Self-service in customer service is cool. If it works. And that's a big if.

Recently there have been some Web services I use for work and for play that have been bumming me out to no end.

Here's why: because their online help is self-service and it sucks.

Plain vanilla simple.

Folks, if you're going to drive your customers to self-service, make sure it's been tested and approved by your key customers.

Because if you make me call you, and you boff the phone call as well automated trees and crappy music, and I'm already unhappy, then you're really in a pickle and could lose my business.

And no magical feat of making good will make a difference if it happens more than once.

This is exactly the sentiment conveyed in the HBR Ideacast I just listened to titled Why Delighting Your Customers Is Overrated.

What's interesting is that based on customer service surveys the Corporate Executive Board's Sales and Service Practice did, what they discovered is that most respondents:

• Were indifferent when it came to using self-service or calling customer service.
• Didn't care about companies going above and beyond when they really shouldn't have had to in the first place.
• Just wanted companies to deliver consistent customer service -- online and on the phone -- on the most basic of product/service delivery issues.

That last one is the clincher and one we work hard on at HRmarketer.com.

Self-service in customer service is cool. If it works. And that's a big if.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!)