5 ways digital self-service tech improves field service customer satisfaction

Let this sink in: Customers actually want to solve their own problems. 

What they don’t want is to sit on hold with your call centre listening to muzak and losing valuable time from their busy day. In fact, 69% of customers want to resolve as many issues as possible on their own using self-service options.

However, although there has been a shift in many industries to focus more on the customer experience, many companies are lagging woefully behind in providing digital self-service technology. And when 76% of clients have stopped doing business with an organisation after poor customer service, it’s clear why self-service options are more important than ever.

You already know that providing great customer service leads to repeat business, lower customer churn, and more loyal clientele who promote you via word-of-mouth (the best kind of marketing). So how can you up the customer satisfaction ante with digital self-serve technology? Here, we’ll take a look at how self-service works, and the beneficial impact it has on customer satisfaction.

What is self-service technology, and why does it matter?

Digital self-service technology allows customers to find out information or answer questions autonomously on a website or via a customer portal. These self-serve tools allow them to bypass ringing your customer call centre for answers or to make changes. Self-service technology can take the form of everything from online portals, FAQs, library resources, and enhanced search features to chatbots and live chat options.

These tools come in handy when a customer has quick, simple questions, when call centre wait times are too long, and when their queries occur outside business hours. Self-service empowers them to solve their own problems on their own schedule, and it shows them that you value their time and expectations.

How does digital self-service technology improve customer satisfaction?

Digital self-service technology improves customer service because it helps meet the many expectations that customers have for their service journey. 

And these expectations come before, during, and after an appointment: Customers want to easily be able to make changes in advance of an appointment, receive an accurate ETA for their operative’s arrival, and provide feedback at the close of an appointment (not to mention, get a response or see appropriate actions taken). More than ever, another customer desire is the ability to answer simple questions quickly, at any time — 86% of customers expect a self-service option. 

Here are five of the many advantages of self-service technology.

1. Easy-to-use self-serve technology creates positive experiences for customers by empowering them to meet their own needs on their terms and schedule, without having to ring your call centre. Autonomy is evermore valuable these days, especially as consumers have grown accustomed to ease, speed, and transparency in all their business transactions — including field service experiences. 
   
   
2. These tools reduce call centre traffic, saving your staff valuable time and allowing them to focus on more pressing issues, rather than being tied up in answering simple questions. This also reinforces to customers that you’re flexible to meet their needs outside business hours.
   
   
3. With options like a self-serve portal where customers can reschedule, confirm, and cancel appointments, you’ll improve first-time fix rates and reduce last-minute cancellations. Not only does this save your business time and money; but it also reduces the burden on your operatives, making their day more efficient. 
   
   
4. Self-serve tools create 24/7/365 availability for your customers. Note: Although resources like chatbots can help answer simple questions, live interactions are best for more high-stakes issues, and many customers prefer a live chat. Ideally, you’ll offer a mix of human support and self-service options to meet the expectations of all of your customers.
   
   
5. The transparency offered by digital self-service tools reduces stress and anxiety about the day of service for customers, improving their overall satisfaction. Customers want to know exactly when someone will show up at their door, confirmation that it’s who they expect, and the ability to provide helpful information to make the service or delivery better (such as access codes, or that they need extra time to answer the door).

Localz helps you provide the digital self-service experience that customers crave 

When you empower customer autonomy and give clients the experience they expected — or one that goes above and beyond what they wanted — it means you made their day of service awesome. 

And you can do it every time with the help of Localz’ self-service options: We give you digital self-service technology options that meet customers’ every need and make their service journey great. Our solutions let you offer a customer portal where clients can confirm, change, or cancel their appointments; find out the details of their appointment or technician; and see a holistic view of their job history.

Best of all, providing these self-service options doesn’t mean starting from scratch on your tech stack. Localz can bolt on to your existing technology: Our modular, customisable platform is built for day-of-service interactions that drive customer satisfaction, with solutions like real-time tracking updates, secure web-based portals, and omnichannel communication options.

Start delighting customers and improving customer satisfaction today.