Any software company understands the importance of prioritizing platform accessibility, flexibility, and convenience. These are the qualities users demand from their apps, or they move on. As part of today’s modern digital experience, users expect to have access to the tools, information, and resources they need to get the most out of the platforms they rely on. The demand for user independence and autonomy has given rise to the “digital self-service economy,” and created opportunities for platforms to optimize engagement, especially when it comes to the payment experience.
In this blog we’ll explore the advantages of equipping your users with self-service resources that empower them to take control of their payments and create the ideal experience for their customers.
What are self-service resources for software-led payments?
Payments permeate every aspect of our lives — there isn’t an industry out there where payments aren’t made and accepSelf-service has become a core emphasis of the user experience. It’s the idea that users can independently use platforms and resolve issues without having to interact with sales teams or customer service representatives. Curating a self-service experience requires platforms to have the right digital resources available - whether they build these themselves or work with a partner to offer them.
Examples of digital self-service resources that support the software payments experience include these:
- Online portals
- User-friendly dashboards
- FAQs
- Chatbots
- Knowledge centers or bases
- Community forums
Why you should prioritize self-service as part of the software payments experience
According to survey results from Higher Logic, 77% of respondents said they view organizations more positively if they offer self-service support options. There’s value in giving your user base the resources that can optimize their payments and give them control over their own experience.
Empower your users to control their own payments experience
As Matt Downs, EVP and President at Worldpay for Platforms puts it, “We live in an age where we expect to find what we need within the native applications we use, without ever having to speak to a human. There’s a certain level of control we get from purely digital experiences, and that’s what businesses want from their platforms. Software companies that recognize this can deliver a self-service experience that gives their users control over their own payments.”
By giving your users, the ability to control more of their payments natively, you fulfill the need for user independence and meet the expectations of platform accessibility.
Learn more about the value of taking a digital-first approach to software-led payments.
Generate more value and customer satisfaction in your platform
Self-service offers a more efficient experience for your user base. When empowered with the pathways to find what they need on their own terms, users can get more out of your platform and their issues can typically be resolved more quickly — which all adds to the general desire to more deeply engage with your platform and stick with it longer. There’s also a certain level of control you have over the customer service experience for your users when you create strong foundational self-service resources. They can offer consistency and quality. With more traditional customer service interactions (e.g. phone support), you may have less control over the experience and level of customer satisfaction, which could threaten loyalty to your platform if poorly managed.
Lighten the load of your own customer service teams
Spending any time on the phone with customer service reps can feel like a waste of energy. It’s a traditional way of serving customers that isn’t always as efficient as the self-service model. When your users are equipped with the tools to independently track down information or resolutions, they have less reason to tap into your customer service teams, which can reduce your own operational expenses and enable you to free up or redirect your resources elsewhere.
Find a payments partner that prioritizes self-service
When it comes to creating user autonomy among your base, what’s key is ensuring the self-service resources you deliver to your users are accessible, intuitive, and easy to navigate. This is where forming a partnership with a payments provider can become your most strategic path forward. Beyond delivering the software-led payments solutions that meet the needs of your user base, the ideal partner will have the expertise and the infrastructure to deliver the resources your users need to seamlessly manage the payments piece of their business and build the experience they want for their customers.
Self-service can optimize the payments experience for your users, giving you the momentum to outsprint your competition and become the everything platform. It’s a trend that will continue to shape software-led payments in 2025 and beyond. Discover more about this trend and other predictions we have for the year ahead in our eBook: 2025 Software-led payments predictions.