Optimize the Self-Service Customer Experience

According to a report, The Self-Service Economy, 40 percent of consumers in a global survey claimed they would prefer to utilize self-service channels as opposed to human contact. It seems that this number is rapidly growing – and companies are listening. In the infographic below, learn more about how customers’ desires to help themselves are driving a self-service trend in the marketplace. Then, discover five ways to provide your customers with the self-service they crave while still maintaining a full-service feel.


 
According to this infographic by 1to1 Media, self-service channels are helping customers get the optimal experience they’re looking for more quickly. And, over time, customers are using self-service offerings at an increasing rate. For instance, in recent years, there has been a substantial rise in web self-service, chat, and community usage for customer service. Yet, while customers want to be able to find more information quickly and on their terms, companies need to ensure that they are still providing an exceptional customer experience through these self-service channels.

As an article by Business 2 Community points out, 71percent of customers believe providing good service is the most important thing a company can do. Therefore, companies need to think through their self-service plans before putting them into action. Below are five best practices, summarized from the article, for providing superior customer support through self-service channels.
 

1. Ensure your self-service support offering isn’t a maze of information. Customers will be frustrated if they have to sort through a myriad of information to find what they are searching for.
2. Always have a back-up. Sometimes, customers aren’t able to find exactly what they are looking for through self-service channels. Make it easy for your customers to contact a support associate for help in these instances.
3. Make the information available through multiple channels. Today, customers are searching for information in multiple ways, whether it is by phone, mobile app, or the web. Ensure the information is available through these alternative locations.
4. Keep your content fresh and consistent. That way, customers will view your company as a trusted resource, and may be willing to share the information you provide with others. This will inevitably drive even more traffic to your self-service offerings as the word spreads.
5. Make self-service improvement one of your goals. Ask your customers if your self-service offering was helpful. They’ll appreciate the chance to provide feedback, and the feedback will help you improve your offerings into the future.

Together, these best practices serve as a guide for meeting current self-service demands, while still providing a superior customer experience. This combination will help your organization transform your self-service channels in a way that exceeds current customer support expectations.

This infographic was created by 1to1 Media, and this article summarizes some of its contents. The original infographic is here.