In this blog post we discuss the elements to consider as we enter the age of customer self-service. No longer are people content with having to wait for a service consultant to attend to their issue. Now, they can log requests, track them and browse comprehensive FAQs and knowledge bases to solve their problems.
Here’s why customer self-service portals will be mission-critical for B2B organisations as the digital age matures:
1. Increased web traffic
The longer customers stay on your pages, the more likely it is your website will rank higher on search engines. If your customer self-service portal is easy to navigate, and populated with broad (and in-depth) material related to your products, customers will browse for longer and return whenever they need assistance.
When you encourage customers to help themselves, it creates a sense of ownership. In this way, a self-service portal can generate enthusiasm that can lead to large amounts of traffic.
2. Troubleshooting
Because queries and problems don’t keep business hours, customer self-service portals are available 24/7 to offer a secure place for clients to review documentation, invoices, knowledge bases and FAQs.
Often, these problems are minor and don’t require the help of a customer care agent. This is why self-service portals are a modern necessity — they empower customers, at any time of the day (or night), and relieve support teams of an influx of trivial issues that cause bottlenecks.
3. Improved customer-business engagement
A customer self-service portal opens a direct line of communication between brand and client. With it, a business can share proposed ideas for quick feedback and tidbits of information regarding products and their various stages of development.
If a customer can see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, they are more likely to continue supporting the business. With business transparency and two-way conversation, you win customer loyalty.
4. Workforce empowerment
With trivial matters out of the way and in the capable hands of the customers themselves, your support team can focus on adding tangible value to the business. As humans are emotional beings, a support specialist who’s burdened by the monotony of answering identical questions every day will be less likely to engage in a helpful way.
In many cases, a support agent is the first point of human contact for potential clients. If customers feel underappreciated when the call or chat ends, they could very well take their business elsewhere. Friendly, cheerful service delivered by a person that sounds like they want to be there can be the edge that sets you apart from competitors.
Related: In 2020, customer support teams had to get used to working remotely, almost overnight. In a recent blog post, we explored how support agents were able to maintain a good rapport with customers, while adjusting strategies to hit targets. Read the blog post here.
5. Builds community
A customer self-service portal not only helps customers engage with businesses but also connects them with a network of like-minded peers. A community — with your brand at the heart of it — can flourish when customers are given a platform to interact with one another.
And when it comes to community, HubSpot and its network of affiliates and customers is one of the strongest and most supportive…
Introducing the Customer Service Ticket Portal for HubSpot Service Hub
Developed by Huble Digital, the Customer Service Ticket Portal (CSTP) is an extension for HubSpot’s Service Hub. It helps customers self-serve by granting them access to, and visibility of their service ticket requests from within a secure web portal.
From a self-service point of view:
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Customers can view the status and history of their personal/company tickets without needing to contact the service agents.
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Customers can see updates and responses to their active tickets.
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Managers within customer organisations can see all company tickets and have visibility of requests and updates made by their teams.
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Customers can create service tickets as requests for action from inside the web portal.
From a service provider point of view:
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24/7 access to the support desk for all customers.
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Efficient administration means less support staff required.
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Less administration allows support teams to spend more time on problem resolution.
Take the first step to empowering your customers and incentivising your support team by visiting our comprehensive CSTP product page or contacting a Huble Digital consultant.
