Here are several excerpts from an informative article by Michelle Goodall Faulkner, When ‘Getting Human’ Isn’t Enough:
For most organizations, self-service applications — including IVR, CTI and CRM technologies — have become critical elements of the contact center. And it’s no surprise that the business benefits of using self-service applications instead of live agents for the majority of customer contacts have been well documented.
For consumers, too, the concept of self-service can have significant appeal. Often, transactions can be completed more efficiently, more conveniently and more privately when a live agent isn’t involved. In fact, when they work correctly, IVR systems and other call center applications can increase customer satisfaction and improve agent productivity.
The problem for businesses and the consumers they serve is the difference between concept and reality when self-service applications don’t work as users expect. This disconnect frequently leads customers to “zero out” to a live agent — at first in frustration and eventually by reflex after the customer has experienced inefficiency with self-service systems one too many times.
Today, consumers who are frustrated by issues like long wait times, repeated requests for the same information, being routed to the wrong person or department, and dropped calls have found a real advocate in Paul English and his “Get Human” consumer movement, which offers tools and techniques that help customers bypass IVR systems and other contact center applications to speak to a live human agent instead of an inefficient self-service system.Clearly, organizations can realize the benefits and efficiencies of self-service applications only if their customers use them, and the best way to ensure that contact center systems are used is to make sure they work as they’re supposed to. Customers must get what they need, when they need it.
A strong self-service application begins with an excellent design, but even the best designed application should not be executed until it has been thoroughly tested. A well designed, thoroughly tested self-service application will deliver significant benefits to an organization and its customers.
The Get Human Web site describes 10 key standards that exemplify Paul English’s vision of how customer service phone systems and support should work. Many of these standards can be addressed when organizations ensure that their self-service applications are well designed and easy for their customers to use.
For more, be sure to check out both the complete source article and the Get Human website.
