While some issues require outside help, sometimes it’s easier to do it yourself. If you’ve ever called a customer service number to check an account balance or the status of an order without interacting with an actual human, you’re familiar with self-service options for customer support.
The majority of consumers (65 percent) report turning to self-service options for simple needs, according to the 2020 State of Service report from Salesforce. Additionally, the report states that 66 percent of customer service professionals report that self-service options like customer communities and portals lower case volumes, which means allowing clients to help themselves makes life easier for everyone.
Subsequently, to achieve the best possible employee and customer experiences, you should look for contact center solutions with self-service capabilities. Many Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platforms include features allowing customers to resolve queries independently. Here’s what you should know about contact center self-service capabilities and the advantages of deploying software that gives your clients those options.
Common customer self-service features for contact centers
As contact center software has advanced, so have self-service options. Here are some examples of cloud contact center self-service features, according to our partners NICE and Talkdesk.
- Interactive voice response (IVR) system: Today’s IVRs leverage natural language processing (NLP) abilities to understand callers’ responses.
- Virtual customer service agent: An AI-powered virtual agent can have natural conversations with clients to resolve their issues, answer queries and guide callers through transactions with your company.
- Chatbots: You’ve likely interacted with chatbots on corporate websites. These bots can be rules-based or leverage machine learning and AI to address end users’ questions and issues. Visit this blog entry for more info: How chatbots improve customer experience (CX)
Why your contact center software should have self-service capabilities
Deploying contact center self-service features can benefit your company in numerous ways. Here are some of the most significant advantages of giving customers the option to resolve queries without assistance from a service professional, according to NICE and Qualtrics.
- Shorter wait times
- Less work for customers and agents
- More choices for customers
- 24/7 service (since self-service is available outside of standard business hours)
- Cost containment (serve more clients with fewer agents)
- More time for agents to focus on complex issues
Overall, contact center self-service options can enhance CX and stop your agents from getting bogged down by simple requests.
Find the best contact center software for your business
With so many contact center solutions on the market, finding the right fit for your business can be incredibly time-consuming and labor-intensive. Our trusted technology advisors can save you time and money by leveraging their extensive contact center solution experience, our partner network, and advanced tools to find products with self-service features that align with your needs and goals.
To learn more about our services and connect with our advisors, please call 877-599-3999 or email sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
