How guided self-service saved the day

A dead battery is never a good thing. It can leave you stranded, make you miss an appointment, or generally just ruin your day.

But when it happened to me last month, my road service company’s customer service actually transformed my “dread of inconvenience” into a sense of gratitude and loyalty. And it was pretty impressive.

How exceptional customer service really turned things around

The day started like any other—meetings, writing, then running lunchtime errands. But when my car wouldn’t start, I knew the battery was dead. So I called my road service company expecting endless prompts and a long wait to speak to an agent. Instead, the automated system simply texted my phone with an introduction.

“Hello, I’m your virtual assistant. Use this link to request roadside assistance.”

“Oh hello,” I thought. “I’d be happy to click the link instead of waiting on hold.”

From there, it was a series of guided self-service prompts. A chatbot text addressed me by name, thanked me for my 20 years of membership, and asked what type of service I needed. I tapped “Battery,” and the bot instantly leapt into action—kind of like a field service superhero.

The chatbot asked for my location and car details, then immediately identified a nearby service truck that had the right battery. The next text informed me that help was on the way, complete with an estimated arrival time and a URL I could use to track the truck’s location.

Within 18 minutes, I had a new battery installed, and a follow-up text with a link to tap in case I needed more help. I was blown away. Who knew you could have such a fantastic customer experience with a digital assistant?

Why guided self-service makes sense for businesses

My car battery story is just one example of how companies are using automated assistance to deliver exceptional customer support. Guided self-service can also help make everyday administrative tasks simpler and more streamlined—for both your customers and employees.

For example, if an employee needs to enroll in your company's health insurance, or wants to change their plan, automated pop-ups can tell them which benefits they’re eligible for based on their location, family status, and other personal details.

Guided self-service sets the stage for a more productive and empowered workforce, increasing mobile capabilities, facilitating workflows, and reducing unnecessary delays—all while eliminating paperwork, too.

Here are 3 other ways guided self-service can help your business:

1. Improved customer experience and brand loyalty: Being able to quickly find answers and resolve issues creates happy customers—and happy customers become loyal customers.
2. Reduced costs: With the right technology, customers can help themselves. As a result, you can expect fewer service tickets and calls, which will reduce your overall service costs.
3. Increased productivity: When more customers are resolving simple, routine queries through automated self-service, your service team can focus on more critical, complex customer concerns.

We all want customer support that's as easy as updating our social media profile or buying products online with just one click. It’s what we’ve grown accustomed to as consumers. That’s why guided self-service is one of the best ways to help customers find the right information and complete tasks quickly and easily at their own pace.

Ready to get started with guided self-service?

Learn how Oracle Digital Customer Service can help you deliver exceptional customer service that sets your company apart. With our digital assistant software, you’ll be well-equipped to exceed expectations in every area of service—from call center interactions to chatbots.

Check out our Spark Series guide, "Making Sense of Guided Self-Service."

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