Online customer support software has changed the way that businesses interact with their customers. The potent combination of live chat, email management, and an online knowledge base lets customers get their questions answered without waiting endlessly on the phone. When done right, online customer support software provides customers with a fast resolution to their problems.

But great online customer support software doesn’t come cheap. And it’s more than just chat, an auto responder, and a quick FAQ– it’s about the successful implementation of those tools …

New York City-based LivePerson is one of the best known and fastest-growing companies in the online customer support software field. With solutions for a variety of industries–Retail, ISP, Site Hosting, Software, Hardware, Financial Services, Universities, Libraries, Travel, Real Estate, and Gaming–the company has grown at a remarkable rate, ranking 124th in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 for 2004. LivePerson has online customer support software solutions for the enterprise, as well as for small and mid-sized businesses.

From the big city to big sky country, Bozeman, Montana-based RightNow Technologies provides self-service portals, email response management, and live chat along with customer surveys and analytics.