Self-service has been around for generations, from the advent of personal shopping in grocery stores to the global presence of ATMs. But it was really in the last quarter century that self-service hit its stride, thanks to the rise of the Internet. Customers can solve their own problems or answer their own questions thanks to the ubiquity of this technology.

OneReach’s Elias Parker explains further in his CustomerThink article:

The now 25 year-old Internet quickly changed many industries, from communications to commerce to customer service. People can now search online for solutions to their problems, or check their account balance without having to talk to an agent. And frankly, people prefer to manage customer service themselves when they want, from where they want. In fact, Forrester found that more than 70% of customers prefer self-service to talking on the phone or sending an email.

Check out the full article here for insight on the future on self-service, and download the free Harris Interactive report to learn more about how customers want service delivered.

Photo by Polycart.