Self-service software enables customers to find information and perform tasks on their own with tools like chatbots, customer portals and knowledge bases. This software offers convenience for customers and reduces the workload for support teams.

Our research finds that 61% of customers would rather use self-service for simple issues. But they have little patience for errors: 72% of customers won’t reuse a company’s chatbot after just one negative experience. That’s why it’s important to have the right self-service software in your customer service self-service experience, so your customers always get complete, efficient service on their own.

Read on to learn about the benefits of self-service software, different types and what to look for in a solution.

Self-service software lets customers and other users access information, resolve issues and complete tasks without needing direct support from customer service reps. It includes resources like chatbots, customer portals and knowledge base articles that are available any time.

Our research finds that 81% of customer service pros say customers expect a personal touch more than they used to. Self-service software can deliver a personalised experience by using data and artificial intelligence (AI) to tailor interactions and solutions to individual users. This can enhance user satisfaction and engagement by delivering a more tailored experience.

Self-service software lets your customers help themselves quickly and benefits your business at the same time. Let’s look at 5 advantages of implementing self-service software:

1. 24/7 Availability: Customers can access resources and resolve issues on their own at any time — even at 3.00 a.m. on a major holiday during a blizzard. They don’t have to wait for business hours, sit on hold or interact with a customer service rep.
2. Increased Efficiency and Productivity: Self-service software streamlines processes through automation, resulting in faster resolution times. Your agents don’t have to help with routine questions and can focus on more complex cases and tasks that require critical thinking.
3. Cost Savings: Reducing the need for direct human interaction helps your business to save on operational costs, including staffing and infrastructure.
4. Improved Customer Satisfaction: Providing quick, convenient access to solutions on customer time can lead to better overall customer experience and higher customer satisfaction levels.
5. Scalability: As your business grows, self-service software can scale without you needing to significantly expand customer support resources.

Many industries rely on self-service software to offer more convenience for their customers while freeing up their support team to focus on more critical tasks. Here are a few examples:

1. Financial Services: Customers can use self-service software on mobile apps to check account balances, transfer funds, pay bills, apply for loans and manage investments without needing to visit a branch or speak with a customer service rep.
2. Retail: Self-service kiosks in shops and customer portals with self-service software allow shoppers to browse products, place orders, track deliveries, process returns or exchanges and manage their accounts independently.
3. Healthcare: Patients can use self-service software in online portals to schedule appointments, view lab results, request prescription refills and communicate with healthcare providers.
4. Communications: Customers can view and pay bills, manage their accounts, report and track service outages, upgrade or change plans and troubleshoot common technical issues on their own.
5. Public Sector: Government customers can renew licences and permits, pay taxes and fines, apply for services, check the status of applications, schedule appointments, report issues and access public records and information conveniently online, without needing to visit government offices in person.

Self-services tools are essentially automated customer service. Let’s look at five types of self-service software:

1. Knowledge Base: This is a searchable repository of knowledge articles, guides and FAQs that users can consult to find answers to common questions or problems.
2. Chatbots: AI chatbots provide automated responses to customer queries, guiding them through troubleshooting or assisting with simple tasks like order status enquiries.
3. Customer Portals: These secure service portals let users manage their accounts, track orders, access personal data or submit service requests without the need for agent interaction.
4. Automated Ticketing Systems: Ticketing tools let customers create, track and manage support tickets on their own, helping them to resolve issues and communicate with support teams when necessary.
5. Interactive Voice Response (IVR): This is a phone-based system that uses voice recognition or keypad input to guide users through a series of options for self-service, such as checking bank account balances, resetting passwords or activating credit cards.

Self-service software success depends on careful planning, thorough training and continuous improvement. These steps help ensure that the platform meets business needs, users are comfortable and proficient with the tools and the system can evolve to incorporate feedback and improve performance.

Let’s dig into each step:

• Assess Needs: Begin by assessing your business and customer needs and identifying the specific self-service features required.
• Choose the Right Platform: Select a customer self-service solution that aligns with your needs and budget. Consider factors like ease of use, integration capabilities and scalability.
• Define Objectives: Clearly define your objectives and customer service metrics to measure the success of your self-service implementation.

• User Training: Provide comprehensive training for your team to ensure that they are comfortable using the self-service platform themselves. Trailhead, Salesforce’s free online learning platform, is a great way for your team to learn important skills related to the self-service experience.
• Customer Training: Offer knowledge base articles and guides to help customers understand how to use the self-service software tools effectively. Use generative AI to create these training resources faster — make sure that you have a human review for accuracy.
• Ongoing Support: Establish a support system for ongoing assistance and troubleshooting.

• Gather Feedback: Regularly collect feedback from both customers and employees in surveys to identify areas for improvement.
• Analyse Data: Use analytics and reporting tools to track performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Iterate and Improve: Continuously iterate on your self-service offerings based on feedback and data analysis. Use this handy self-service assessment tool to identify any gaps where you’re currently not meeting best practices and get helpful guidance on where to focus your improvement effort. Then implement new features and improvements to enhance the user experience.

By following these best practices, you can ensure a successful implementation of self-service software and maximise its benefits for your business.

When evaluating self-service software, here are key factors to consider:

1. Ease of Use: The software should have an intuitive, user-friendly interface that makes it easy for customers to navigate and find the information or solutions they need without requiring technical skills or formal training.
2. Omnichannel Support: Look for software that supports multiple customer service channels: voice, chat, WhatsApp, web and more. This way, your customers can access self-service options from their preferred platforms.
3. Customisation and Personalisation: The ability to tailor the software to match your brand and offer personalised content or suggestions based on user behaviour is important for creating a better customer service experience
4. AI and Automation Capabilities: AI chatbots, predictive analytics and automation offer intelligent, real-time assistance, provide valuable insights and streamline processes to improve customer experience.
5. Integration with Existing Systems: Ensure the software can integrate seamlessly with your existing CRM, help desk or other business systems, allowing for smooth data sharing and an efficient workflow.
6. Robust Knowledge Base: A well-structured and searchable knowledge base is critical, providing customers with relevant articles, FAQs and tutorials for quick problem-solving.
7. Scalability: As your business grows, the software should be able to scale easily to handle more users, queries and support needs without performance issues or additional infrastructure.
8. Analytics and Reporting: The ability to track user interactions, monitor common questions and generate insights through reporting helps optimise the system and identify areas for improvement.
9. Security and Compliance: Data security features, such as encryption and compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR are essential to protect customer information.
10. Self-Service Adoption and Success Metrics: Look for software that offers tools to track user engagement, feedback management, and resolution rates to ensure the platform is effectively meeting customer needs.

By prioritising these features, you can select self-service software that improves customer satisfaction, enhances operational efficiency and grows with your business.

Service Cloud offers a comprehensive suite of self-service software tools that let customers help themselves, including AI chatbots, personalised customer portals and a robust knowledge base. It seamlessly integrates with the Salesforce CRM to ensure a unified customer experience. Advanced analytics provide valuable insights for continuous improvement. Moreover, Service Cloud’s scalability and customisation options make it suitable for businesses of all sizes, ensuring that your self-service capabilities can grow and evolve with your business.

The right self-service software makes delivering helpful customer support possible without customer service rep assistance. When your organisation uses a CRM that includes self-service features, your customers can find relevant answers quickly on their own. Plus, your organisation can scale personalised support across any channel — any time, anywhere. Advancing technologies, including AI, are making it even easier for companies to use self-service tools that meet their customers' needs and exceed their expectations with proactive, personalised service.