Eaccess for purchasers
March 2003
The recognition of the Internet's cost efficiency in terms of customer
contact has taken a further step forward with the introduction of major
on-line guarantee registration for such high street brands as Hotpoint,
Creda and Cannon domestic appliances.
Designed in-house by the Domestic & General web development team
on behalf of General Domestic Appliances Limited (the company behind
the Hotpoint, Creda and Cannon brands), the new registration section
of their award winning www.theservicecentre.co.uk site went live on the
21st January 2003 and now offers both on line registration but also immediate
quotation and take up for the manufacturer's extended guarantee options.
'This site encourages guarantee card registration
by making it really easy,' explains Ben Rees, D&G's e-business manager. 'It is also backed
by a 24/7 email and telephone service for any immediate queries. The
Service Centre site eases administration but is also an income generator
as it offers GDA customers an immediate quote for longer-term repair
protection on the appliance.'
'We were somewhat sceptical as to whether our customers
would be prepared to register their purchase on the web,' says Ian
Moverley, GDA's After-Sales Service Marketing Manager. 'We
decided to proceed because customer data is vitally important to our
operation and D&G were able to deliver
a cost-efficient solution. Guarantee card registration also benefits
our customers because there should be no questions needed if they have
any queries in years to come and we can also contact them with specific
offers based on their purchase information. The web address will soon
be carried on all of our guarantee cards and in mailings so we are anticipating
at least 1000 registrations pcm.'
The web development team at Domestic & General, the UK's leading
specialist provider of repair plans, have already provided sites for
other major industry players such as Sharp, Vokera and Flymo and new
sites are being prepared for many of the manufacturers for whom they
administer plans.
'By undertaking all the work in-house we keep costs
down whilst our experience in the appliance marketplace means we create
workable sites that are attractive to visit and easy to navigate', concludes Rees.