Uncover the true value of your customer support organization with the technology trends that matter most in 2017. A recent survey by Gatepoint Research finds that 51% of Gatepoint survey respondents stated their leadership team views customer service as a potential competitive advantage. However, uneven service continues to be the main cause of customer frustration.

Customers actually prefer self-service, according to many studies and reports including Forrester's top trends in customer service. It provides fast answers, and eliminates the need to wait on hold when phoning support. But as with any factor of B2B customer support, there are best practices to follow in implementing self-service.

Taking your self-service to the next level requires work and preparation. But don't worry; this guide is specifically designed to help you create the right practices internally and build the best self-service experience you can for your customers.

A unified experience is like taking the multi-channel approach and gold-plating it, so that no matter how your customers access your support (email, phone, portal, social media, etc.) they get the SAME wonderful experience. Using the right system not only accomplishes this, but also eases the burden on your support team, reducing frustration and improving morale.

Over 98% of all US companies are Small and Mid-sized Businesses (SMBs) and for them, it is especially important to maintain happy customers as a key factor in company success and growth. Despite this, customer support is often overlooked as an important component of the customer experience - many times simply because of a lack of time and resources.