June 12, 2020 BY FAHAD SIDDIQUI
Enable your customers, free up your agents
This pandemic has changed customer priorities for the short term (and possibly beyond), and in turn companies must adapt to how they are engaging them.
Increasingly, customers are focused on how COVID-19 is affecting them, and the harsh reality is
that many companies are managing a reduced headcount as they begin to reopen. It is a truly an unprecedented time
and a unique challenge to provide a seamless experience.
68% of customers would rather use self-service channels for simple questions or issues*
This stat raises the question: How can you enable your customers for today’s demands while reducing your
service agents’ volume?
Here are three Service Cloud features that will do both.
Knowledge
Help me, help you. Creating a centralized knowledge base equips your customers and agents with easily accessible information
on products, procedures, policies, etc. Similarly, you can leverage the power of Salesforce Knowledge to equip your
customers with important COVID-19-related information across digital channels. Create and update article content
with clear messaging to help answer top-of-mind questions during these times. Examples of common themes might be new
operating processes, safety procedures for employees and guests, and curbside pickup.
To check if your org has Knowledge enabled, click Setup, enter “Knowledge” in the Quick Find box, and click
Knowledge Settings. Consider the following tips:
Dedicate a page or tab on the website and mobile app to house all COVID-19 content, and ensure that it is always visible at the top
Create a single FAQ document that answers the most frequent COVID-19-related requests. Display this on all your digital channels and feeds (website, mobile app, social media)
Configure a Knowledge article category called “Disaster Recovery” (or similar) and article type called “COVID-19” to distinguish articles of this type
Create a #COVID-19 article topic to make it easier for your agents to find content
Transition articles to the Lightning Knowledge interface with the Lightning Knowledge Migration Tool
Salesforce Knowledge is included for Unlimited Edition
with Service Cloud, and at an additional cost for Professional, Enterprise, Performance, and Developer.
New to Salesforce Knowledge? Check out these resources to get started!
Salesforce Communities
30% of customers say online communities are a preferred channel when communicating with
companies*
Communities can be customized to help guide customers through the new normal. If you want to provide your customers
with a vision of the next phases in a crawl, walk, run approach for the future, or maintain connection and
relevance, personalizing a community is a great way to enable self-service. Unify your message on all
COVID-19-related updates using a customer or partner community in a way that can resonate. Present content to your customers in
multiple ways, especially with a remote frame of mind: video support, how-to guides, live agent support,
click-to-case, or a forum thread.
To enable
Communities in your org, go to Setup and type “Communities” in the Quick Find box. Click on
Community Settings and select Enable. Create up to 100 communities in Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited
editions without any additional licenses or costs. To find out more about the types of communities, click
here. For more help on rolling out a community, click
here.
Further customizations to consider:
Rebrand a community using layouts, themes, and templates to bring COVID-19 to the forefront
Embed videos using apps such as Vidyard to deliver corporate messaging on COVID-19
Set up a discussion forum for COVID-19 to connect customers to peers
Einstein ChatBots
ChatBots are an effective tool helping to resolve common issues (e.g., password reset or order status) by
understanding basic commands, and they can be taught to learn human interaction. They provide self-service for
customers, deflecting cases and reducing agent workload.
If you shop online frequently, you may have interacted with ChatBots on your favorite website. Most transactional
websites now use ChatBots as a form of self-service, and 26% of shoppers use ChatBots*. Consider it an added digital channel to your portfolio!
Let’s take it a step beyond and see how a ChatBot can be relevant in today’s climate: Imagine a scenario
in which a customer uses their mobile app to find out if they can make an in-store return of an item purchased
before the lockdown period.
They don’t need/want to speak to anyone
A simple request
The fewer clicks, the better
They are engaged by a ChatBot, which displays a menu option linking to an article about the
updated return policy.
With just two clicks, a customer request is answered and they are
back to their (quarantined) life. This is a perfect example of the power of an Einstein ChatBot: It is customizable
to the times.
A few recommendations when setting up ChatBots:
Configure the opening and closing dialogues to ask about a customer’s health and wellness, incorporating language like “Stay safe” or “Be well”
Plan a list of possible scenarios your customers may ask or request during this time, and create a dialog
Create key words a customer may use, such as “COVID-19”, “virus”,or “Corona”
Create a COVID-19 main menu option to add to your chats
Create a queue to transfer COVID-19-related requests to agents
To enable ChatBots, you must have a Service Cloud and Chat or Messaging Licenses, and be using
Lightning Experience. ChatBots can be added onto live agent and any type of chat, such as SMS
text or WhatsApp. There is a quick start wizard to guide you through every step in the process. ChatBots are
part of Einstein and are built into the Service Cloud platform at no additional cost. It can be enabled for other
platforms and is subject to the acceptance of terms.
To learn more about Einstein ChatBots, check out these awesome resources!
Trailhead: A fun way to learn how to enable Einstein ChatBots
Guided help video: Enable Einstein ChatBots in a few easy steps
Working with a reduced workforce is challenging on many levels. Using Service Cloud’s
Knowledge, Communities, and ChatBots to enable your customers and free up agents will help lighten the load as you
stabilize your business.
What features are you using to help your agents? We want to hear about your experiences! Here’s how to share your
story:
Post with the hashtag #WorkSmarter in the Customer Success Community Group, where Salesforce experts and Trailblazers like you share ideas, find answers, and drive success together.
Connect with us on Twitter @askSalesforce and post about your success with the hashtag #GiveBackTogether.
