Self-Service Portals and why they are vital to great digital experiences.
This is my next iteration in customer service & experience and today I’m focusing on Self Service Portals including our Self-Service and IaaS Management Portal, MyCloudSpace aka MCS.
Most organizations understand that great customer experience is pivotal to staying competitive and this is no different here at vBridge. They also recognize that in an increasingly connected world, that experience has to be digital. Key to both is ensuring that their self-service portals are as compelling as possible.
Strategic customer experience leaders also recognize that customer-facing solutions, like web portals, must include self-service elements in order to be a truly effective and valuable tool and this is why MyCloudSpace was developed and continues to grow rich in features. I’m fortunate enough to sit next to the man that built MCS and let me tell you, he’s one smart cookie! Plus, he won an award for it as well.
Research shows that 69% of customers first try to resolve their issue on their own, showing just how important self-service is. Additionally, Gartner estimates that 85% of all customer service interactions will start with self-service by 2022. Despite that, less than one-third of companies offer self-service options. That suggests a deficit of understanding when it comes to the advantages self-service portals afford the user.
Why self-service matters.
It’s not difficult to see why so many customers prefer self-service options either. Self-service customer support is often more convenient, faster, and more flexible with respect to customers’ unique time, energy, and resource availability.
Because customer self-service channels tend to require much lower customer effort inputs than other customer service channels, users are drawn to them. People are always likely to choose the option which requires the least amount of energy on their part. This is actually far from the cliché of “just wanting to speak to a human”, as most would rather solve a problem themselves.
But customer preference isn’t the only reason to invest in a self-service portal. Well-implemented self-service can provide long-term benefits such as:
· Faster support response times
· Greater volume of support handled
· Increased customer satisfaction
An addition not a replacement.
This is critical to understand. Businesses can’t assume that self-service will work in every instance. When customers have highly complicated or unique questions and situations that require human expertise or if they prefer to speak to representatives, then the organisation’s support team should be ready to jump in. I think we do that pretty well here at vBridge. Our support team is always willing to assist and go that extra mile to make sure our customers issues are resolved, even in instances when it’s not our issue to resolve. I’ve been on the receiving end of this equation in the past and can attest to that statement.
Ultimately, self-service does not give businesses the license to simply ignore their customers. Self-service is meant to elevate the existing customer service experience, not replace it.
But as customers move towards a fully connected world enabled by technology, the demand for immediacy, connectivity, and simplicity in every interaction will only grow stronger. Companies that are able to provide relevant and agile customer experiences will be the ones that differentiate themselves from their competitors, and a compelling self-service offering is critical to that.
If you’re a customer and would like to dive deeper into the capabilities of MCS, please feel free to reach out to me rob.green@vbridge.co.nz and I'll gladly assist.