Customer Selfservice

Full flexibility for customers in the subscription business. Customer centricity is becoming more important than ever because customers want maximum self-determination in the management of their products and their data. With a customer self service portal, customers can act independently of location and time and to manage their subscriptions independently, anywhere and at any time. Offering a customer self service portal is indispensable for digital companies today as a supplement to customer service.

Customer selfservice commonly describes a company’s offering of self-help capabilities to its customers that do not require interaction with the company’s own support team. Customer self-service portals can be found in a wide variety of areas; they range from ATMs to airport check-in kiosks to self-service portals on websites. Customers have the opportunity to make changes or adjustments to their account. They also have the option of searching for an answer to their question in the self-service portal when questions or problems may arise.

Today’s customers expect flexibility in terms of time and space, autonomy, and time savings in managing their accounts. With the help of a customer selfservice portal, the appropriate changes can be made autonomously.

For example, subscriptions can be upgraded or downgraded through self-service. Billing information, contract adjustments, or changes to personal information can be handled quickly and easily without having to contact support or another department.

The resolution of any problems is also simplified and accelerated by such a portal, as this resolution path is often perceived as faster and more efficient. Using a self service portal on their own, without the help of a support hotline or customer service representative, is therefore preferred by many.

The customer experience, which includes service, is also an important decision factor for or against a company. Therefore, the development of a contemporary customer self-service portal is fundamental to satisfy potential buyers and existing customers and to generate sustainable sales. In addition, the implementation of a good customer centricity and associated self service strategy not only increases customer satisfaction and the associated customer loyalty, but also reduces overall expenditure at the same time.

Customer self service portals combine functions from account settings, knowledge databases, FAQ and support tasks. All resources and tools that are relevant for customers and the management of their subscriptions are combined here. Through the customer portal, they can access knowledge base articles, create and manage tickets, or view how-to guides and tutorial videos through a single interface, for example – depending on the company and product. The goal of these measures is to provide customers with as much information as possible to satisfy any needs that may arise, without becoming confusing. In practice, these solutions can be developed in-house, or they can be integrated as third-party or even open-source self-service portals.

Self-care portals are not only relevant for the customer alone. Corresponding platforms can also be helpful for internal procedures and employees in order to complete tasks more efficiently, as information can be retrieved quickly.

The focus of a self service portal for subscription customers must be the ability to make changes to subscriptions quickly and easily. It is important to make it as easy as possible for customers to access the subscription portal. Due to the digital nature of subscription solutions, it is easy to forward the customer to the customer self service portal directly from the product. Customer needs can therefore be addressed efficiently and specifically here. Providing direct links to problem resolution or change options is a major advantage here.

The self-service portal itself has a wide range of functions that can answer as many open queries as possible without having to contact support. A knowledge database, forums, chatbots, and possibly price lists are important elements here. In particular, however, it must be possible to make contract changes easily, especially with regard to subscription management. This includes upgrades or downgrades, adjustments in the contract or in (recurring) invoices, the adjustment of discounts, etc.

When companies use self-service tools correctly, they have many advantages. These range from greater efficiency to lower costs, but the focus is clearly on customer centricity and the benefits for the customer. Selfcare portals are visited with a specific request and not “browsed”. Keyword searches or navigation, e.g., via drop-down menus, are the most common procedures in the portal itself. If using these elements does not lead to the desired goal, chatbots based on artificial intelligence (AI) are used or the request is abandoned. In the case of serious problems, however, support is contacted.

Self-help service is more convenient, faster and more flexible in terms of customers’ individual time, energy and resource availability compared to contacting support. Its use has a high time advantage, especially for minor customizations. The administration of subscriptions means that small contract adjustments often must be made. The corresponding administration via self service portals brings many time and effort benefits, because after one-time onboarding, the adjustments can be made independently.

In many cases, the use of self service portals also saves the time-consuming “approach” to the support team. Negative past experiences with these offerings lead many customers to this conclusion. Ultimately, it also boils down to the need to retain control and not hand over the resolution of issues with one’s own subscription management to external support staff.

Today’s customers are informed and media-savvy. The need for automated, flexible self-service processes is growing steadily, while at the same time enabling new freedoms and opportunities for companies and customers alike.

Customer self service is an important factor for the achievement of goals and the competitive success of companies. This is because the combined benefits of implementing high-quality self-care portals for customer support improve the company’s reputation, increase customer loyalty and promote revenue growth. These benefits include:

• Customers value a choice of service channels
  Customer self service is an essential component of effective omni- and multi-channel customer service platforms. Customers’ wishes and requirements are becoming increasingly differentiated. This applies not only to products, but also to access points. The success of chatbots as on websites or in customer portals, for example, stems precisely from this. Quote generation tools (configurators) help customers find their own way around many situations. Omnichannel and multichannel customer service platforms increase the number and accessibility of service channels. As a result, customers have more control and can search more quickly for what they need from the company – in the best case with rapid success. This creates a modern service landscape characterized by positive, sustained interactions that increase satisfaction and loyalty.
• Cost and time saving
  When customers are able to make their own inquiries and manage their own affairs via a customer self service portal, they save time and thus also costs. These two positive effects also apply on the side of the company that provides the use of a corresponding portal: Handling support requests is expensive, especially when too many customers call with obvious questions or small concerns that they can solve themselves. Consequently, if they don’t have to do this, companies save themselves a lot of money. This can be used elsewhere, for example in the development of new features.
• Customers are more likely to use a customer self-service portal than to make a formal inquiry to customer service.
  Today, most consumers expect search engine-like functionality from the websites they visit. Many customers would be happy to use a keyword-optimized, easily searchable knowledge base if one were available and met their expectations for search engine-like operation. A large proportion of customer service queries can be resolved using information accessible via knowledge bases or online community forums. It is therefore not surprising that only a fraction of all users actively seek human contact for their specific concern.
• Self service customer support channels boost website traffic
  Companies that operate high-quality self-service customer support channels see noticeable improvements in several key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, more than a few companies report a significant increase in web traffic after introducing customer self-service for customer support for the first time. At the same time, this has a positive impact on conversion rates, customer loyalty, cross-selling and up-selling, and the level of referrals. This result is attributable to higher overall customer satisfaction.
• Free and authentic customer feedback
  Knowing what your target audience needs and where the problems lie is critical to staying competitive. Topics that are frequently searched, videos that are frequently watched, and topics that are discussed in a customer forum are telling. They indicate an accumulation of problems. If these are solved and the company’s own product or operating instructions are optimized, this increases sales. Customer centricity is therefore not only crucial in the provision of content per se, but also in its preparation and arrangement.
• Self service portals take the pressure off support
  Of course, even the companies with the best customer selfservice need customer support. Some inquiries simply cannot be resolved without the support of experts. These often include payment disputes, for example.Also, many customers still prefer to get help directly from third parties. If the subscriber portal is solution-oriented and helps customers with a wide range of inquiries, support can focus on specific concerns. Part of the expected reduction in personnel costs in the customer service department is due to the reduction in the number of customer service requests. A very large number of customer service requests could be resolved via customer portals. Customer self-service channels therefore reduce (if implemented well) the number of simple service requests that are submitted, reducing the burden on individual service tickets, and increasing availability.

When selecting a suitable solution, companies can look forward to a wide range of offerings on the open market. Which one is most suitable always depends to some extent on personal preferences and the extent to which the portal is to be used. Functionalities that should be included, however, include:

• Access to services, product settings and subscriptions
• Customization options for payment processes, e.g. changes to the payment provider or billing method, rotation, etc.
• Information on how to cancel products/services
• Knowledge base (user manuals, supporting documentation, educational materials)
• Tutorials in the form of videos, GIFs or images
• A feedback feature to determine customer satisfaction
• Automatically suggested AI-based service solutions based on customer or employee requests
• Next level support if the issue cannot be resolved (such as a live chat with a service agent)
• Forums and opportunities to interact with other users

The reporting and analysis of data is becoming increasingly important. KPIs provide information on whether processes are running as they should and whether the specified targets are being achieved or can realistically still be achieved within a certain period. KPIs relating to product and service quality can be determined directly via a customer self-service portal. Rapid problem resolution is the most important factor for good customer service. Software solutions make it easy to track how much time customers spend in the subscriber portal, how high the utilization rate is there, and how long someone has to wait until their ticket – should support help be needed after all – is closed.

The utilization rate of an individual customer service employee can also be determined. It provides information about product quality. For example, if the number of inquiries about a problem increases, it may be due to a product that is incomprehensible or at least difficult to understand. The Customer Satisfaction Score measures customer satisfaction. As a higher-level indicator, it clearly shows whether the self-care portal solves customers’ inquiries and whether there is a fundamental need for improvement. Since service is becoming an increasingly decisive criterion, companies should keep an eye on these KPIs.