“People don’t buy products, they buy experiences.” This quote is fundamental in commerce. Whether it comes to clothing or online shopping, experience has become a competitive product businesses offer.
Customer experience is a rather broad topic, encompassing various aspects. Oleh karena itu, providing a great customer experience is a multidimensional effort. One way to get closer to it is by ensuring your customers can swiftly and effortlessly resolve their issues.
Great customer support means a lot of things: fast responses, proactive agents, diskon, dan lebih. It also entails allowing customers to solve their problems on their own, anytime they want.
Scaling Customer Service
The problem with scaling customer service is that it usually increases spending for a business.
Latihan, alat, and tech must be spot-on to keep up with the demand. You want to make sure every customer’s voice is heard and every issue is quickly resolved, tetapi pada saat yang sama, you don’t want to hire an army of support agents.
Cost-effective scaling is a delicate dance between quality and not going broke. A good way to start with it is to optimize existing processes and reasonably invest in automation, making sure the human touch isn’t lost in the shuffle.
One way to scale your support is to implement self-service.
By providing customers with the tools and resources they need to find answers to their questions independently, businesses can improve their support without investing much into expanding the team’s headcount.
Dengan kata lain, you help your customers help themselves.
Self-service options, such as knowledge bases, Tanya Jawab, chatbots, and interactive tutorials, penawaran 24/7 support so customers can access information at their convenience and avoid all the fuss connected to interactions with a support team.
Consumers want to be able to solve their problems on their own (Sumber: Deloitte’s Customer Service Excellence Report)
Self-service is not just a tool or a set of tools. It should be a part of your customer service strategy as it aligns with the customer-centricity of business.
What Is Self-Service?
Self-service is about empowering customers to find solutions to their problems at their convenience.
Self-service provides customers access to various tools and resources, such as knowledge bases, Tanya Jawab, chatbots, and instructional guides. Pendekatan ini memungkinkan pelanggan menemukan solusi dan jawaban atas pertanyaan mereka tanpa memerlukan bantuan langsung dari agen dukungan.
Keuntungan dari Layanan Mandiri
Layanan mandiri menawarkan banyak manfaat bagi pelanggan dan bisnis.
Untuk pelanggan, itu berarti kenyamanan, karena mereka dapat menemukan jawaban dan menyelesaikan permasalahan dengan cepat dan mandiri, sering 24/7. Hal ini juga memberi mereka kendali atas interaksi mereka dan mengurangi rasa frustrasi saat menunggu bantuan.
Di sisi bisnis, layanan mandiri meningkatkan efisiensi operasional, reduces support costs, and frees up human resources to focus on more complex tasks. It also fosters data collection and insights, helping companies better understand customer needs.
Akhirnya, self-service is a win-win, improving customer satisfaction while optimizing business operations.
Let’s have a closer look at the benefits of self-service.
Penghematan biaya
As mentioned earlier, self-service options are cost-effective. They reduce the volume of incoming support inquiries and the need for a large customer support team, resulting in significant cost savings over time.
Improved Availability
Unlike support agents, customer self-service is there to help day and night.
Self-service options are available 24/7, allowing customers to access information and get help at any time that suits them. This convenience is especially valuable for global products or services that operate in different time zones or with busy schedules.
Faster Problem Resolution
Since self-service empowers customers to resolve issues on their own, often faster than waiting for assistance from a support agent, it leads to quicker problem resolution and increased customer satisfaction.
Waiting for an answer and not being able to resolve an issue are some of the most frustrating things for consumers (Sumber: HubSpot)
Reduced Customer Effort
Customer effort is the level of difficulty or the amount of effort a customer needs to put in to achieve a desired outcome when, misalnya, seeking help.
Self-service reduces the effort of finding information and getting help. Pelanggan dapat dengan mudah menavigasi basis pengetahuan dan FAQ atau menggunakan chatbots, menghilangkan berbagai hambatan.
Scalability
Alat layanan mandiri dapat dengan mudah disesuaikan untuk mengakomodasi basis pelanggan yang terus bertambah. Saat bisnis berkembang, layanan mandiri tetap menjadi pilihan dukungan yang konsisten dan efisien, tidak seperti mempekerjakan dan melatih staf pendukung tambahan.
Wawasan Berdasarkan Data
Baik itu perangkat lunak basis pengetahuan atau alat chatbot, alat tersebut menghasilkan data berharga tentang pelanggan Anda: perilaku mereka, pengaturan, kebutuhan, masalah yang paling umum, dan lebih. Data ini nantinya dapat mempengaruhi peningkatan bisnis dan produk.
Konsistensi
Layanan mandiri otomatis memastikan informasi yang konsisten. Baik itu basis pengetahuan atau chatbot, manajemen pengetahuan mendorong agen untuk menyatukan informasi.
Berbeda dengan agen manusia yang responnya mungkin berbeda-beda, layanan mandiri mengatur informasi dan berfungsi sebagai satu-satunya sumber informasi.
Mengurangi Beban Dukungan
Dengan menangani pertanyaan berulang, layanan mandiri mengurangi beban kerja agen pendukung. Hal ini memungkinkan mereka untuk fokus pada isu-isu yang lebih kompleks, meningkatkan produktivitas dan kepuasan kerja mereka secara keseluruhan.
24/7 Tersedianya
Alat-alat tersebut tersedia sepanjang waktu, memastikan pelanggan dapat mengakses bantuan kapan saja, termasuk di luar jam kerja biasa.
Pengalaman Pelanggan yang Ditingkatkan
Strategi layanan mandiri yang diterapkan dengan baik meningkatkan pengalaman pelanggan secara keseluruhan. Hal ini sejalan dengan preferensi pelanggan modern yang menghargai kenyamanan dan otonomi.
Kepuasan pelanggan sangat mempengaruhi peluang pelanggan merekomendasikan suatu merek atau membeli lagi dari merek tersebut (Sumber: Dengan senang hati)
Examples of Self-Service Tools
There are a few ways that you can quickly make your customers’ lives trouble-free.
Pengetahuan Dasar
A knowledge base is a repository of information that serves as a reference tool for individuals seeking answers to specific questions or solutions. It usually contains articles, panduan, Tanya Jawab, and other documents designed to provide insights into a particular subject, produk, atau layanan.
Knowledge bases are designed for easy navigation and for users to access the information they need quickly. Whether troubleshooting problems, or learning how to use a product, or understanding a complex concept, a knowledge base has it all.
Organizations using these tools can enable customers, karyawan, and support teams to access information on their own, anytime they want, reducing the need for one-on-one assistance.
Imagine never having to explain the same thing over and over again to new employees. With a knowledge base, all information is neatly organized, from company policies to best practices and onboarding materials. Company announcements, update, and reports are now kept in one place, available to all employees at their convenience.
When it comes to customers, they don’t have to wait on hold forever or send a gazillion emails to get answers. Quick fixes, Tanya Jawab, or in-depth guides can be quickly found in a pengetahuan dasar. Plus, it’s open 24/7, so they can solve their problems immediately and at any time, even on Saturday at 2 AM.
An example of a knowledge base by Nike
Interactive Tutorials and Guides
Interactive tutorials and guides walk you through everything you need to know, selangkah demi selangkah. They are fantastic tools that take a customer, or a user, dari “I have no idea” untuk “I got this” dalam waktu singkat.
They use visuals, animations, and clear instructions to help users find their way around something. Whether these are the first steps in a photo-editing software or a SaaS tool, interactive tutorials are the best way to teach users how to use a tool.
It is mostly because they offer an engaging way to assist customers in solving problems or mastering new skills. Unlike written instructions, interactive tutorials combine text with visuals, animations, and sometimes even quizzes to create a more immersive learning experience. This multimedia approach uses various learning styles, letting users absorb information effectively.
CeraVe offers customers a quiz that serves as an interactive guide to their products
chatbots
Chatbots are another tool worth considering when investing in self-service, whether it’s answering FAQs, providing product information, or guiding users through troubleshooting steps.
Chatbots are computer programs designed to simulate human conversation and interaction with users. They use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to understand and respond to text or voice inputs in a conversational manner.
They can be integrated into websites, messaging apps, or other digital platforms, providing an efficient way for customers to get answers to their questions, resolve issues, or access information.
Chatbots can handle a wide range of tasks, from answering frequently asked questions to assisting with product recommendations and even facilitating transactions.
Chatbots use artificial intelligence to respond to customers seeking assistance. Chatbots chat in real-time, which is convenient for customers as they can get help whenever they need it.
Chatbots follow predefined scripts and algorithms, so they are consistent in their responses, and they keep learning from each interaction. This makes them even more helpful over time.
A chatbot on the Warber Parker website
What If Self-Service Is Not Enough?
Tentu saja, self-service will not be able to solve more complicated customer problems. At least not yet.
Dengan ini dalam pikiran, customers need to have an easy way of connecting with human agents. This brings us to offering a smooth transition between self-service and human support.
The sweet spot here is about two things: giving customers the autonomy to find answers on their own and offering a helping hand when they need it.
Offering readily accessible channels such as live chat with an agent, dukungan telepon, or email ensures that customers don’t get stuck in frustrating dead ends. Sebaliknya, they can seamlessly transition to human assistance, where trained experts can provide personalized solutions and navigate the complexities of their unique situations.
Everything in business these days is customer-centric, so an easy switch to human support recognizes consumers’ pengaturan, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction.
Ada beberapa aspek yang perlu diingat tentang topik ini:
Hapus Jalur
Pertama-tama, pilihan layanan mandiri harus mudah diakses dan dipromosikan dengan baik kepada pelanggan. Ini termasuk memiliki situs web atau antarmuka aplikasi yang ramah pengguna, tautan layanan mandiri yang terlihat, dan instruksi yang jelas tentang cara memanfaatkan sumber daya swadaya.
Pengungkapan Progresif
Alat layanan mandiri harus secara progresif mengungkapkan opsi bantuan yang lebih personal. Mulailah dengan FAQ dasar dan basis pengetahuan, lalu menawarkan jalur eskalasi ke obrolan langsung, dukungan telepon, atau email.
Starbucks menawarkan pelanggan untuk memeriksa FAQ mereka sebelum terhubung dengan agen dukungan
Integrasi Obrolan Langsung
Beberapa alat obrolan langsung dapat dengan mudah mentransfer percakapan dari chatbot otomatis ke agen manusia bila diperlukan. Pelanggan harus dapat meminta bantuan langsung kapan saja selama interaksi mereka dengan chatbot.
Data pengguna
Ada baiknya mengumpulkan data pengguna seperti riwayat interaksi, pembelian, dan bagian lainnya. Making this data available to human agents when transitioning from self-service allows agents to understand the context of the customer’s inquiry and provide more personalized support.
Omnichannel Support
Use tools that enable customers to switch between self-service and various support channels without losing their data and context. This ensures that customers don’t have to repeat information when they switch from self-service to human support.
Feedback Loop
Collect customer feedback about their self-service experience and the transition to human support. Use this feedback to continuously improve the process and identify pain points.
Monitoring and Analytics
Use analytics to track customer journeys and identify patterns where customers frequently transition from self-service to human support. This data can inform improvements in self-service content and usability.
Ke Kau
Customer experience is a product.
Crafting exceptional customer experiences is a big effort. Salah satu bagian dari upaya ini adalah memastikan bahwa pelanggan dapat menyelesaikan masalah mereka dengan cepat dan mudah.
Pengalaman hebat dalam dukungan pelanggan tidak hanya berarti respons cepat, proactive agents, atau diskon tetapi juga memberdayakan pelanggan untuk menemukan solusi sesuai kenyamanan mereka. Namun, tantangannya adalah meningkatkan dukungan pelanggan tanpa membengkakkan biaya. Menemukan keseimbangan yang tepat antara kualitas dan efektivitas biaya adalah hal yang sulit. Namun di sinilah layanan mandiri muncul sebagai solusi yang menarik.
Dengan menyediakan alat kepada pelanggan untuk memecahkan masalah mereka sendiri, bisnis dapat meningkatkan dukungan mereka tanpa perluasan tim dukungan mereka. pada intinya, layanan mandiri menumbuhkan pemberdayaan diri pelanggan, menawarkan akses ke basis pengetahuan, Tanya Jawab, chatbots, dan tutorial interaktif yang menyediakan 24/7 pendampingan.
It’s more than a tool—it should be an integral part of your customer service strategy designed to enhance customer satisfaction and streamline business operations.
