When Customer Service Becomes Self-Service – Consumer Reports

By | August 15, 2014

Whether you’re banking or buying groceries, companies are moving toward a do-it-yourself approach. Consumer Reports tells you how to survive and thrive.

Source: www.consumerreports.org

Remember when attendants pumped gas, clerks bagged groceries, and the sales help measured your feet before you tried on a pair of shoes? Today at Applebee’s and Chili’s, tableside computer tablets allow patrons to order food and drinks and pay the bill without a waiter. Got a tech-support problem? Forget the help line. Just post your question to a company’s message board or community forum on its website and wait for amateur troubleshooters to respond.

The do-it-yourself economy is transforming industries, services, and society at 4G speed.

Why have companies embraced self-service so enthusiastically? To save money.

Author: Staff Writer

Craig Keefner is the editor and author for Kiosk Association and kiosk industry. With over 30 years in the industry and experience in large and small kiosk solutions, Craig is widely considered to be an expert in the field. Major kiosk projects for him include Verizon Bill Pay kiosk and hundreds of others.