8 Tips to Implement an Excellent Digital Self-Service in the Call Center

Offering an effective digital self-service that meets customer expectations and reduces costs should be part of the operational strategy of every call center. But many users believe that self-service options are lacking.

8 Tips to Implement an Excellent Digital Self-Service in the Call Center

1) Design a Digital Self-Service Strategy Based on Customer Feedback

There is a lot of data that identifies tasks that customers could complete through digital self-service. To begin, you have to analyze the types of contact, what users are looking for on the website and what your competitors are doing. But just because customers can complete certain transactions through self-service doesn’t always mean they want to.

After analyzing the possibilities and having a list of candidates for self-service tasks, it is convenient to know the opinion of the customers. Thus, it may be discovered, for example, that customers like the idea of self-service bill payment, even though they prefer the assistance of an agent to solve billing problems. Knowing the customer’s preferences will help ensure that you create solutions that you will actually use.

2) Put the Self-Service in a Place in the Customer Journey that Makes Sense

Have you ever visited a new website and, before you had a chance to find what you are looking for, were you greeted by a chatbot asking if you need help? Putting self-service in the right place in the customer journey requires analysis and some trial and error. For example, perhaps chatbots are effective when people linger on a specific page for longer than average, a possible indication that they need help.

3) Find a Highly Visible Starting Point

A comprehensive digital self-service strategy may require some investment, especially if it includes virtual agents and mobile app development. Having a highly visible starting point can help build momentum by showing business leaders that the investment will lead to higher customer satisfaction, lower costs, or both.

4) Be Realistic about Capabilities and Limitations

If you want digital self-service to be successful, you have to be realistic about its capabilities and limitations. An AI-powered virtual agent has many more capabilities than a simple rules-based chatbot, but both will be more successful when applied to simple, defined tasks. The same applies to other self-service solutions. So you have to identify what those tasks are. And if self-service is not the right channeling for a customer, direct them to a more appropriate one.

5) Create a Clear and Seamless Route to Agent Assistance

Did you know that half of the customers who try self-service would end up seeking the help of an agent? Therefore, it is necessary to plan and design self-service solutions so that customers have a clear path to an agent. For example, “click to call” links should stand out to users. And customers shouldn’t be required to repeat their problems to agents; Instead, make sure they have easy access to what happened in the digital self-service attempt.

6) Update Digital Self-Service Offers

A good digital self-service strategy also includes continuous improvement and measurement plans. No customer-facing channel consists of “set it and forget it,” especially one in which customers go through the motions on their own. Therefore, the incorporation of continuous improvements must be a priority, including them in the budget and allocating the necessary resources.

7) Take Advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence has changed the rules of the game for customer service, making interactions more personalized with capabilities like smarter routing and real-time agent training. AI can also be used to make digital self-service more efficient and satisfying. Natural Language Processing (NLP) allows customers to chat with virtual agents in a natural way rather than being limited to a few menu options like those offered by rule-based bots. Additionally, language capabilities can also enhance mobile app self-service experiences.

8) Harness the Power of Cloud Technology

To keep up with customers’ digital self-service demands, a flexible and scalable cloud contact center platform is required. Industry-leading cloud communications providers continually leverage the latest technology to add new software features, including innovative self-service capabilities that can be easily turned on and off.

In addition, the use of Cloud Computing APIs facilitates integrations with administrative systems, allowing more types of transactions. And when digital self-service channels are highly successful and their usage volume increases substantially, a cloud solution can easily be scaled to accommodate increased demand.