Strategies for adopting self service and automation
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This document discusses self-service and automation strategies for customer support. It defines self-service as customers serving themselves without aid at level 0 support, and automation as tools that help prioritize, elevate, track and resolve issues. The document outlines different customer segments and their views on self-service. It also discusses challenges, requirements and benefits of self-service and automation, providing examples from the author's experience. The document briefly touches on the history of self-healing technologies.
Strategies for adopting self service and automation
- 1. Self-Service and Automation Strategies Dan Wilson HDI Motown Chapter President HDI Member Advisory Board Member at Large Client Services Manager, Volkswagen Group of America
- 3. • Self-Service – Serving oneself without aid; Level 0 Support • Automation – A tool or process that helps the Service Desk quickly prioritize, elevate, track, and resolve service requests either without or in support of the agent • Self-Healing – A system’s ability to perceive that it is not operating correctly and, without human intervention, make the necessary adjustments to restore itself to normal operation; Autonomic Computing Definitions
- 4. • SMB Space – Want it to just work, NOW – No Patience for Self-Service – Service Desk fulfills emotional aspects of support • Enterprise Space – “Captive Audience” – Want to learn (depends on firm) – More patience – Less emotional aspects of support • Education Space – On the fence, depends on the department too • Engineering & Business – Similar to Enterprise • Math, Sciences, Human Services, Educations – Similar to SMB • Note: Generational differences even more diverse … evolutionary change Different Customer Segments
- 5. Customer Acceptance – Know thy customer! WIIFM – What’s in it for me? Costs of implementation Complete and Continued Commitment Patience Creates excess capacity (now you have too many employees) Proof of success Challenges
- 6. Non-IT - Gas Station Pumps, Vending Machines, ATM, Self-Checkout, Airport Check-in, Toll Booths IT Related – Service Desk Webpage, FAQ’s, KB, IVR, Kiosk Other Hot Areas: HR, Banking, Retailers Self-Service History
- 7. • Unified Mission • Vendor selection: Be picky and take your time! – Note: Fulfill req. for IT and User functionality • Metrics and measure of success • Focus on High Volume Issues – Password reset, training, setup documentation • Make Transactions Intuitive • Assign/Hire Knowledge Admin (or owner) • Constant feedback (customers, agents, SMEs) • Keep it current/relevant! Self-Service Requirements
- 8. • Good – Decreased call volumes (est. 15-50% over a year) – Agents have more time for important/more difficult issues – More proactive – Improved stability of infrastructure – Less downtime • Bad – Less call volumes = Labor cost savings? – FCR Impact – Could be fatal if testing is ineffective Self-Service Benefits/ROI
- 9. • At Handleman, Password resets > 54% of call volume so we implemented a Password Reset Tool – Results: • Dedicated Admin (not full FTE) • Involved IT Security Department • User Focus and Test Group • Lots of documentation • Dozens of training classes • Patience and persistence • Service Desk championed continued use – Pitfalls: • Tried to rush it • Vendors position of “very user friendly” • Not knowing our customers • Project on schedule and over budget (based upon hours spent) Self-Service Real Life Example
- 10. Anyone remember this advancement?? Scripting Alerting and behind the scenes repairs (Customer Perceived Automation) Self Healing Technologies IT Automation History
- 11. • Unified Mission • Commitment and dedication – Note: Scripting is an art, not a science • Metrics and measure of success • Focus on High Volume Issues – Basic PC Maintenance, service restarts, security patches, reboots, malware sweeps, etc. • Baby steps • Test, Test, and Test again • Constant feedback (customers, agents, SMEs) • Communicate changes to Users Automation Requirements
- 12. • Good – Significantly decreased call volumes – Agents have more time for important/more difficult issues – Less Escalations & Costs – Business Risk Mitigation – Improved stability of infrastructure – Less downtime – Security improvements • Bad – Less call volumes = Labor cost savings? – Self-service is not a cure-all (mgmt perception) – Impact on FCR & Cost/Call – Could be fatal if testing is ineffective Automation Benefits/ROI
- 13. • At PMV we invested in a tool and a FTE ($60k/yr) for Automation and scripting of tasks • Results: – 50% reduction in call volumes – Zero user initiated spyware/virus calls from customers in 6+ months – Improved stability and performance of infrastructures – Find a common issue, we automate it – High end scripts to the rescue • Pitfalls: – Not enough warning to users – Rush jobs – Ineffective Testing Automation Real Life Example
- 14. History ◦ Unveiled by IBM 20 years ago ◦ Was mostly focused on Midrange systems ◦ Recent focus on WinTel system Thoughts ◦ Tools advancing by the minute ◦ Lacks solid cross-platform support ◦ Cost could be a factor Many vendors, new ones daily… Self-Healing
- 15. Q&A
Editor's Notes
- #3: Thank Rich for such an efficient title, in a nutshell we are going to talk about Self Service, Automation, and touch a bit on Self healing. My intent is to offer some tangible examples, analogies, and tactics to help you understand, plan, and sell these concepts to upper mgmt or you customers. I have 45 minutes to present the topic and will field questions at the end.
- #4: Start off with some definitions, to get everyone on the same page. Read definitions.
- #5: Since I have worked in and with people in many different markets and business segments. It is imperative that we all understand that there are significant differences between a few major segments in the way that you would approach these topics. SMB: The human element in the SMB is often more important than an absolute quantification of efficiency Enterprise: Note: that the desire to learn is predicated on the companies and individual core values. This varies greatly by company. Lastly, we need remember that as the generational workforce shifts become much more pervasive, the tendencies and core value structures of our customers should change significantly (ie, as baby boomers retire in material numbers).
- #6: A few other notes: Think of Self-service and it’s challenges as being cultural, not technical. This will de-personalize the service. Some customers will be more open to the shift and others will need to be dragged kicking and screaming, or will never accept it. Think of Automation as being evolutionary, this is never done. If Continuous improvement is a company core value, this may be easier to deal with because the mindset should be in place already.
- #7: When I created the list of ways that we use Self-service today that are truly considered as “the norm”, it really opened my eyes. Truth is, everyone is using self service, every day.
- #9: Compare to the ROI of a vending machine or the Kiosks at the Airport.