If you’ve been in this industry for any length of time, you may waffle between excitement and cynicism over self-service (SS). There has been so much promise and hype tempered by an equal measure of disappointment. To tip the scales in favor of excitement, here’s my list of game-changers that can transform a lackluster SS… Read More »
In all likelihood, you offer at least one self-service channel, even if it is as basic as an IVR. So why are you still talking to customers? It’s because self-service falls short, and customers can’t find information or complete transactions without assistance. The value in closing this gap is huge – in dollars and customer… Read More »
The other day, I was on my bank’s mobile app to view my recent credit card activity when I noticed an icon at the bottom of the screen that I hadn’t seen before. It was a microphone with “Voice” below it. When I hit the button, a “Siri-like” voice asked me to speak or type… Read More »
In the traditional model of customer support, the contact center and the company’s array of self-service venues are the central means through which customers ask questions, obtain information, provide feedback, and/or resolve issues. This model assumes that the company has the “sharpest knives in the drawer” in anticipating customer needs/concerns and providing responses. Social media… Read More »
If you strike up a conversation about Web-based self service with contact center professionals, you’ll likely get a glow of satisfaction over the growing base of customers tinged with a hint of frustration over the channel’s isolation from other modes of contact. Organizational siloes are an unfortunate reality that most folks tolerate due to the… Read More »
If you think self-service is old news, think again. A new generation of tech-savvy consumers has entered the fray with decidedly different notions about what constitutes effective communication. Mobile trumps land-line and full-screen. Text messaging trumps voice. Event-triggered notices trump customer-initiated inquiries. There’s a golden opportunity to deliver superior customer service AND bolster the bottom… Read More »
I recently had the opportunity to present a webinar with Varolii Corporation entitled Preparing Your Business for Today’s Multi-channel Customer. Most companies already live in a multi-channel world with voice, fax, email, voicemail, IVR, web. Some support web chat, outbound alerting, social media, and mobile, or have plans to do so. It’s an important topic as… Read More »