Self-Service is no.2 on the list of where CIO's will spend extra dollars. Why? It promises to save users endless amounts of time and frustration and save CIO's money. As shown by the banks and the likes of Amazon.com, it is hugely popular and successful…when implemented for the correct purpose. While vast sums of money are being expended on technology, success is limited in a support centre environment. Why is this? The wrong strategy!
The right strategy!
Support centres exist to reduce user unproductive time due to technology issues. The underlying motivation for Self-Service must be to make users more productive. Cost savings to the support centre are a nice side benefit but must not be the prime motivation. It causes the incorrect behaviour.
Why not Technology?
Users do not wish to become support centre agents! They want to keep receiving solutions to their issues, only faster. Giving them databases to search is just more work.
Issues and solutions must be presented
Since up to 80% of all calls to a support centre are the same 10-12 issues repeated over and over again, these known issues and their solutions can be presented to the user to choose from. They need but click on the one that fits their issue and proceed. If their issue is not there they need to speak to an agent. Self –Service is an 80% solution.
Change doesn’t just happen. Users must be shown and guided through new procedures. Support centre agents must point the users to the new tools every time it is appropriate and go through the new processes with them.
The Personal Portal becomes the user’s way into the support centre. It must be easy to access and use. It must be flexible so it can be personalized. It must be aesthetically pleasing. Most of all its content must make life easier for the user.