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How complete self-service models improve CX, boost revenue per customer and deliver on personalization
By implementing Zoomin you can boost the quality of your self-service solutions and get customers the help they need quicker and more efficiently.
With more people doing business and making transactions online, the demand for self service customer support solutions has grown more than ever in recent years. However, when discussing self-service vs customer support, it is often important to outline and understand the differences between the two. Customer support refers to the more traditional model by which customers receive support from a live agent. They might receive this support over the phone, via chat, or even in-person. Self-service, by contrast, allows customers to find the answers they need on their own, without having to wait for an actual person to assist them.
There are many benefits of customer self-service, but perhaps the most obvious is that it allows customers to get the support they need when they need it. You might wait for hours to speak to a customer service rep on the phone, but with a self-service portal, you can easily look for answers and find tips for troubleshooting. Of course, not all issues can be resolved through self-service solutions, and customers that require help with complex problems will naturally be more inclined to seek live support, but these solutions can be extremely useful for those that are looking for a quick, easy fix. From a business angle, self-service solutions are valuable because they reduce the need for around-the-clock live support. With fewer people needed to deal with customer support issues, businesses can invest more time and money elsewhere. It frees them from having to spend hours each day on the phone with customers. Customer self-service statistics and customer satisfaction statistics reaffirm the importance of offering self-service options to customers.
This is especially true when self-service tools are paired with solutions such as those offered by Zoomin. Content can really make or break the support experience. In fact, over half of support cases can be avoided with good content, which is why it’s so important to align your support options with a good content experience so as to avoid confusion in the first place.
A self service portal is a platform that enables customers to independently find solutions to their problems. For example, a business might implement a customer self-service portal on their website where customers can find an FAQ section that addresses common questions related to their products. Other customer self-service portal examples include knowledge bases and chatbots.
Some self-service platforms require users to input self service portal login info to access certain features. Businesses can customize their portals according to their needs, making them public or private, or only granting access to those that need them most. However, self-service portals are usually most successful when they can be easily accessed by any customer that visits the website. Making a portal too complex can defeat the entire purpose of having a self-service system. Customers appreciate being able to find solutions quickly and without hassle, so it’s a good idea to make your portal as user-friendly as possible. Don’t make customers jump through more hoops than necessary.
There are many different types of self-service solutions. One of the most common is chatbots. Chatbots are AI-powered tools that simulate human conversation, responding to questions and concerns posed by customers. The great thing about chatbots is that they look and feel like a regular online chat tool, only there isn’t a live person on the other end. This makes it possible for multiple customers to receive help at once. Other self-service solutions include tutorial videos and community forums.
While self-service features vary, depending on the solution, they’re all designed with one ultimate purpose in mind: making it easier for customers to seek support on their own. Your self-service strategy might look drastically different from someone else’s, but it’s important to acknowledge some of the underlying pain points that are frequently mentioned by customers so that you can work to address these in your self-service solutions.
Zoomin allows users to create data-driven content experiences that enable customers to resolve issues on their own with personalized self-service solutions. The platform also provides actionable insights so that users can identify trouble spots and look for ways to improve their self-service solutions. By implementing Zoomin you can boost the quality of your self-service solutions and get customers the help they need quicker and more efficiently.
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When it comes to self service online, there are several options that you can offer customers. You might provide a self-service portal directly on your website, or you could even get a self service app through which users can receive support. However you choose to deploy your self-service portal, one of the most critical features to include is some sort of customer self service chat functionality. Having access to a chatbot or other self-service chat can help customers get help quickly.
As mentioned previously, you may choose to require a self service login username and or password in order for customers to access your self-service features. The downside to this, though, is that it creates an additional barrier for customers seeking support, and customers that are seeking support are likely already in a hurry and wanting to get their issue resolved as quickly as possible. Forcing them to create an account to access your portal can be frustrating to users and prevent them from receiving timely support.
You may consider viewing customer self-service examples for inspiration on how to construct an effective self-service portal for your website. Some of the best self-service portals contain a self customer service number through which customers can get in touch with a live agent if need be. They also tend to include additional information related to the business so that customers can contact support if they require further assistance. Customers may also access a self service website.
AI-powered chatbots are among the most popular and useful tools for self-service, but another great example of customer self-service is an FAQ page. Here, customers can browse a list of frequently-asked questions to see whether or not their issue has already been addressed in full. To make your FAQ page as effective as possible, you might also link to other parts of your website, or even third-party sources. Community forums are helpful in that they offer users the space and opportunity to chat with other customers and see if anyone else has encountered their problem, and if so, how they went about solving it.
From a business standpoint, the self-service model is a major boon for all parties involved. That is because businesses can spend more time attending to other matters, while customers still receive the help they need. Depending on how you choose to structure your self-service portal and what features you offer customers, a self-service system can actually be less expensive than having to provide 24/7 live support. The self-service business model relies on quality content experiences that are so good they can reasonably replace human interaction.
The last thing you want to do as a company is switch to a self-service system and leave customers feeling more lost and confused than they were prior to seeking support, so it is absolutely essential that you integrate good content into your self-service portal to provide customers with an all-around fruitful experience. You want them to walk away feeling that your business cared about their concerns, even if you weren’t interacting with them face-to-face.
Your self-service model can be improved using a platform like Zoomin, which collects your business data and info on an ongoing basis in order to provide customers with up to date, personalized product info. Tailored solutions can be incredibly helpful in assisting customers and can help them find the answers they need faster and easier.
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