This ‘always on-demand era new credo for getting things done is “Assist me to help myself, or I’m out.” They want answers now.
Juveniles and Generation Z are surrounded by technology. They wish for quick fixes and little human involvement. As a result, it’s just realistic to include self-service technology, which has been shown to benefit millennial consumer behaviour. Self-service is preferred by people across all demographics and age groups, according to studies.
As per Harvard Business Review, 81 per cent of all users polled throughout industries try to resolve issues on their own before contacting a live person.
A simple self-service portal, on the other hand, does not empower your customers. If you give your users a positive experience, a self-service portal will be smooth and productive.
Let’s talk about the challenges of implementing a self-service portal and how to overcome those in this blog post.
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The first challenge is a bad design.
It’s difficult to navigate a poorly made self-service site. End-users are meant to feel undervalued and disappointed as a result of this. It could be riddled with jargon and dead ends. All supporting media must provide a straightforward, seamless, and quality approach. It’s no different with the self-service portal.
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Set it and forget it is the second challenge.
A self-service site should always be updated on a regular basis. A successful self-service portal installation requires continuous service enhancements and replacement of the expertise and assistance content.
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Low acceptance rates of self-service portals are the third challenge.
It can be difficult to persuade your end consumers to use a self-service portal. The popularisation of IT enables for a healthy move to self-service to a certain extend. However, not all users will feel socially interactive with the platform. They may be hesitant to use discussion boards or a level of expertise to locate a solution to their problem, follow steps to handle basic issues, or even begin the self-service process. To relieve the pressure on IT support employees, organisations must teach their end-users and make it easy for them to utilize a self-service portal.
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Challenge:4 A stale portal has been installed.
The self-service portal will be ‘constantly up-to-date,’ according to the plan. It’s much worse to have a gateway with out-of-date or incorrect resources than to have none at all. Because end-users rely on the self-service portal when they work, it must be trustworthy and commendable
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Lack of a “personal touch” is the fifth challenge.
Your organisation will be useless if your well-designed self-service portal seems exotic to your end-users requirements. Your end-users will try to rely on, email, or even come up to the IT team if your portal is not logical and user-friendly, undermining the self-service portal’s significance.
How to Make an Incredible Self-Service Portal
- Take some notes from a B2C e-commerce self-service platform for ideas.
Starting your integration process by creating your self-service portal like a B2C supplier is a smart approach to get started. Make use of the fact that your end-users have become familiar with the usual features and capabilities of regular customer-facing portals during the design phase. Produce a better end-user experience, and the standard is rising because consumers expect the level of customer service.
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Make your self-service portal accessible and open.
It’s a myth that if you build a self-service portal, people will come. Self-service requires a marketing strategy. A doorway that isn’t used isn’t worth anything. End-users must be explicitly encouraged to use the self-service portal by your organisation. Educate and involve your end-users from the start of the design process; after all, they are the stakeholders. Involving them not only aids in the design process but also increases the portal’s ‘buy-in’.
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Consider the mobile-first strategy.
Our websites require mobile access. Make sure your self-service portal is proactive and accessible to your end-users in all types and sizes. Adopt a handheld design that can also be moved to your website rather than building web expertise first and then recreating it on mobile. Aim for a great entire experience, regardless of the device.
- Make self-service as simple as possible.
End customers demand simple, error-free, and transparent responses to their queries. Create a self-service portal that requires as little input from the user as possible. A robust self-service portal is frequently misconstrued as offering aesthetics or graphic design services. However, creating an uncomplicated, easy-to-navigate interface for your end-users and making their own lives simple is the only way to encourage long-term self-service portal engagement.
Make the self-service portal’s look and feel, as well as its use, as seamless as possible. Integrate conceptual frameworks.
- Customize your portal
Adopting an ‘out-of-the-box’ solution with little personalisation could mean you’ve wasted time and money on someone who doesn’t fit your company or someone users. End-users value businesses that cater to their specific needs, and giving them a one-of-a-kind, tailored micro-experience goes a long way toward earning their trust.
Customize your self-service portal to meet the demands of your company. Begin by identifying and comprehending your target audience. Collect input and put it to the test in small groups. Make any necessary improvements depending on the feedback. Make your gateway feel like an extension of your company by branding it with your logo and colours. When your end-users explore the site, give them a sense of belonging.
Freshservice onboards you and provides your users with a self-service portal that is straightforward, easy to use, and tailored. With a well-designed self-service portal, you can close the gap between your IT and business, resulting in increased productivity.