Self-service has increased to such a degree that in many industries it has become the norm rather than a nice-to-have, says John Ziniades, CEO of self-service consulting and integration company Consology.
Ziniades says since the introduction of automatic teller machines in the 1980s, South Africans have readily taken to self-service as a fast and convenient service alternative. Subsequently, self-service applications have rapidly evolved, specifically in the financial services and telecommunications industries, he adds.
Other industries have also adopted self-service applications, states Ziniades. Airports offer e-ticketing, movie-goers can purchase tickets from vending machines and cellphone users can buy airtime via their phones using interactive voice response technology.
The reason for this self-service boom, he says, is that no one likes standing in queues or holding for a call centre operator to carry out a transaction.
"A recent survey conducted by Opinion Research in the US found that consumers estimate they spend two days every year waiting in line for service. Forty percent of the respondents said they were very willing to use self-service kiosks or other self-service devices to reduce time wasted by waiting. In addition, over 40% chose one supplier over another because it offered self-service options," adds Ziniades.
Self-service, like the mobile phone or e-mail, is becoming a convenience that consumers can't do without, he says.
Ziniades explains that Web-based online self-service applications allow consumers to interact and transact with the companies they do business with when it is convenient for them.
"Consumers can pay bills, research product and service offerings, apply for services, initiate bill disputes, check and change account information, initiate and track support requests, and more, all from their desks at work or at home," he continues.
Ziniades predicts that companies will gradually Web-enable their back-end systems, allowing them to reach their customers with a consistent set of services across a range of channels - Web, mobile, kiosks and call centres.
Using the Web as a channel for customer self-service benefits companies, as they can improve customer loyalty, deflect calls from their call centres, automate bill dispute processes, speed up collection of payments and make significant cost savings on paper and postage, he says.
"Customers are tired of long queues and poor call centre service. They are demanding quick access to service, visibility into their relationships with suppliers and easy ways to transact. Self-service is becoming a business essential."
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