Most organizations have made Web self-service a key channel for their support delivery.  When it is executed well, there is a lot to like: greater convenience and options for end-users, and lower cost of service and even the chance to sell more for the business.  Yet self-service success remains a moving target as models continue to evolve, new approaches to knowledge management and online support emerge, and consumer ideas like IM, wikis and blogs are integrated into the mix.  From our experience developing online support strategies for nearly a dozen high-tech and telecom clients over the past year – and deploying knowledge management solutions for several dozen more – success with self-service builds on four pillars: organizational support, user readiness, a flexible content model, and technology readiness.

These four areas are key elements of the eVergance SSR process for planning self-service and multi-channel CRM solutions.  Learning how to apply this process to envision or optimize your self-service initiatives is a key focus of our Training Day in San Diego, along with how to create a self-service foundation that leverages the power of knowledge, collaboration and search, and delivers measurable value to both the organization and each end-user.

Organizational Support

Understanding business drivers and creating consensus around priorities remain key initial steps in any IT or customer support initiative.  For self-service, the wide range of potential applications, target users, content sources, business benefits etc. makes a “think global, act local” approach especially important.  At the same time, securing executive sponsorship to help with budget battles, coordinate parallel efforts in areas such as e-commerce or e-learning, and ensure the right training and change management resources are in place is essential to having both up-front and ongoing support.

Choosing the right metrics (and ultimately your KPI’s) is equally important as you start down the path to self-service.  Picking metrics that are both meaningful to the business and the support organization – and measurable – is key.  While “hard” benefits like call deflection or a reduction in time-to-resolution are often attractive initial goals, we have also seen “softer” metrics like improvement in customer sat gain hold as organizations look to improve the customer experience as well as the efficiency of service delivery. 

User Readiness

The best self-service application only works if users 1) want to try it and 2) continue using it over an extended period of time.  Often, the best place to start in driving adoption is to segment your users by looking at common needs, demographics, preferences etc. and then create a communication (or marketing) plan for each target group.  This initial segmentation does not have to be complex, but rather could involve a small number of categories to describe initial self-service users, e.g., agents, external customers, public “browsers” and partners.

As for incentives, approaches are likely to include both promotions and penalties to nudge users to self-service offerings.  The airline industry actually provides numerous examples of both approaches.  For example, a number of airlines provide bonuses or special fares if you book or check-in online, while adding extra fees or surcharges if you want a paper ticket, purchase it at a ticket counter, etc.  Of course, one of the most visible self-service applications today is the airport check-in kiosk, which provides a great example of the power of well-executed self-service.  Not only do many travelers now get their boarding passes faster, but the airlines have also been able to control their overhead costs, reassign agents to more pressing tasks, and provide 24/7 service.

Other examples of how to efficiently shift customers to self-service channels and gather feedback on the effectiveness of solutions will be covered in our Training Day session.

Content Model

For most support applications, good content is at the core of successful self-service.  According to a recent study we conducted with ServiceXRG on KM best practices, there is a wide range of content types in the typical knowledgebase, ranging from product documentation (most popular) to content authored by support reps, marketing materials, bug reports and discussion forum threads.  Developing a practical, well-defined content model can help organize these sources, as well as define standard formats, templates, styles, and entitlements for both accessing and contributing articles.

In terms of the best ways to begin creating this model, eVergance recommends starting with a content audit.  Usually, a self-service content audit consists of a series of exercises and assessments to map existing content sources and formats (e.g., structured vs. unstructured), analyze frequency of use and access methods by user segment, identify high-value sources and bottlenecks, and prepare for content cleaning and delivery. 

Technology Readiness

Knowledge management, collaboration tools like chat and forums, and search are three of the core building blocks for enabling effective online support.  These enablers will also need to integrate with your Web infrastructure, CRM or help desk system, directory services to enable authentication or personalization, and perhaps even special adaptors for pushing content via proactive alerts, accessing mobile devices or supporting a voice interface.

Over the past year, perhaps the greatest innovation around online support and self-service has been the influence of “Web 2.0” technologies and models as both an extension and compliment to Web self-service.  Support blogs and forums are gaining traction, while chat has (re)emerged as a way to keep users engaged in the self-service process while providing a cost-effective live support option.  Businesses are certainly taking notice, with 37% already using or planning to invest in social networking, 35% in RSS and 33% in wikis according to a new McKinsey Global Survey.

As Web 2.0 and new knowledge management (“KM 2.0”) models take off, the state of self-service will continue to evolve.  However, applying a structured planning process and checklist like the one touched on in this article – along with a phased self-service roll-out with credible metrics and achievable milestones – can help future-proof your efforts and ensure that self-service is in fact excellent service for all stakeholders.

About Allen Bonde……………………………………………………………

Allen Bonde is senior vice president of strategy and marketing at eVergance, a management consulting and systems integration firm focused on CRM optimization.  Prior to eVergance, he directed Allen Bonde Group, Inc., held leadership positions at McKinsey, Extraprise and the Yankee Group, and started his career as an engineer and researcher in knowledge base systems in the telecommunications sector.  A recognized expert on self-service and online support, Allen has been quoted in over 100 publications worldwide, holds a U.S. patent, and is a current contributor to CIO.com, CRM Magazine and SearchCRM.com.  Learn more about achieving success with self-service in his Training Day at the SSPA Best Practices Conference in San Diego on Sunday, May 6.