This content originally appeared on Telerik Blogs and was authored by Jefferson S. Motta
While technological innovations like self-service and electronic systems can significantly improve accessibility and efficiency, they can also present new user difficulties. Companies need to put UX and support first, to reinforce customer satisfaction.
As a developer and a businessman, I understand the value of implementing more self-service in the customer service sector. As a consumer, I know that this puts more burden on me, especially when the system isn’t fully user tested.
Let’s look at the evolving role of information technology (IT) from the customer’s perspective. I will provide some examples that illustrate the positive aspects of this transformation history as well as the increasing burden placed on customers with the digitalization of internal company processes.
The Self-Service Era
IT allows companies to empower customers through self-service. This can be fantastic and handy because it allows customers to choose the best time to seek assistance, and if information is easy to navigate, they can resolve issues without much hassle.
A few years ago, I had some health problems and went in for consultation, and ended up being admitted to the hospital.
My experience using the hospital’s self-service digital resources at that time was challenging because they were not optimized for smartphones and did not even have an app. As a result, I had to rely on the institution’s phone support, which, although did successfully resolve most of my problems, was a cumbersome process and a less-than-ideal user experience (UX).
Now, the hospital offers an app, so patients can access exam results and other key self-service features. This is an example of how the digitization of customer service has drastically improved user experience. I don’t have to call to learn about test results or when I forgot the name of a medication—I can look all that up on the app.
This is a success story of digital transformation—when it provides greater access to the user.
Mixed Results
As with much of technology, digitized and more “self-service” customer interactions often come with mixed results.
This was the case when the The Brazilian Ministry of Justice implemented an electronic procurement (e-proc) system, which allows lawyers to now conduct several work procedures online.
The introduction of the e-proc system has significantly altered attorneys’ everyday activities. This has caused controversy among those who both acknowledge the advancement and have encountered new difficulties because of its implementation.
Drs. Pedro Martha and Ana Paula Ferraz provided me with insights about their experiences, emphasizing the legal industry’s advantages and disadvantages of digitization.
According to Dr. Pedro Martha, the electronic process has made monitoring cases easier and allowed access to files from a distance, saving time and travel. Yet, it has also increased the work involved in filing petitions. With the previous setup, once the petition and any supporting documentation were turned in at the courthouse, court employees would handle the remaining tasks. Now, the attorney bears a significant portion of the workload, organizing and scanning documents and entering detailed information into the system. He notes that while he finds the process more convenient for straightforward petitions, technology has drawbacks—particularly regarding annoying “bugs.”
Dr. Martha also showed me the many steps (more than six) to perform a single action that before was just delivering a document that professionals from the courthouse processed.
Dr. Ana Paula Ferraz highlighted how e-proc has increased productivity by enabling lawyers to file petitions after regular business hours and work across several districts without traveling. She commended the system’s adaptability but drew attention to a severe problem: the e-proc’s instability, which can freeze or crash at crucial times and result in significant stress. She also cautioned attorneys that losing their work due to a shaky internet connection could be exasperating because there’s never instant help when something goes wrong.
Both agree that e-proc modernizes the court system but recognize several ongoing challenges. Dr. Martha pointed out the increase in bureaucracy, while Dr. Ferraz highlighted the system’s unreliability. Both acknowledge that technology has made progress but believe further improvements are necessary to keep the attorneys’ electronic process secure and efficient.
This example shows the importance of thorough user testing with any major change, especially one that will completely change the way some people work.
The Dark Side of Self-Service
When a business or government agency transfers a service to a client, we effectively become “client collaborators” of the enterprise. We accept tasks to meet our needs in exchange for the organization’s material and non-material benefits.
Ultimately, the organization uses less internal labor to complete tasks that generally fall within its purview, boosting operational profits because fewer workers are needed. This can be a good thing for their bottom lines, but it can be a burden for the user and put the brand’s reputation at risk.
During a self-service demo, the presenter at a company I consulted for went over every step of the self-service process. There was no need for human interaction in that user journey because the process was entirely automated. He concluded his presentation satisfactorily, stating, “… and now we don’t need people anymore.”
Most businesses want self-service with lower costs, and this is normal. However, self-service can only satisfy some customer needs, and occasionally there are highly particular circumstances where a human being is necessary to comprehend and address the problem. This still holds true for many industries, including pharmacies, airlines and telecommunications. Fortunately, some industries may never fully adopt 100% digital self-service.
A customer’s experience after using a product or service should be the primary consideration in designing self-service. Customers’ remarks to friends and family regarding the caliber of your good or service, how they were handled and the result they received will all be based on this experience. Positive or negative word-of-mouth can leave a long-lasting impression on your company’s reputation.
Conclusion
While technological innovations like self-service and electronic systems like e-proc can significantly improve accessibility and efficiency, they can also present new user difficulties and obligations. The takeaway is that organizations and companies must put user experience and support first, so that technology helps and does not hurt, and reinforces customer satisfaction.
As we move forward with digital transformation, we must never forget that customer satisfaction is the ultimate barometer of success, which begs the question of the actual cost of efficiency and convenience.
How about introducing a different kind of development? I suggest “self-service-driven development,” which centers on addressing customers’ self-service needs at all software development cycle stages.
Ultimately, the success of our digital journey depends not only on the technology we use but also on our steadfast dedication to comprehending and satisfying our customers’ needs.
This content originally appeared on Telerik Blogs and was authored by Jefferson S. Motta
Jefferson S. Motta | Sciencx (2024-12-13T16:00:05+00:00) From Efficiency to Engagement: The Self-Service Revolution in a Digitally Transformed World. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/12/13/from-efficiency-to-engagement-the-self-service-revolution-in-a-digitally-transformed-world/
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