In the age of technology and self sufficiency, self service has become an integral part of today's culture. However, when people are trained to serve themselves, whether at the grocery store or the fast food joint down the street, the human element is often removed from the service quotient.
The good news is that you can implement the efficiency of self service into your business without sacrificing a positive customer service in the process. We have tips to help you make self service synonymous with high quality customer service.
The 24/7 Dilemma
One reason that self service has recently become looked upon as the solution to customer support is the customers' need for access to a business 24/7. This desire for accessibility is very expensive for companies to accommodate – unless a category of automation comes into play.
To ensure customers can get information anytime of the day or night, self service is introduced. Unfortunately, for many companies, self service becomes a full replacement for human contact, which takes the customer service edge away from the businesses that implement it.
The Rise of Social Media
Another factor that has played a part in the prevalence of self service is social media. Customers today have access to your company's information through a wide range of venues, including Facebook and Twitter. Why contact a business directly today, when information might easily be obtained through one of these venues?
The problem with social media, like other forms of self service, is that if it is misused or not handled properly, customer service gets sacrificed in the process.
Consolidating Customer Options
A big advantage to implementing self service options in a company is that the customer has a wide variety of contact options to choose from when a question or concern arises. Customers today can visit company websites, Facebook pages, indulge in live chat or send email messages.
With so many good options to choose from, customers can rest assured a company's service department is as close as a click of the mouse. Unfortunately, this can result in little human contact and a less personalized customer service experience overall.
Maintaining the Standard Throughout
So how does a business walk the delicate balance between convenience and friendly service today? The main principle in upping the bar on the quality of self service options is to hold them to the same standard as other customer service tools. This means that no matter how a customer decides to contact your business; through phone, email, live chat or a FAQs page on your website, they should receive the same quality experience throughout. Self service techniques are merely a tool for customer service, not a replacement for it.
In the business of today, convenience is an important component of a health customer service philosophy, and that is where self service options come into play. Fortunately, there are many ways to bring that convenience to the customer without sacrificing service quality in return. With these tips in mind, self service can become just another way to show customers how valuable their business is to your company.
- Meredith Estep