customer service chat (CSC)

In customer relationship management (CRM), customer service chat (CSC) is an Internet service that allows the user to communicate in real time with a customer service agent by using an instant messaging (IM) application that's built into the company's Web site. CSC is often part of a "blended media" approach to contact center management, where customer service agents use multimedia routing technology to interact with customers by telephone, fax, e-mail, and chat. In retail e-commerce, chat is promoted as being a cost-effective way to add personalization and social interaction to the online shopping experience as well as being a way to provide immediate responses to customer questions.