Why You Need To Offer Self-Service Customer Support

Businesses that provide the right self-help tools ensure that their support team are using their time effectively, and aren’t getting bogged down with issues that could be resolved by the customer. This results in faster response times, cost reductions, and greater customer satisfaction.

Why self-service customer support is beneficial

Loyal customers are satisfied customers, and they play a vital role in growing a business. With this in mind, it’s important to create a flawless support experience by providing a self-help portal that can be available 24 hours a day. Not only can it give people access to a knowledge base filled with all the information they need, it can also bolster brand recognition through word of mouth as your business’s automated support options impress customers.

In addition, self-service alternatives help reduce overall costs and staff workload, which allows support agents to allocate extra time to more critical tasks.

Best self-service customer support options

Giving customers access to resources like an FAQ section and tutorial pages is equipping them with the necessary tools to solve minor issues by themselves. A chatbot that communicates with customers using AI technology is also a great way to automate some of your business’ support functions. It can provide customers with links to guides, blog articles, and the help section on your website, which can drastically reduce time spent on minute support requests.

Another option is to use Interactive Voice Response (IVR), which is an automated phone system that acts on information received via voice or touch-tone keypad input. This allows customers to retrieve information and resolve issues without having to speak to an agent. Moreover, it’s a good idea to consider automated text services that help provide faster response times and allow customers to access self-help options on the go.

Going beyond self-service customer support

When a customer faces persistent issues, it’s best to provide them with alternative ways to contact the support department. Email contact forms, dedicated phone support, and live chat functionalities are all ways of expanding customer support.

It’s also worth getting a contact center software solution that handles calls, emails, live chats, and social media support requests via an easy-to-use platform. This way, support agents won’t need to switch between different apps and can respond to multiple queries at the touch of a button. What’s more, contact center software come with comprehensive reporting and analytical tools that can help track and improve customer service.

Customers can also benefit from automated phone systems like Nextiva, which extends support beyond traditional business hours. It lets people interact with a business’s phone system without the need for any support agent input, not to mention it handles multiple calls simultaneously . Although automated phone systems lack a human touch, there are ways of making them more user-friendly by shortening menu options and recording personal greetings.

Call Center Agents Are Here to Stay

In a world where businesses are constantly trying to cut costs, it may seem counterintuitive to have support representatives. However, there are customers who still prefer to speak directly to a human agent in order to get consistent and reliable answers to their questions.

In addition, automated systems like chatbots still lack the ability to provide a personalized experience and resolve tricky issues that require more back-and-forths. To provide stellar customer support, businesses can combine contact center software and self-service options with support representatives.