ASI Introduces New Supplier Chat Rooms In ESP

Suppliers can chat with customers and prospects in real time within ESP®

TREVOSE, PA – April 28, 2016 –The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI) today announced it has added a chat messaging service to ESP, the most robust and accurate shopping engine in the promotional products industry.

ESP Chat encourages real-time engagement and sharing between suppliers and distributors shopping for products in ESP. Suppliers hosting chat rooms can chat directly with distributor customers and prospects, close deals and provide quick answers to product inquiries.

All ESP Web® users will enjoy an automatic upgrade to ESP Chat by May 1.

ESP Chat features include:

• Personal communication. Make sales instantly in private room or participate in group chats
• Branding. Customize a chat room with supplier logos and colors
• Sharing. Post product links, photos and files
• Credibility. Hover over distributor names to view credit information in Connect™
• Feedback. Review reports showing unique visitors, banner views, products clicked, products viewed and more

“ASI’s new ESP Chat represents another investment in next-generation communications and customer-friendly online services,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “Suppliers can build even stronger relationships with distributors by providing the kind of personal service today’s customers expect.”

Click here to watch a short video overview of ESP Chat and click here for a list of current suppliers already hosting chat rooms.

ESP Chat comes with privacy controls that allow users the option of posting messages publicly or engaging in one-on-one private conversations. Users can also “Favorite” or “Block” people within chat.

Customers who use live chat for service report a 92% satisfaction rate, higher than customers who get service via phone, Web forms, email and social media, according to Zendesk, a cloud-based customer service platform.

For more information on hosting an ESP Chat room, contact your ASI sales representative or call 215-953-3124.  

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI®) serves a network of 25,000 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $22 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP®, manages the industry’s entire supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 61 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s Counselor® magazine provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 500+ live and online education courses for over 40,000 professionals. The company, family owned and operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA. For more info:www.asicentral.com.