Marketers want customers to serve themselves.(News)(Forrester Research's Customer Experience Spending Booms in 2006)(Brief article)

Byline: KATE MADDOX

Marketers will increase spending in 2006 to drive customers to self-service channels such as Web sites and automated phone services, according to a new report from Forrester Research.

The report, "Customer Experience Spending Booms in 2006,'' was based on a survey of 105 marketers in the fourth quarter at companies with annual revenue of $200 million or more. Respondents included b-to-c as well as b-to-b marketers.

"Any channel that involves hiring and paying a human being to talk to your human being customer is inherently expensive,'' said Nate Root, VP-research director at Forrester.

He said the average cost per call …