One of the most critical aspects of service management software is how it benefits customers. Historically IT service management (ITSM) was all about IT improvement. But today, in the era of digitalisation, service management drives the entire organisation. In fact, service management is one of the most critical practices any business must have.
With improved operational efficiencies, increased staff productivity, reduced risk, employee experience, and, most importantly, higher customer satisfaction, IT service management will help take organisations from functional to exceptional.
The Importance of Customer Experience (CX)
Outstanding customer experience is at the heart of every successful organisation. Customers who feel valued and enjoy the overall experience will often return for more. Get it wrong, however, and they will turn to your competitors instead and are unlikely to give you a second chance, either.
The importance of CX to business results gathered steam throughout the 2010s before becoming mainstream in recent years. This 2020 McKinsey quote helps to demonstrate that a focus on CX is more than “a good thing to do” or “the right thing to do” but rather “a beneficial thing to do”:
“In ten years of helping more than 900 companies design and execute enterprise-wide customer-experience programs, we have seen this approach deliver powerful results: 15 to 20 per cent increases in sales conversion rates, 20 to 50 per cent declines in service costs, and 10 to 20 per cent improvement in customer satisfaction.”
While I understand individual organisations will have their own return on investment (ROI) ambitions and calculations that justify their investment in CX-improving capabilities and activities, this quote offers insight into the possible benefits of focusing on CX.
A notable point raised in the McKinsey study is that organisations with CX programs in place have seen a reduction in service costs. Upfront investment in the right tools, processes and skills is returned over the medium to long term.
How do ITSM Solutions improve CX?
Customers want to be supported and helped as quickly as possible in our modern age. They expect an effective service desk system to provide this convenience if and when problems arise.
How? By allowing employees to resolve issues efficiently and speedily, service management software can improve customer experiences in various ways:
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Faster resolution of issues will reduce frustration for customers. Much of the frustration customers feel when describing their issues is having to repeat themselves multiple times. Much of this frustration can be avoided when they can get answers immediately. On the other end of the spectrum, inadequate and slow customer service can sink a business quickly.
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Improved visibility into performance issues allows companies to identify problems before they happen and proactively address them with existing resources instead of having to go through lengthy troubleshooting processes after the fact. When a company’s service desk software can detect and predict future issues, it allows businesses to prevent these problems from occurring in the first place and provides customers with an even better experience.
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AI-based chatbots are becoming more commonplace as they grow more sophisticated and can provide human-like experiences while using big data to analyse customer experiences, preferences, and problems on a massive scale. Chatbots use AI to analyse vast amounts of data in real-time to respond appropriately based on what the customer has said or done in the past. They also use “natural language processing” (NLP) which allows them to understand human language and sounds much better than earlier models of chatbots did. We predict that AI-based chatbots will, in fact, replace traditional self-service portals within the next three to five years.
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Service management software also helps improve internal communication among company workforce members, which means that when a customer encounters an issue, all the staff members who might need to be involved know what’s happening right away instead of having to hear about it through multiple people over an extended period of time.
When it comes down to it, service management software can make all the difference in providing a positive experience for customers. It helps businesses improve their customer support capabilities while ensuring that their employees are always prepared and able to handle any issues they might encounter during their customer interactions.
Overcoming the challenges in implementing ITSM Solutions
I have worked in IT service management for over 20 years, working on some of the world’s largest and most complex ITSM systems. I am passionate about delivering value for customers who have invested in software yet struggle to realise its full potential. I have long felt many customers were not getting the most out of the software, seizing the many benefits of successful ITSM implementation. It was this which inspired me to create Xcession.
A passion we all share at Xcession is supporting businesses with planning, implementing, and executing their ITSM solutions. Our customers always come first. Unlike other technology suppliers, we won’t try to sell you unnecessary software or add-ons just to hit sales targets. Everything we suggest is to help your business get the most out of its ITSM and deliver a fantastic experience to your customers. If you think that sounds good – I’d love a chat.
