King County Library System Launches
‘AskNow’ Live Chat Service

SEATTLE July 7, 2009 –In 2008, the King County Library System (KCLS) piloted a live chat service called AskNow, which provides patrons with instant access to KCLS’ Answer Line staff for assistance with their account and other questions that can be quickly answered. AskNow is a service based on chat technology from Seattle-based InstantService.

KCLS library patrons have been very enthusiastic about the new AskNow Live Chat Service. One patron said, “I've never chatted before, yet it was so very simple and my personal experience was perfect!” Another stated, “This was the fastest and best solution to my problem. Thank you for offering it!”

As a result of the success of this pilot project and to improve patrons’ ability to access this service, KCLS expanded the online presence of AskNow. Beginning Tuesday, June 23, KCLS launched a series of new icons for the service:

Look for these icons (or a link to the service) on the library catalog home page as well as:

• Under the tips section on all of the pages under “My Account”
• On the account login page: https://catalog.kcls.org/patroninfo
• On the “Contact Us” page: http://www.kcls.org/about/contact
• On the “Site Help” page: http://www.kcls.org/sitehelp.cfm
• On the toolbar on the right-hand side of many KCLS.org pages

“We’re very pleased that our technology plays a critical part in this very helpful service for KCLS,” said Mike Lande, CEO of InstantService. “Adding chat to the site is a proven way to bolster customer satisfaction and provide a great customer experience. KCLS’s success with the program is a great testament to their commitment to delivering great convenience and service to patrons.”
 
For more information visit our Frequently Asked Questions at

www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/asknow/.

About InstantService
InstantService, Inc. is a leading SaaS provider of customer communication technologies for online businesses and contact centers. InstantService offers an integrated suite of live chat, email management, knowledge base, web site analytics and lead capture solutions to increase sales and enhance customer service. InstantService’s hosted software application easily integrates with existing ecommerce and CRM systems, facilitating valuable relationships between companies and their customers - the first step of customer relationship management. Over 350 companies trust InstantService's scalability, security and performance including Charter Communications, VeriSign, H&R Block, Spiegel, Intuit, McAfee, US Airways and DISH Network. To learn more about InstantService, visit http://www.instantservice.com to chat with a representative.