Browse Definitions :
Definition

customer self-service (CSS)

Customer self-service is a type of electronic support that allows end users to use technology to access information and perform routine tasks without requiring the assistance of a live customer service representative.

CSS offers end users with 24-hour-a-day support and immediate access to information without having to wait for a customer representative. Ultimately, the success of a customer self-service initiative depends upon the quality and quantity of information available and the ease with which it can be accessed.

A more controversial enterprise benefit of customer self-service is the ability it affords an organization to gather personal information about the people who use it. Tracking and analysis software may be used to create a pseudonymous profile of the user for research and targeted marketing purposes.

Once the technology is set up, a self-service interaction can cost much less than a similar transaction with a live customer service representative. Customer self-service technologies include:

Web self service - the customer can access information and perform routine tasks over the Internet by searching a knowledge base or reviewing an FAQ.
Interactive voice response - the customer can interact with an automated telephony system to perform specific tasks, such as reporting a power outage.
Apps - the customer can interact with a software program on a mobile device to carry out specific tasks, such as check an account balance or transfer funds from one bank account to another.
Kiosks - the customer can perform specific tasks such as checking in at an airport by interacting with a small physical structure that houses a computer and display screen.
Self-checkout - the customer can scan, bag, and pay for purchases without human assistance.

See also: customer experience management

 

This was last updated in August 2013
Networking
  • firewall as a service (FWaaS)

    Firewall as a service (FWaaS), also known as a cloud firewall, is a service that provides cloud-based network traffic analysis ...

  • private 5G

    Private 5G is a wireless network technology that delivers 5G cellular connectivity for private network use cases.

  • NFVi (network functions virtualization infrastructure)

    NFVi (network functions virtualization infrastructure) encompasses all of the networking hardware and software needed to support ...

Security
  • virus (computer virus)

    A computer virus is a type of malware that attaches itself to a program or file. A virus can replicate and spread across an ...

  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

    Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is an advanced certification that indicates that an individual possesses the ...

  • cryptography

    Cryptography is a method of protecting information and communications using codes, so that only those for whom the information is...

CIO
  • IT project management

    IT project management is the process of planning, organizing and delineating responsibility for the completion of an ...

  • chief financial officer (CFO)

    A chief financial officer (CFO) is the corporate title for the person responsible for managing a company's financial operations ...

  • chief strategy officer (CSO)

    A chief strategy officer (CSO) is a C-level executive charged with helping formulate, facilitate and communicate an ...

HRSoftware
  • HR automation

    Human resources automation (HR automation) is a method of using software to automate and streamline repetitive and laborious HR ...

  • compensation management

    Compensation management is the discipline and process for determining employees' appropriate pay and benefits.

  • HR technology (human resources tech)

    HR technology (human resources technology) is an umbrella term for hardware and software used to automate the human resource ...

Customer Experience
  • martech (marketing technology)

    Martech (marketing technology) refers to the integration of software tools, platforms, and applications designed to streamline ...

  • transactional marketing

    Transactional marketing is a business strategy that focuses on single, point-of-sale transactions.

  • customer profiling

    Customer profiling is the detailed and systematic process of constructing a clear portrait of a company's ideal customer by ...

Close