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Over time, customer expectations evolve—and one of the most noticeable changes is self-service for small businesses and large businesses alike.
What today’s customers want is faster, easier, and more convenient ways to find answers, complete transactions, and solve problems—without having to contact a representative. Furthermore, self-service options allow for more accessibility for customers who might otherwise find ordinary customer experiences challenging. Therefore, businesses that embrace self-service solutions are on track to keep up with current trends.
If you’re a small business looking for strategies to incorporate and improve your self-service options, you’re in the right place. In this blog, we’ll examine the rationale behind self-service, including benefits and challenges. Then, we’ll tackle seven common strategies that businesses like yours use to help their customers help themselves.
A hundred years ago, the norm for businesses around the world was the in-person model. And it was that way for generations. Customers would walk by your shop, enter if they thought it looked promising, and make a purchase with the help of a sales representative—or the owner of the shop themselves. But thanks to modern technology, that’s not the only model we currently use.
Self-service options have become commonplace for several key reasons:
24/7 Functionality
With the internet bridging everyone around the world at all times, customers expect immediate solutions whenever possible. Whether it’s day or night, self-service tools work to level the playing field for small businesses and consumers alike—no matter the time zone.
Speed and Convenience
Many customers would rather help themselves than wait in line or send an email. A streamlined self-service experience empowers customers and enhances satisfaction. It also can free up a business’s resources to solve more complex issues.
Technology Trends
As people get used to more computer-based solutions like AI chatbots, online portals, and mobile apps, their expectations rise. Thus, businesses that don’t offer modern self-service options risk falling behind—or appearing old-fashioned.
Generational Preferences
Younger generations, particularly millennials and Gen Z-ers, prefer self-service over traditional customer support. They’re technology natives, and they find these intuitive, digital-first solutions more comfortable.
Accessibility & Inclusivity
Many self-service options provide tools to give people with disabilities easier access points. That way, they can interact with businesses on their own terms. For example, a deaf person might find it more convenient to use a kiosk rather than work with a representative who doesn’t know sign language.
For these reasons and more, self-service solutions enhance the customer experience and provide options that invite and involve a more diverse audience.
While the factors listed above show the benefit of self-service options for consumers, there are plenty of valuable reasons for small businesses to consider incorporating them into their operations too. Here’s a shortlist:
With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why self-service is the wave of the future—for small businesses and large businesses alike.
Of course, as with most new trends, there are a number of common challenges and considerations. This is especially true with self-service options for small businesses. Here are some obstacles you might encounter:
Certainly, these challenges are something to stay aware of during the integration and maintenance of your self-service options. But the trade-off is often worth the work.
Now that we’ve seen the purpose, benefits, and challenges of self-service solutions for small businesses, let’s get into the details. Below are our top seven strategies for incorporating this endeavor into your operations.
Although this technology has been around for a while, self-service POS systems and kiosks are becoming even more pervasive as time goes on. Furthermore, because self-service checkouts are so common, customers are more comfortable—and generally more skilled—at using these systems. This self-service solution is great for small businesses because it can free up staff resources for more complex issues, or situations that would benefit from human interaction.
Many businesses already have this self-service solution in their arsenal—their website! Prospects and customers frequently use online resources like FAQ pages, educational content, review platforms, and social media to gather information about a business. Therefore, you can use the digital touchpoints at your disposal to boost self-service accessibility for your client base.
If you want to extend the self-service capabilities of your website, consider implementing an AI chatbot or virtual assistant. These work well for small businesses looking to empower their customers with self-service—and save their staff from common interactions. That’s because AI-powered chatbots and the like can provide instant answers, guide customers through standard processes, and even handle basic troubleshooting.
Add customization to your self-service solutions for small businesses. Customer portals and account dashboards often leverage your website to give customers the option to check in on a personal account and even tailor it to their needs and preferences. Typically, portals allow customers to track orders, update their information, and manage services without having to call customer support. This improves autonomy and customer satisfaction.
Small businesses that rely on appointments can integrate online booking tools into their self-service options, allowing customers to schedule their visits and meetings effortlessly. Depending on the platform, users can even set reminder notifications and share the invitation with others on their team. Not only will all your calendars be synchronized—more or less—but they’ll also be streamlined and user-friendly.
Take your marketing a step further with automated self-service options that work great for small businesses. For example, many companies use automatic text messaging and email marketing to alert their customers to sales, new offerings, and other advertisements. Since customers have to consent to receive these advertisements, it constitutes a form of self-service—as they can often update their preferences to receive more or fewer messages. Customers enjoy this, as they can receive notifications about their favorite brand passively from the convenience of their devices.
When all else fails, many customers go to other people in their community or online forums—and sometimes both in the same place—for support. While this is typically a field that’s outside of many businesses’ control, it can be a self-service option for small businesses who keep tabs on their niche audience. For example, microbreweries in a specific Seattle neighborhood might host a local forum of their own. By networking within their area, a business like this can create resources, provide solutions, and attract new customers simultaneously. Just be careful not to take over an online platform or try and force it. Users in these spaces can usually sniff out inauthenticity and hidden motives.
Chances are, your small business is already using a few of these self-service options, even if you didn’t realize it. But how do you know if these are adding to your customer experience—or detracting from it? Here are a few quick methods for assessing the effectiveness of your self-service strategies:
By keeping tabs on the effectiveness of your self-service solutions, you’ll continually optimize your operations. This will ultimately lead to more streamlined processes, higher customer satisfaction, and increased profits.
Certainly, self-service options are nice to have. However, to the modern consumer, self-service is more of an expectation than ever. As businesses increasingly adopt digital-first and do-it-yourself solutions, customers will continue to anticipate seamless experiences. With these self-service solutions for small and growing businesses, you too can adopt strategies that meet your customers where they are—and leverage the benefits that come with it.
Is your business ready to keep up with the self-service revolution? Now is the time to start implementing, optimizing, and profiting off of the right solutions.
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