Web self-service

Web self-service is a type of electronic support (e-support) that allows customers and employees to access information and perform routine tasks over the Internet, without requiring any interaction with a representative of an enterprise. Web self-service is widely used in customer relationship management (CRM) and employee relationship management (ERM).

When it is specific to Web-enabled employee interactions, the practice is known as employee self-service (ESS). When it is specific to Web-enabled customers, it is called customer self-service (CSS). For employees and customers, self-service offers 24 hour-a-day support, and immediate access to information without having to wait for an email response or a returned telephone call. Ultimately, the success of Web self-service depends upon the quality and quantity of information available and the ease with which it can be accessed.

Deploying Web self-service applications benefits a company in a variety of ways. The most prominent motivation is the lower cost, as compared with telephone or email service by a company representative.

A more controversial enterprise benefit of self-service is the ability it affords the company to gather personal information about the people who use it. Users may be asked to enter identifying information or their information can be collected in other ways, for example through examining click stream data. Tracking and analysis software may be used to create a pseudonymous profile of the user for research and targeted marketing purposes.