2022-05-19-Gartner-Self-Service_Strategies_That_Reduce_Cost_and_Effort_in_Customer_Journeys_21页_695kb

Self-service strategies are essential for reducing costs and effort in customer journeys within financial services, according to Gartner research. Key findings show that ease of use is more critical than speed for a positive experience, as about three out of four customers who find channels easy rate the experience highly, compared to one in four who find them difficult. Unexpected situations and significant events consume more time but often prompt customers to take positive actions, such as planning or handling emergencies. Multichannel experiences (combining people and technology) take significantly longer—two to four times longer than human-only interactions and up to six times longer than technology-only ones—increasing the potential for frustration.

Recommendations for financial services leaders include:

• Observing how customers navigate services to identify improvements for greater digital self-service.
• Estimating customer expectations for journey times and comparing them to actual delivery times to optimize without sacrificing quality.
• Prioritizing self-service capabilities based on the effort required, focusing on low-effort changes.
• Refining site navigation and consolidating redundant information to make self-service more intuitive and accessible.

The research emphasizes that reducing effort in self-service tools can shorten interactions, cut costs, and scale operations. Leaders should guide customers to self-service channels during external searches and ensure digital tools are easy to use, preventing channel switching. Ultimately, well-designed self-service not only enhances customer satisfaction but also improves cost efficiency by streamlining complex tasks like those related to unexpected events or significant financial decisions.