These days, customer self-service is non-negotiable for broadband and telecom companies looking to stay competitive. 88% of customers expect businesses to provide self-service options.
However, it's not enough to provide customer service; it's also essential to do so effectively. And this is where your company can build a competitive edge. Over two-thirds of customers say companies don't provide enough information for them to resolve issues independently.
That's because many companies are still churning out FAQ pages and lengthy, text-based manuals, which are often confusing and quickly become outdated. Interactive tutorials are a more effective self-service medium, but few companies use them. And that means these companies are missing out on the opportunities these tutorials provide.
That doesn't have to be the case for your business. Below, we go over what interactive tutorials are, the benefits of using these tutorials and what to look for when evaluating the tutorials provided in customer self-service solutions.
What are interactive tutorials?
Interactive tutorials are rapidly transforming customer self-service. They’re educational resources that guide customers through device troubleshooting and educate them so they can get the most value out of your products and services.
These tutorials come in a variety of formats, such as dynamic images or videos. With interactive support content, your customers turn into active participants.
The benefits of interactive tutorials
Interactive tutorials are becoming an increasingly popular tool for customer self-service. Below, we go over some of the benefits of incorporating interactive tutorials into your customer self-service strategy.
Streamline customer onboarding
Interactive tutorials are critical for creating a better self-serve onboarding process for your customers. 70% of customers will abandon digital onboarding if it takes longer than 20 minutes.
Additionally, 43% of customers prefer interactive resources over all other types of content. Interactive tutorials are more effective learning tools than traditional text, which can help customers retain key information necessary for successful onboarding.
A seamless onboarding process isn’t just good for your customers; it’s also vital to the success of your business. Effective onboarding decreases customer churn and reduces truck rolls. The bottom line? Interactive video tutorials help you retain customers and minimize unnecessary business expenses.
Improve customer engagement
Interactive tutorials are more effective at customer engagement than traditional self-service formats. Research has shown that interactive video content increases engagement by over 50%. Another study shows that customers spend 13 minutes viewing interactive content, whereas they only spend eight minutes viewing static content, such as FAQs.
When you use interactive tutorials, your customers are no longer just viewing the content but participating in it. And that empowers customers to resolve tech issues independently and drive digital adoption.
Increase customer satisfaction
The majority of customers believe businesses don't provide enough resources to help them resolve their tech issues on their own. And when 96% of customers are willing to leave after just one bad customer service experience, your company can't afford to miss out on the benefits of interactive tutorials.
Interactive tutorials don't just tell customers how to connect their new phone to their network; it shows them where to scroll and what to press. This can help customers get back to streaming, texting or surfing the web faster. Self-service tutorials that help resolve tech support issues quickly don't just boost retention but can improve your net promoter score (NPS).
Faster problem resolution
Interactive tutorials are a great way to streamline the troubleshooting process for customers using self-service tech support. Unlike FAQ pages, interactive tutorials are optimized for learning since interactive content can help customers better retain essential information.
Rather than wait on hold, interactive tutorials can help customers resolve even complex tech issues independently. And when customers are empowered to resolve tech issues quickly and independently, it reduces contact center wait times. Adopting interactive self-service tutorials can cut business costs and free up your agents to handle pressing tech support cases that require company expertise.
Access to tech support 24/7
Additionally, interactive tutorials provide guided tech support to your customers at any time of day or night. Research by HubSpot shows that 90% of customers want an immediate response to service requests. And providing instant support is especially critical for companies that want to tailor customer service to Gen Z, who have an estimated $360 billion in spending power.
Gen Z, or “zoomers,” are defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 and grew up in an era of instant everything. They want access to what they need now, and customer service is no exception. Gen Zers hang up after less than a minute of being on hold. Interactive tutorials can be a great strategy to provide the helpful, immediate support Gen Z craves.
Features of effective interactive tutorials
Interactive tutorials can have a powerful impact on customers and your business. However, not all interactive tutorials are made equal. Here are a few critical components of high-quality interactive tutorials.
Tutorials prioritize accessibility
Did you know that one in four Americans has a disability? If the interactive tutorials in your self-service offerings aren’t accessible, you potentially risk alienating 25% of your customer base.
When evaluating your options among various products, ask a sales professional if their solution is WCAG 2.0 compliant. That means the tutorials should be accessible to customers with disabilities. This ensures all of your customers are empowered to resolve their tech issues independently. As a bonus, when you create tutorials with accessibility in mind, it improves the user experience for everyone.
Tutorials are mobile responsive
To set customers up for success in their self-service journey, make sure that they can access tutorials from various devices. These days, customers aren’t just searching for information on desktops. They’re browsing the internet from their tablets, laptops and smartphones.
59% of internet searches are conducted through mobile devices. That means most of your customers aren’t accessing your tutorials through their desktops but through their phones or tablets. Not including mobile-responsive design can negatively impact brand perception. 57% of customers say they won’t recommend your business to others if your website isn’t mobile-friendly.
Dynamically update
The broadband and telecom industries are moving fast. And with companies such as Google or Apple releasing multiple software updates per year, your customer self-service resources can quickly become outdated.
Customers who can’t find reliable information on your site will be forced to look elsewhere. Not only can this erode trust in your business, but they may search internet forums that aren’t reliable sources of information, which can elevate cybersecurity risks for their devices.
Make life easier for you and your customers by choosing a solution that dynamically updates all interactive tutorials. This ensures customers always have access to verified information, allowing your contact center agents to spend more time helping customers instead of constantly updating your tutorials.
Easy to implement
Most telecom and broadband businesses can’t afford to wait weeks or months to implement a new self-service solution. Therefore, finding an interactive tutorial solution that’s easy to implement is critical.
A good solution should easily embed within your current website rather than requiring you to overhaul your existing tech stack. This helps your support team hit the ground running, serving customers the support they need instantaneously.
Harness the power of interactive tutorials in customer service
Customer self-service is rapidly evolving. Traditional FAQ pages just can’t meet modern customer demands. Implementing interactive tutorials in your customer self-service strategy helps your business increase customer satisfaction, improve engagement and create a better customer experience. By following the tips outlined above, you can find a self-service solution that’s a win-win for both your business and your customers.
Are you looking for a self-service solution that helps you maintain a competitive edge over the competition? As a leader in omnichannel customer service, Ozmo is trusted by Verizon, Google Fi, TELUS and more. Learn more about the future of self-serve support today!
