Before 2013 ended, IT and customer service experts predicted that self-help options will be a common fixture in most call centers this year. Many technical support outsourcing firms have since adapted to the then forecasted change by automating IT solutions with self-service systems that customers can access for minor tech issues. By doing so, they are able to ease out some issues that tech support agents commonly face, which include:

Ticket overflow

Call volumes could reach their peak during certain seasons, and this may mean that there aren t enough agents available to attend every customer’s request. Having self-help tech support options means providing customers with alternatives to spending time talking to agents on the phone. They can simply opt out of the waiting period and get direct answers from your company’s self-help portal, FAQ page, or customer service app.

Communication difficulties

In many cases, providing explanations and instructions to customers over the phone can consume a significant amount of time because tech support agents have to translate technical terms to a simpler language that common users can understand. By having a publicly accessible 24/7 self-service system, customers can refer to the information provided by the online catalog or manual without having to call the company’s support hotlines for clarifications.

Uneven time allotment for tickets

Some agents may spend a large amount of time solving small problems, leaving less time for solving more complex issues. Technical support outsourcing firms could lower call volume and concentrate on more serious cases if customers with minor problems divert their requests to the self-service channels and solve the problem on their own.

Self-help or self-service systems not only help alleviate common tech support agent concerns but also organize ticket assignments. Customers can use a simple interface to report an issue by category, and reps could refer to the same interface to know the status of each ticket and sort tasks according to priority. Users could also leave service comments using the program, which is beneficial to a call center’s feedback gathering and agent rewarding schemes.

Empowering customers to help themselves is a great way of maximizing your agents’ efficiency.