deliver predictive, personalized, and automated proactive customer service, achieving a significant competitive edge.

References

• Kotler, Philip, and Kevin Lane Keller. Marketing Management. 15th ed., Pearson Education, 2016.
• Reichheld, Frederick F., and W. Earl Sasser Jr. “Zero Defections ● Quality Comes to Services.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 68, no. 5, 1990, pp. 105-11.
• Rust, Roland T., and P. K. Kannan, editors. e-Service ● New Directions in Theory and Practice. M.E. Sharpe, 2006.