Service Automation and its examples showcase a delivery of human-centric services using various tools and software. Moreover, it helps businesses enhance productivity by leveraging automation to cater to their customer and other associates.
It is also pivotal to understand that service automation is a process to support the service staff and managers. Further, the infrastructure, data, devices, and software work as the primary components of Service Automation.
The services industry is certainly a pivotal part of the growth and development of any economy. Above all, the service sector includes businesses that may offer retail, food, healthcare, financial, social, etc services to their customers. However, the service industry took a huge toll on itself due to the recent Covid-19 Pandemic.
Therefore, service automation and its examples prove that with automation there is a significant improvement in performances and quality of service. Moreover, service automation examples prove how businesses are now becoming more customer-centric. Most importantly, businesses are designing, automating, and accelerating the delivery of services for more efficiency.
Hence, in this article, we will learn more about the concept of service automation, its benefits, and examples.
Understanding Service Automation and its various Examples
What is Service Automation?
According to Dave Clifton, Content Strategy Specialist at SpaceIQ, states “Service automation is also called “service orchestration,” because it involves coordinating multiple processes to produce a result.”
That is to say, service automation is a suite of streamlining various human-centric services for a software platform. Moreover, it refers to the services that manage the coherence of services to automate background tasks. As a result, it provides a seamless and immaculate user experience.
Moreover, traditional business models follow practices that often require regular human intervention to manage, control, and monitor various tasks. Therefore, this was an old method of viewing and performing services.
In recent years, the concept of automating services to perform tasks with little to no human intervention is a reality. Moreover, adopting service automation enables human resources to work on more complex queries and contribute to strategies.
The primary sectors of service automation:
- Contact Centers:
Contact centers are the foundation of the customer relationship. Moreover, they address and resolve customer queries using email, telephone, instant messaging, SMS, or fax. They also procure databases, Automatic Call Diversion (ACD) systems, and voice recording devices.
- Call Centers:
Call Centers are an integral part of contact centers. Further, they address and cater to inbound and outbound calls. They also execute general functions like managing queries over calls. Moreover, the team must possess patience and excellent communication skills.
- Help Desks:
Help Desks are commonly preferred by businesses to internally support the employees. Moreover, it universally offers diagnostics and troubleshooting assistance.
- Field Service:
Often service engineers, technicians, etc connect and meet with customers to install, repair, or maintain products. They also travel to various locations to provide maintenance and repair services. Further, they assist customers by specifying, testing, and demonstrating the product and its solutions.
- Web-based Self-Service:
Businesses also utilize websites to provide solutions for their customers. Hence, it enables customers to order, track, install and test the products using guidelines online.
Service Automation: How does it work?
Although, Service Automation is an effortless process businesses still need to execute certain sequential steps. Hence, here are the steps involved in Service Automation:
- Firstly, it is pivotal that businesses comprehend the hierarchy and sequencing of their services. It is also important that businesses illustrate their process to delve deeper into their processes and tasks.
- It is also pivotal for businesses to identify which technological interface can they rely on to address and manage their customer queries.
- Further, it is critical for businesses to determine whether a service requires complete automation.
- Therefore, once businesses identify which services they need to automate, they can now execute service automation.
Here are the top Benefits of Service Automation
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Automating Services for Agility:
Among convenience, time-efficient, and predictability, agility is one of its top benefits. Service automation is certainly pivotal for facilitation for businesses that have complex and dynamic processes.
Moreover, it is difficult for humans to monitor all variables in real time. Hence, it automates the services for a smooth and simple interaction with customers.
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Reduces Costs and Increases Growth Opportunities:
Businesses must comprehend the fact that customer service automation is a cost-efficient solution. Moreover, it costs a fraction when compared to hiring live representatives for customer interactions.
Further, in an article by Mckinsey, businesses that adopt technology like automation have the opportunity to save up to 40 % of their costs. There is also a significant reduction in hiring new customer service representatives. Hence, it not only saves costs to the business but also enhances the customers’ lifetime value.
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Increase Efficiency:
Businesses often notice that with service automation customers gain more value due to shorter response times. Hence, it enables customers to resolve issues that do not require a live representative. Therefore, customer service representatives can divert their attention to solving more complex queries.
Examples of Service Automation in Entertainment
Netflix the popular OTT platform is a prime example of service automation. Netflix has automated the entire home automation service in the entertainment industry. It also transforms the traditional experience of watching movies and TV series. Moreover, it provides a simple in-home movie experience by offering recommendations depending on the user.
Further, it saves costs for the company by avoiding costs on payment collections. Netflix also uses the subscription funds to procure more subscribers and users.
Service Automation Examples in Travel Industry
Uber is a leading company in the field service automation industry. They have completely evolved the travel industry by automating their service. Moreover, their customers value the aspect of ordering and automatically paying for a cab within a few clicks.
Uber also saves its costs by avoiding rental taxis and hires as they incentivize their services by connecting customers to riders.
According to an article by Ada, “From the company's perspective, automating the dispatch service streamlines their workflow and allows them to spend more human hours on marketing and developing rather than managing day-to-day functions.”
Examples of Service Automation in Hospitality and Tourism
AirBnB is a classic example that has uprooted the hospitality and tourism industry. It automates the service of discovering properties in various locations. Further, it personalizes and narrows down the searches according to the history of the user.
It also offers users a wide range of properties with different facilities and requirements. Moreover, it automates the online services of search, booking, and payments within the app.
Service Automation Examples in Digital Service Industry
Oracle Digital Assistant offers a fast, easy, effortless, and no additional code service along with access to its Knowledge Management articles and Intelligent Advisor. Businesses can also leverage digital automation services with new integrations and advancements.
Moreover, it is an easy-to-use tool and offers faster implementation to manage the rapidly changing requirements and expectations of customers. It also uses AI-powered digital agents to offer faster access to manage various inquiries. Above all, it provides customers with great services by delivering personalized and conversational responses.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, service automation examples help businesses understand the value of their customers and employees. Moreover, it provides businesses with the ability to address and cater to different demands and requirements.