Self-service portals helps users to find answers on their own – without waiting in a queue to connect to a live agent. How can you benefit from it? Read on.

Your customers expect quick resolutions. When faced with simple tasks like updating account details or tracking an order, they don’t want to wait on hold or send multiple emails. 60% of customers prefer self-service tools over speaking to a live agent, yet many businesses still rely on traditional support methods that create unnecessary friction.

The impact of poor resolution is significant—67% of customer churn could be avoided if issues were resolved the first time, yet only 14% of service issues are fully resolved through self-service, according to Gartner. Businesses that fail to offer efficient self-service risk lower customer satisfaction, higher operational costs, and lost revenue.

On the other hand, those that invest in self-service see tangible benefits. Companies report a 45% increase in CSAT after adopting self-service solutions, and streamlining operations while empowering customers to find answers instantly. From AI-driven chatbots to robust knowledge bases, self-service is no longer just an option—it’s a necessity.

In this blog, we’ll explore why self-service is critical for modern businesses, how AI is enhancing its effectiveness, and best practices for implementation.

What is customer self-service? 

Self-service is a way to let your customers solve their queries and receive answers by themselves without the need for a live agent to step in. 

It can take the load off your agents’ shoulders too. You can let your customers resolve their problems using a self-service chat system and reduce their dependency on your customer support agents.

What are customer self-service portals?

A customer self-service portal is usually a chat system or a web page that operates as a gateway to information and services to assist your clients in finding suitable answers as or when they face an issue with your product or service. A self-service chatbot, for example, can use conversational AI to quickly:

1. Identify the issue – Absorb and understand conversational language to gauge the depth of the problem as accurately as possible.
2. Direct users to solutions – After assessing a query, an NLP-enabled conversational self-service chatbot can direct your users to relevant and actionable solutions.

You can easily automate resolutions to FAQs and common queries using self-service, but at times, the use case may require a live representative’s guidance. These portals can also recognise and route complex or high-priority queries to an available live agent.

Here are some customer self-service examples

Self-service is customer support independent of live agents. Here are some of the techniques to include on your self-service portals:

1. Frequently asked questions page
2. Community forums
3. AI and ML-powered chatbots 
4. Knowledge base articles and product documentation
5. Automated call centre

Key Features of a Self-Service Portal

A well-designed self-service portal empowers customers to find answers, manage accounts, and complete tasks without waiting for agent assistance. Businesses benefit from reduced support costs, higher efficiency, and improved customer satisfaction. But for a self-service portal to be truly effective, it must offer intuitive features that make problem-solving easy and seamless.

Here are some key features that every self-service portal should have, along with examples of how they enhance customer experience.

1. Account Management Tools

Your customers should be able to manage their personal details, billing information, and service preferences effortlessly.

For example, if you offer a subscription-based service, your customers should be able to update payment details, switch plans, or view invoices directly through the portal. Instead of contacting support every time a payment fails, an automated alert with a one-click option to update card details can prevent service interruptions and reduce churn.

2. Comprehensive Knowledge Base

A self-service portal should include FAQs, how-to guides, and troubleshooting articles so customers can find answers instantly.

If you sell tech products, a common customer issue might be device connectivity. Instead of handling repeated support queries, your portal can offer an AI-powered knowledge base where customers can search “Why won’t my device connect to Wi-Fi?” and instantly access step-by-step troubleshooting guides or explainer videos. This not only reduces incoming tickets but also enhances the customer experience.

3. Task Management & Self-Service Transactions

Your customers should be able to initiate and track service requests, whether it’s applying for a new service, submitting a complaint, or checking an order status.

For instance, if you provide telecom services, your portal can allow customers to request a SIM replacement by guiding them through identity verification, address confirmation, and payment—all within minutes. Once completed, they receive real-time tracking updates, eliminating the need for multiple follow-ups.

4. Integrated Help Centre for Instant Assistance

A help centre should provide quick access to common troubleshooting guides, automated workflows, and real-time suggestions.

Let’s say you operate a travel booking platform. Instead of overwhelming your support team with modification requests, your help centre can guide customers to the self-service option to reschedule flights. When they search “How do I modify my flight?”, they instantly receive a step-by-step guide. If they need further assistance, an AI-powered chatbot can handle the request directly.

5. Customer Communities for Peer Support

Your self-service portal can also include a customer community where users exchange knowledge, share solutions, and offer support to each other.

If you run a B2B SaaS company, instead of handling repetitive integration queries, your customers can find solutions from others who have solved the same issue. When a user asks about integrating your platform with their CRM, they can see detailed responses from peers, reducing the need for direct support.

6. AI-Powered Chatbots & Virtual Assistants

AI-driven chatbots can handle routine inquiries, guide users to relevant resources, and even complete transactions without human intervention.

For example, if you run an e-commerce store, your chatbot can handle “Where is my order?” queries by fetching real-time tracking details. If a customer wants to return an item, the chatbot can generate a return label and schedule a pickup—all without involving a support agent.

7. Multi-Channel Integration for Seamless Experience

Your self-service portal should be accessible across websites, mobile apps, and messaging platforms to provide a seamless experience.

If you offer health insurance services, customers should be able to check their claim status on the portal, mobile app, or even via WhatsApp. A policyholder who submits a claim via the app should receive updates through WhatsApp, ensuring they stay informed without needing to call support.

What are the benefits of customer self-service?

Implementing a self-service portal can be an impactful move. Some of the ways you can benefit using it are:

1. Less workload on customer service representatives

With self-service, your customers can log tickets and solve their concerns by accessing a user-friendly and easily navigable website. It helps fix issues for your customers so they don’t have to wait for a live customer support agent to pick up their requests.

Your platform can include various self-help channels such as an ML-trained conversational chatbot, FAQs, product content, and more. Self-service can empower your customers to do all the achievable tasks themselves, allowing you to have more freedom to focus on what’s important.  

Fun fact: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance deployed a self-service chatbot only to find that customers were able to easily resolve 80% of their support queries themselves – no human intervention! Only 20% of the entire inflow was directed to support agents!

2. Enhance customer experience, trust and brand loyalty

A negative support experience can override all the good you offer. Numerically speaking, 91% of customers will not purchase or transact with a business again if they have had an unhappy user experience.

One way to combat this is to design a self-service portal built on intelligent and self-evolving machine learning algorithms. For example, a self-service chatbot can personalise interactions with resolutions that accurately match with what your users expect and need. Now when that happens, your customers are naturally happier and more satisfied with the support they receive. 

Another way a live self-service portal can help you boost better user experience is through constant feedback. You can refine your offering when you know exactly what does or does not need improvement in your company. Consequently, it results in stronger brand loyalty and promotes product stickiness. 

3. 24×7 availability can retain and attract new customers

Your customers expect your support team to be available to answer their queries round-the-clock – 51% of users today do. However, that’s not viable for your live agents. 

This is where a self-service portal like your chatbot can help. It allows access to customer support in real-time – 24/7, 365 days a year. Your customers can quickly connect with you, present their problem, and get solutions, in the AM or PM. 

Your 24×7 availability can also help you rope in casual visitors who stumble upon your business. A self-help portal can give them the necessary information they need and collect their contact details, regardless of the time of the day.

We quantify this impact: Nykaa, the online beauty store, used a 24×7 conversational AI to let customers resolve their queries themselves and saw a 64.21% bot deflection and 2.2x increase in customer engagement. “More and more prefer self-service over having to wait for an agent.”, says Anuj Sharma, Product Manager, Nykaa.

4. Save a great deal of time and money

Cutting down on cost without compromising on quality of service is a feat for any business. A self-service portal can be a boon to your business’ P&L account. Juniper Research shows that by 2022, NLP-charged self-service chatbots can help businesses save up to $8 billion in support costs!

A self-help platform reduces the need for your live agents to be available during peak hours. With diminished need to train and avail agents at every second, you can remarkably bring support costs down.

5. Always keep your customers in the know

Self-service makes customer support more efficient, accessible, and unambiguous for your users. You can use such a platform to proactively communicate with your users when you need to immediately notify them. 

For example, if there is a company-wide outage or a scheduled maintenance, your self-service portal can work as the go-to support touchpoint for your users. You can use a self-service platform for incident communication. You’re less likely to have angry customers when you keep them in the loop from the beginning.

Customer self-service: Streamlined support process, sparkling CSAT score

Customer experience holds more relevance and gravity now than it did in the pre-pandemic world. Everyone is online, and so are businesses. Now is when a self-service portal can help your users easily navigate your business, interact with you, and receive support. And that’s just how easy it is for you to turn your grumpy consumers to happy patrons!

Here, at Verloop.io, we understand that the value a typical online consumer brings to any business is phenomenal today. Our conversational AI is trained on robust ML models and equipped to handle use cases specific to industries. Let’s discuss how we can use self-service to simplify customer support for your business!

FAQs on Customer Self-Service Portals

1. What is self-service in customer service?

Self-service in customer service allows customers to resolve queries, access information, and complete tasks without human intervention.

2. What is a self-service portal?

A self-service portal is a digital platform that enables customers to manage their accounts, find solutions, and perform transactions independently.

3. How does self-service improve efficiency?

It reduces support workload, speeds up resolutions, and provides 24/7 assistance, enhancing customer satisfaction.

4. What tasks can customers complete through self-service?

Customers can update account details, track orders, reset passwords, submit requests, and access troubleshooting guides.

5. How does AI enhance self-service portals?

AI automates responses, personalises interactions, and continuously improves based on customer behaviour and queries.

6. How can businesses use Verloop.io for self-service?

Verloop.io offers AI-powered chatbots, automated workflows, and an intelligent knowledge base to help businesses streamline customer support.