Self-service portals: make your customer service fit for the future!
In an increasingly digitalised world, self-service portals are simply essential for companies that want to remain efficient and competitive. As innovative self-help tools, they not only take the pressure off your service team, but also offer a cost-effective way to keep up with your customers’ rising expectations.
Content of this article
What is a self-service portal?
A self-service portal is a digital platform on which your customers can independently find answers to their questions and/or solve problems. They are supported by automated processes, comprehensive knowledge databases or chatbots, so that in most cases there is no longer any reason to contact a service employee directly.
Within the various types of self-service portals, such as IT self-service portals or employee self-service portals, this article focuses on customer self-service portals, i.e. those that have been developed specifically for customer service. Designed to answer frequently asked questions and solve standard problems, they have proven to be essential for the efficiency of excellent customer service. According to a study by Zendesk, 91% of customers use knowledge bases as long as they meet their requirements. A well-designed self-service portal can therefore significantly reduce the workload of your customer service team.
The advantages of self-service portals in customer service
The use of self-service portals in customer service brings numerous benefits:
- Fewer support tickets: as customers can access many important answers around the clock, the volume of incoming enquiries is significantly reduced, your team is relieved and your employees can concentrate on more complex tasks.
- Constant availability: As business hours do not play a role for self-service portals, your customers have access to relevant information at all times and can solve their problems directly, which increases customer satisfaction.
- Cost and time savings: Fewer direct enquiries mean lower operating costs and improved utilisation of your resources. By implementing a self-service portal, your company saves costs in the long term and can deploy the service team(s) more efficiently.
- Improved customer experience (CX): A user-friendly platform also strengthens customer trust and loyalty. Functions such as knowledge databases and community forums also promote the development of long-term customer relationships.
- Facilitated onboarding: A self-service portal can support you in onboarding new customers, especially for complex products or services – it enables your customers to find out about all functions independently and at their own pace.
Examples of self-service: an overview of the most important functions
We have dealt with the question of what a customer portal must be able to do in detail on a separate page: What must a customer portal be able to do?
Here we will focus on what specific functions your customers expect in self-service:
1. knowledge database or help centre
A knowledge database is like a virtual library: your customers can find answers to frequently asked questions here. The result: fewer direct enquiries are made and your support team is relieved.
2. chatbots and AI
Chatbots replace the personal conversation with the customer service employee and offer quick answers to common questions in a pleasant way. More complex issues are forwarded to your support team, making your processes more efficient.
3. FAQ page
FAQ pages provide a clear overview of your customers’ most frequently asked questions (and the answers to them). This means that solutions can be found quickly without having to contact support.
4. customer portal
A customer portal is the place where your customers can independently manage their accounts and access important information, such as invoices or order status.
5. forum and blog
Community forums give your customers the opportunity to exchange ideas and solve problems together, while blogs provide additional information and instructions.
6. voice dialogue system (IVR)
An IVR system automatically receives customer calls and forwards them to the right department based on the answers received during the dialogue, which means a considerable increase in efficiency for call centres.
Best practices for self-service portals: important functions at a glance
If you are thinking about implementing a self-service portal yourself, we recommend that you observe the following best practices:
- Always visible search bar: A search bar that is always in view is critical to providing users with quick access to information.
- Contact options: Always offer an option to contact you if the information customers are looking for cannot be found.
- Clear categorisation: A clear structure helps customers to find their way around quickly, putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and drawing on insights from customer support to identify potential problem areas.
- Topicality of the content: Always keep your knowledge database up to date and provide information that is both relevant and correct.
Which self-service portal is right for me?
To choose the right self-service portal for your company, you should first analyse your existing customer service. Ask questions like:
- What problems occur most frequently?
- Are there any questions that your customers regularly ask?
- How long do customers usually have to wait for a solution/answer?
The right self-service portal will then not only increase efficiency, but also your customers’ satisfaction considerably. Do you have further questions? Find out everything you need to know about creating your own customer portal or the 10 tips on what a customer platform must be able to do!
Make your customer service fit for the future!
Leafworks is your partner for setting up a self-service portal for your customer service with a great deal of expertise and experience. As a long-standing Zendesk partner, we know exactly how to tailor this comprehensive tool to your needs, but we can also customise a solution for you. In either case, you will then have all the tools you need to optimise your customer self-service and improve the customer experience (CX).
FAQ
What is meant by self-service?
Self Service enables your users to access information and support content independently without the need for direct assistance from customer service. This is done via user-friendly online portals.
What is a self-care portal?
A self-care portal is a central platform on which users can manage their data and enquiries independently. It improves customer satisfaction by enabling customers to solve their problems themselves.
How does Self Service work?
In Self Service, customers use a central point of contact, the Self Desk, which provides clearly categorised information. Intuitive navigation and search functions allow them to quickly find solutions to their concerns.
