E-Commerce reduces cycle time, improves employee's empowerment and facilitates customer support

E-commerce is short for electronic commerce, which is defined as the marketing of goods and services over the internet. Most of the large businesses typically have e-commerce websites, enabling customers and sellers to conduct business online. The websites established usually show details of their products and services, as well as related company information. Customers, sellers and interested parties can access to this information online.

Cycle time is defined as the amount of time the company takes to complete a business process. It is also defined as the time that elapses from the beginning to the end of a process. E-commerce reduces cycle time. It shortens the buying process. E-commerce does not only provide tangible products, but it includes a variety of products and services. E-commerce nowadays provides products and services like retail, finance, entertainment and media, and travel etc. With just few clicks, customers are able to find the stuff they desired. And these purchases can be done in few minutes online. E-commerce decreases and even eliminates the frustrations of locating and waiting for the product customers want by searching from mall to mall. The most well known e-commerce company is Dell Computers. Dell uses the Internet to enhance the advantages of direct marketing and hosts one of the world’s largest volume e-commerce Web sites. Customers can configure and price computers, order systems, and track their orders online. Its websites also provides simple interface for smooth transactions. Therefore, customers can purchase the desired Dell computers in beneficial and comfortable ways. This simple interface increases the sales and customer satisfactions in the same time.

Employee empowerment is the practice of giving non-managerial employees the obligations and the power to make decisions regarding their jobs or tasks. Large businesses nowadays need e-commerce to diversify their services. They do not only provide their products and services in shops, they provide such services online as well. With the establishment of e-commerce, employees can be empowered by delegating e-commerce responsibilities to them, such as allowing their employee to design the web sites and process, control and ensure the smoothness of transactions online, respond to complaints and suggestions of customer online, as well as updating company web site’s information, such as products details and news.

E-commerce websites are always equipped with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to facilitate customer support. This section contains frequently asked questions, together with the answers. Therefore, whenever customers have any doubts on the products or services provided in e-commerce website, they can first check at FAQ section. Alternatively, if the mentioned section still does not answer customers’ doubts and questions, they can write complaints via e-mail and e-mail them to the e-mail address provided. The contact details are usually listed in ‘customer service’ section provided in e-commerce website. For example, Dell e-commerce website is equipped with ‘customer service’ under ‘support section. Therefore, if the customers have further questions, they can contact Dell via e-mail or phone call, as provided in Dell’s website.

As a result, e-commerce nowadays has been improved continuously and it starts to gain confidence of consumers increasingly. Therefore, e-commerce has a promising future and it can be a great success if it is used and implemented in a smart way.