Customers want to get things done quickly and efficiently, and self-service options provide just that. It enables customers to find solutions for their issues which can be an advantage for businesses. Businesses on the other hand, can divert resources towards improving those touchpoints , training staff to attend to active feedback loops and monitoring their own self service operations across locations. While this is a cost saving activity, self service operations can occur independently away from manual intervention from the organisation. In this blog, we will understand more about how to improve customer experience across these touchpoints.
What is Self-Service?
Self-service is when customers complete tasks or transactions independently, without customer service assistance. Examples include kiosks, mobile apps, and online portals or websites. While it can enhance customer experience by reducing wait times and providing more control, it should be easy to use for all customers. Self service can also occur via website chat bots, community channels, physically available kiosks, to name a few. The main aim should be to make transactions smooth while improving customer experience across every self service checkpoints.
Understanding Self-Service Options
Customer interactions through self-service touchpoints involve performing tasks independently. Examples include login to kiosks, mobile apps, or online portals for accessing transcripts and contact information. Providing clear instructions and an intuitive user interface is crucial for a successful experience.
Improving Customer Experience at Self Service Touchpoints
Improving customer experience at self service touchpoints can also enhance customer retention, allocate costs for other internal processes and provide seamless experiences for consumers. One has to note that self service touchpoints are an important place to offer seamless CX such that customers, even when independent, do not undergo friction. This includes providing detailed information on websites, self help demonstrations via videos or product pick up at certain junctions. Here are some of the ways one can offer an enhanced CX at these points.
Intuitive user experience
Seamless user experience makes it easier for customers to use self service . A lot depends on navigation, the speed of use and how easily customers can find information. To understand if customers could navigate their way through these touchpoints, one can use in-app surveys, website chat bots to capture immediate feedback after a transaction.
Personalization
Using AI chatbots, brands can personalize their service for their customers. For example financial organisations using interactive AI to create customized communications for their users. A full-fledged application that has every facility for account holders, is a big boon since they can access their financial information with ease. The applications can also launch app based chat bots that can instantly capture feedback after certain transactions.
Seamless omni channel experience
Omni channel involves a user moving from one point of contact to the other. This involves users moving from social media channels, to websites into the applications. The seamless movement from one channel to the other will also empower customers to stay self-sufficient at these touchpoints with minimal human interaction. To understand if customers are satisfied with the experience, marketers can launch surveys via website chat bots, dynamic emails and Whatsapp surveys.
Visual and multimedia support
Visual aids can provide step-by-step instructions, product demonstrations, or troubleshooting tips, making it easier for customers to follow along and resolve their issues. Multimedia elements have visual elements, such as images, videos, or infographics, to enhance the self-service experience.
Analytics and continuous support
Feedback systems are a powerful way to understand consumer pain points and address them at the earliest. Even though these touchpoints are free of manual intervention, customer satisfaction metrics can bring issues to light. Regularly monitor and analyze customer feedback, usage patterns, and analytics data to identify areas for improvement. Actively listen to customer complaints or suggestions, and use that information to enhance the self-service touchpoints iteratively.
Capture Customer Feedback, Understand Retention and Enhance CX
Even at self service touchpoints, it becomes imperative to capture customer satisfaction scores like net promoter score (NPS) or CSAT scores. This empowers the customer support team to get better insights on how to keep self-service touchpoints user friendly and deliver positive experience at the same time.
Understand ROI and capture NPS with messenger surveys:
Your target audience is always on their cellular device. This becomes easier to capture their feedback on the go. Marketing professionals can capture people’s omnichannel experience with Facebook messenger and WhatsApp surveys. Is it easier to create a Facebook messenger survey than to opt for traditional methods of collecting responses. Messenger based surveys can now be curated in 5 minutes using Merren. This also brings a very high response rate.
Automate the customer journey mapping
Collecting post-purchasing experience is crucial in building long term loyal customer base. Marketers can automate mapping journey using Merren. Automation is comparatively simpler and removes manual error and batch processing of user reviews and responses. This empowers organisations with real-time insights for on the spot grievance resolution. Faster resolution brings great ROI with relation to customer retention.
A live chat bot offers automation
A human customer support may not be available round the clock. Bringing an AI chatbot into the equation is a game changer. These bots can offer support, answer FAQs and collect complex data and information. While an AI Chat bot is cost effective, these chat bots can also have conversational features. However, humans have empathy and can often offer a great customer service to enhance business relationships. People and technology can work hand in hand to scale their business and curate smarter customer experience strategy.
Customer experience is crucial in building brand loyalty. A positive customer experience creates a strong emotional connection, fosters trust, and increases customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers are more likely to become loyal advocates for your brand, leading to repeat business and referrals.
How important is customer experience in building brand loyalty?
Customer experience is crucial in building brand loyalty. A positive customer experience creates a strong emotional connection and fosters trust, leading to repeat purchases and recommendations. It helps differentiate your brand from competitors and ensures long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Conclusion
Self service touchpoints are a potential place to offer a good experience to all your buyers- potential and new. At these touchpoints, organisations can curate loyalty program, offer seamless services, offer better experiences and understand customer personas. When you have the right and ample data at hand, this can enable professionals to make better decisions to empower the customer success team.
Using messenger based apps, in-app surveys and interactive chat bots, organisations can capture feedback immediately across touchpoints. Upgrading customer experience is an all round effort. To understand how Whatsapp surveys, interactive AMP emails and web based chat bots can help you collect feedback, sign up for our 14 day free trial here. It is time to take your first step today and utilize Merren’s robust tool for the modern day marketer.