Coldwater Creek’s rising Web sales lead to teleservices expansion Rising Web sales and growing demand for online customer service have led Sandpoint, ID-based Coldwater Creek Inc. to organize new Web site teleservices departments.
Coldwater Creek projects as much as 25% of total revenue this year will be generated by its Web site (www.coldwatercreek.com).
First quarter sales totaling $86.9 million include $13.2 million in Internet sales, plus $69.9 million in catalog sales and $3.8 million in sales at four retail stores.
The company opened a pair of new customer interaction centers to replace a former center in Mineralwells, WV. One new center was opened in August in Coeur d’Alene, ID, and a second Web site teleservices department is located in Parkersburg, WV.
The new Coeur d’Alene center has about 350 stations and room for expansion for a total of 400 stations. The 60,599-square-foot facility includes stations for a separate group of 35 “Web agents” to answer phones, manage e-mail and conduct online text-chats with customers.
The Parkersburg center, which opened since last summer, has about 200 stations with room to grow to 300. Its new Web site teleservices department employs five people.
The company currently maintains separate staffs for handling catalog and online customers. Separate 800 numbers are used to distinguish between the two.
Agents handling catalog calls answer a blend of sales and customer service calls, which helps keep overhead costs down. Similarly Web agents at the company receive sales and customer service calls.
To promote greater Web site usage and increase online customer contacts, Coldwater Creek plans to begin testing postcard mailings this fall for new customer prospecting.
According to company COO Tom Scott, the firm won’t blend customer contacts until the Web site volume grows substantially.
