Customers today seek quick and effective solutions to their problems. Customer portal provide all the tools needed without contacting customer support by phone or email.
88% of consumers, according to Statista, expect brands to have a self-service support portal. Furthermore, according to a recent Salesforce study, 59% of customers prefer self-service when they have a straightforward query or problem. Building a client portal with self-service tools is no longer a choice; it is a necessary tactic for guaranteeing a positive customer experience.
So let’s look at key self-service features for a customer portal and how to use them effectively.
4 Essential Self Service Attributes
The following customer portal features will aid users in finding rapid solutions to their issues and saving time.
1. Information Base
A knowledge base has insightful information on a product or service and other connected subjects. It functions as an interactive library and enables the gathering, managing, and exchanging of information with all portal users.
Know-how base Depending on the nature of a business, content can be structured in several ways. The most typical kinds are:
• FAQs
• Articles about goods or services
• How-to manuals
• demonstrations in videos
• Step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting
Keep a knowledge base organized and simple to search through so that users may discover the information they need right away. It’s also a good idea to curate useful material for all industry consumers and particular clients. This will assist companies in attracting a new target market that may eventually purchase their goods or services.
2. A search Widget
A robust search engine is essential for a positive user experience. However, by expediting the search procedure, businesses enable customers to obtain solutions and answers the first time around, thereby turning the self-service portal into an online help desk.
Customers also submit questions that vary in topic and complexity. However, the portal should offer each one a complete search experience that enables them to locate the information they need. Therefore, a decent self-service portal should provide a faceted search with various filters to hone the queries and the outcomes.
Businesses should consider implementing more sophisticated technology, such as AI-powered search. AI systems analyze users’ queries and activities as well as their browsing history and context to find patterns in their behavior. Doing so can enhance tailored ideas and recommendations in your customer platform and gain a deeper grasp of what a particular customer aims to accomplish.
3. Online Forum
Additionally, businesses can provide their clients a forum to discuss their problems with hundreds of other community members and workable exchange solutions. Even a support team may need to be made aware of the useful quick fixes and advice that may be found in an active community forum.
The best way to communicate with the support staff and live assistants, as well as to provide feedback on the good or service, is still through online communities. All of this improves client loyalty and engagement. Additionally, community forums assist enterprises in developing fresh product concepts based on customer requests.
4. Chatbots
An automated chatbot is an additional self-help tool. Virtual assistants and chatbots cannot only have meaningful discussions with clients but also assist them in finding solutions to their issues. Chatbots can be set up to respond to frequently asked inquiries and point users to pertinent content on the platform. A human assistant may be automatically contacted with a complex query or one for which a chatbot is not programmed.
AI-powered assistants may also respond to inquiries in various languages and offer potential solutions based on issues that have already been resolved. Chatbots offer a more natural and personalized contact using natural language processing techniques than FAQs or static troubleshooting manuals.
Best Practices for Implementing Self Service Features
Self-service capabilities are a great way to differentiate your customer portal from the competition and significantly improve client experience. The key is to execute it properly. Here are some suggestions for giving your clients the best self-help experience possible.
Prioritize the Most Prevalent Problems
An efficient customer portal offers tutorials that address the issues users encounter most frequently. For instance, if your website has a FAQ area, highlight the articles or instructions that are the most popular at the top of the page.
Maintain a Current Knowledge Base
Your knowledge base’s content may become dated as your product or service develops. This necessitates routinely checking your content, including photographs and videos, to ensure it’s correct and current.
Also, let your customers know when your product or service details were last updated. Customers can rate your content and assist you in identifying areas that need updating or enhancement by providing feedback.
To Make Navigation Simple
Ensuring clients can locate your user information is just as important as publishing it on your self-service portal. For this, give each issue a suitable tag and include cross-links to other pertinent content. Customers will be better equipped to identify solutions when browsing and using the search function.
Prepare for SEO
Google is a potential resource for your clients as well. Self-service materials optimized for SEO have better Google search visibility and are more likely to be found.
Once you start using SEO strategies, new clients looking for the right keywords can find your portal and eventually become interested in your brand.
Don’t Bank on Self Service Only
Having only self-service options available can be detrimental because some clients may still prefer speaking with a live representative to solve their problems.
Therefore, strike the ideal mix between live assistance and self-service. Include contact forms or links to all accessible support channels in the footer of the portal to give your clients as many options as you can for submitting support queries
conclusion
Self-service is no longer a fad; rather, it is now essential. By facilitating intuitive, quick, and user-friendly information discovery and problem-solving, dedicated self-service platforms improve the customer experience.