Consistency Breeds Content

In any service business, consistency is key. People know that a Big Mac will be the same whether they eat it in Manhattan or Marrakech. So, too, in the grocery delivery business. "We go to hotel chains and fast-food chains because we know what to expect," says Joe O'Leary, partner and U.S. leader for the Customer and Channels Group at Arthur Andersen. "Consumers are looking for a consistent level of service." Customer-service representatives provide that consistency on a day-to-day basis, but behind the scenes, all departments must remain on the same page to guarantee long-term success. "Customers expect that they are dealing with the same company -- whether they're there in person, on the phone, or online," O'Leary says. "At both the shallowest and deepest levels, companies must be consistent in their focus on the customer."

For Webvan, consistency means extensive interdepartmental training and a strong mission. "You can stop any employee in the hall," says Nobile, "and they'll tell you Webvan's mission. Not word for word, but the essence is there. Everybody's on the same page."

Technology Isn't Everything

Technology has made customer service more efficient in some ways, but not always as expected. "Take instant messaging," says Gonzales. "It works, but not the way people thought it would. We thought chat would be a really efficient way of communicating with customers one-on-one, but it didn't turn out that way." Individual chat sessions between a service rep and a customer just aren't economically viable, Gonzales says. But instant messaging becomes efficient if a rep can have multiple chat sessions up at once. Even with tweaking, instant messaging cannot compete with a tried-and-true old-economy technology -- the telephone -- which is still the most common vehicle of communication for Webvan customers.

The future will be different. Parks and O'Leary insist that more companies will use integrated systems that will allow customer-service reps to access all kinds of information about a customer's past complaints, spending, and interests. That's the kind of information infrastructure that Webvan is working to build now.

Technology, a company-wide commitment to service, and the best possible people form the keystone of Webvan's quest for success. Like all e-commerce business plans, the delivery market is very much a work in progress. The Holy Grail for the entire industry is to deliver on the promise of better service and greater convenience, and still make a profit. Despite its stock market woes, Webvan is one of a few pioneers making progress toward that goal. It's impossible to say yet if Webvan will become profitable. But if the company manages to institute its plan, it will do so having developed a new benchmark for service.

Sidebar: Getting the Goods on Customer-Service Candidates

Attracting great customer-service representatives is the primary challenge facing B2C companies today. A tight talent market only exacerbates the task. "All the clients I talk to -- whether they're in retail, fast food, or hotels -- is worried about attracting and retaining customer-service people who will offer a consistent message to the customer," says Joe O'Leary, partner and U.S. leader for the Customer and Channels Group at Arthur Andersen. "There is little loyalty and much turnover, especially at the lower end of the spectrum. These people are the most tangible representation of your company to the customer, so you need to make sure they are hardwired to give good service."

But finding inherently helpful talent is no easy feat. Résumés rarely reflect a candidate's ability to resolve conflicts or willingness to go the extra mile for a customer. With that in mind, O'Leary along with Mike Gonzales, Webvan director of customer service, and Anthony Parks, owner of eCustomer Service, offer the following tips on how to determine a candidate's customer-service quotient during an interview.

Look for Body Language

O'Leary has devised a checklist of certain simple cues that signal good service. Does your customer-service representative make eye contact? Does he call you by name? Does he stick with you until your question has been answered or your problem solved?

"It's always a good sign to see a candidate smiling when he arrives for an interview," says Gonzales, who agrees that little things can mean a lot.

Take Them Outside the Box

Gonzales, Parks, and O'Leary agree that past experience is important, but -- as stockbrokers say -- yesterday's rewards are no promise of tomorrow's returns. All three recommend looking beyond a candidate's résumé by asking provocative interview questions like, Tell me about your best and worst customer-service experiences, or Describe a conflict in a group you were a part of. How was it resolved? What was your role? Perhaps the simplest of all is, Tell me about a time when you helped someone.