Over the course of this series, I have discussed the vital functionality that a comprehensive self-service platform should offer: it must allow customers to research, manage, transact and interact online. If these elements are implemented well, they can yield handsome rewards for the company putting a self-service solution in place.
But companies that don't get the basics right will be disappointed with the results they achieve. Below, I outline a few general principles of self-service, but most of them amount to a single golden rule. That rule is that the self-service solutions must be designed to meet the needs of its users and continue to evolve alongside their requirements.
For self-service solutions, the requirements for success break down into a few key areas:
1. Access to account data
Make sure customers have access to the detailed account data they need to answer their most common questions. That will help establish the self-service solution as the first place to go for answers.
2. Customer-driven functionality and design
Many companies start off by designing the self-service environment around their own business processes or their own expectations of cost-savings. But customers are not going to adopt self-service unless it is easier, cheaper, faster or richer in functionality than the processes and channels they currently use.
Do not underestimate the importance of usability. The vast majority of customers who are inconvenienced by a poorly designed self-service Web site never use it again.
3. Manage the transition between self-service and assisted-service
It's important to make sure customers can access help with the new solution and with escalating queries to assisted service if their questions are not answered, especially in the early phases of introducing self-service. But this needs to be done in a way that doesn't expose the business to unintended support costs.
Make sure there is some form of support in place to guide customers through the system - call centre agents to walk them through the processes, detailed FAQs on the Web site, or even staff on the shop floor who demo the self-service portal to customers at the branches.
Change management among staff is also critical, especially when remembering that many service employees will feel their jobs are threatened by self-service.
4. Integration with key systems and processes
Make sure the back-office systems and processes are properly integrated; clean up the systems architecture and look at introducing a solid enterprise application integration or middleware layer before going too far down the road of customer self-service.
Self-service solutions must be designed to meet the needs of its users and continue to evolve alongside their requirements.
Kevin Meltzer is business development director at Consology.
Many companies run into serious issues with legacy systems as they roll out self-service - poor response times, customer requests for service or information slipping between the cracks of poorly integrated back-office systems, constraints in the functionality that they can deploy because of a lack of flexibility in their legacy applications. Return on investment may be disappointing if the back office is not in order.
5. Continuous improvement
Customer service needs change all the time, according to new products introduced and events in the business environment. Solutions must change and adapt to be in line with their actual usage patterns and changing needs.
6. Think ahead
Mobile devices and smartphones are providing exciting new ways to connect with customers. For example, a mobile phone is a natural place to access basic information about a mobile account, such as minutes used, balance due and service options. Remember, the goal of self-service is to serve customers consistently and conveniently - irrespective of the channel - and put the right back-office infrastructure in place to do so.
Conclusion
The key to a successful self-service project is to recognise that self-service isn't only about cost benefits for the organisation. It's also an opportunity to offer consistent and convenient service to customers, which leads to more customer satisfaction and loyalty.
To do so, a business must build its self-service systems around the research, manage, transact and interact needs of its customers. Use these building blocks and put them together with the principles outlined above, and companies will be well on their way to building better self-service experiences.
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