What costs companies more? Implementing self-service… or not having it?

For starters, let's take a gander at Microsoft's "Global State of Customer Service Sophistication" report.

According to it, "96% of customers are willing to leave without warning due to poor customer service, which means immediate loss of revenue and long-term image damage." This is research data and is unlikely to shock, while reading further....

"47% of companies still rely solely on outdated voice channels, and 40% use manual customer routing." Why is this risky?

Well, "nearly half (42%) of customer service professionals work with only basic information, which prevents effective and efficient resolution of customer problems." Here the risk already seems increasingly tangible.

With "36% of companies employing more than 100 service agents, and 46% still manually analyzing historical data to provide support," the lack of automation and self-service systems is already becoming a very clear and critical business risk factor.

The publication shows how companies that don't invest in omnichannel support (only 38% of the market does so) and advanced AI tools for correct request routing (only 12% of companies) risk massive loss of customers and associated revenue.

The reading is not very comprehensive (it was also written more than 2 years ago), but it does a good job of showing the relevant data on self-service systems.

Source: Microsoft - Global State of Customer Service Sophistication

Recently, we have seen a surge in customer expectations. The vast majority of support teams say that customer demands have increased significantly, with consumers expecting instant solutions and full 24/7 self-service availability. What's interesting about this is how far the companies' awareness slips from these expectations! According to an interesting breakdown of NICE's "Digital-First Customer Experience Report":

• 81% of customers expect additional self-service capabilities when interacting with a company, but... 40% of companies think they have enough of them

• 53% of companies think their customers are very satisfied with their self-service offerings, but... only 15% of consumers agree

• 36% of consumers want more efficient self-service, but... only 11% of companies prioritize it.

I encourage you to download the full report from the company's website.

Source: New findings reveal the disconnect between business perception and customer reality

Click to zoomImage > Rising expectations

While looking for material for the article, I also accidentally came across an expert article "2025 Data: Key Self-Service Stats Emphasizing Its Importance" by Jubina Prabhakaran. According to the data cited by the author - 67% of customers will not leave a brand when their problem is solved the first time. In addition, 60% of consumers choose self-service tools for simple tasks that require quick and effective results. This also demonstrates the growing need for 24/7 accessibility and the potential of self-service. Companies offering self-service report a 45% increase in customer satisfaction, and it's no secret that higher satisfaction levels drive recommendations and repeat purchases, strengthening loyalty.

The vast majority of customers first try to find a solution to their need on their own, so an effective self-service platform translates into higher retention. Automation and the availability of self-service thus appear to be key elements of a strategy to build long-term loyalty. A loyal customer is a customer you don't have to fight for. It's a customer who doesn't need to invest in. It is someone who can bring the company more satisfied partners.

Source: "2025 Data: Key Self-Service Stats Emphasizing Its Importance" - Jubina Prabhakaran.

For the more persistent, I recommend attention to the publication "Harnessing the Value of Generative AI: Top Use Cases Across Industries" by Capgemini Research Institute. The report shows on a number of concrete figures how generative AI and self-service systems bring tangible financial benefits to the industry. While it focuses primarily on the topic of AI applications, you'll also find plenty of data on the benefits of marrying artificial intelligence with self-service systems.

Source , "Harnessing the Value of Generative AI: Top Use Cases Across Industries." - Capgemini